The countdown is on for this year’s Soapbox Science event which brings 12 inspirational female scientists to the streets of Swansea to share their research, engage the public and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Hosted by Swansea University, the free event will be held in Oxford Street between noon and 3pm on Saturday, 22 June. Now in its sixth successful year, it aims to raise the profile and challenge the public’s view of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM).

This year the event will see scientists from the University joined by conservationist and broadcaster Dan Rouse.

Flashback to a previous Soapbox Science event in Swansea.

The Swansea date is one of 50 Soapbox Science events in 14 countries which will see speakers from a range of backgrounds share their research and answering questions from the public.

Organiser Dr Geertje van Keulen will help spread the word about the event on BBC Radio Wales’s Science Café on Tuesday when she joins a panel of leading female scientists to discuss ways of encouraging more women into STEMM careers.

She said: “We feel that Soapbox Science is a fantastic way of doing just that. By bringing science and technology to the public where they wouldn’t normally expect it, we hope we can inspire and explain just what they can offer.

“Once again this year our speakers will passionately discuss their work with the audience, in particular those who would not otherwise go to scientific events or open days. Our aim is to challenge traditional science stereotypes.”

As speakers range from PhD students to professors, Soapbox Science prides itself on representing the full spectrum of the academic career path, and gives the speakers a chance to meet and network with other women in science.

Dr van Keulen added: “The topics are so diverse there should be something to appeal to everyone.”

This year’s speakers will be:

Dr Sandra Bustamante-Lopez on Red Blood Cells + Sensors, we are a wise bunch;

Dr Charlotte Eve Evans, Crabs, climate change and disease in our oceans;

Jainaba Sallah Conteh Cooking your plastic waste into electric wires;

Dr Siyuan Liu Computing technologies for the elderly: games and devices;

Dr Awa Andongma Why insects need microbes;

Dr Alys Einion Centred Birth: It’s all in the mind – using the mind to enhance fertility and reproduction; 

Dr April Cridland Trapped antimatter – controlling annihilation;

Dr Zubeyde Bayram-Weston Amazing anatomy: why anatomy matters in disease;

Dr Kelly Mackintosh Move More, Sit Less;

Lauren Burns Decisions, decisions;

Hannah Jones A Healthy swimmer is a happy swimmer; and,

Conservationist Dan Rouse Seeking Birds: A tale of bird conservation.

Dr van Keulen is also looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help support the event. The team needs people to assist speakers, collect feedback from the public, helping with transport, record video and take photos throughout the day.

“We guarantee good atmosphere, interaction with variety of researchers from different disciplines, Soapbox science T-shirt and free lunch,”she added.

Email soapboxscienceswansea@swansea.ac.uk if you are interested or go to Soapbox Science  for more information about the event.

Soapbox Science Swansea is part-funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology, the Learned Society of Wales and Swansea University’s STEMM Colleges.

Science Café will be broadcast at 6.30pm on Tuesday, June 11 on BBC Radio Wales