Tim Peake to feature on expert panel: ‘What can space do for us?’
Experts from the worlds of science and technology including ESA astronaut Tim Peake will join a special panel discussion at the launch of Space Park Leicester.
In the latest of the University of Leicester’s Space Park Conversations series, panellists will examine the question ‘What can space science and technology do for us?’ on the same day the £100million space research, innovation and teaching cluster formally opens.
Students will have the opportunity to hear from:
- Major Tim Peake, ESA astronaut and passionate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) advocate
- Lord Willetts, University of Leicester Chancellor and former Minister of State for Universities and Science
- Professor Emma Bunce, President of the Royal Astronomical Society and Head of School for Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester
- Professor Anu Ojha OBE, Director at the National Space Centre and Honorary Professor at the University of Leicester
- Dr Rob Parker, Research Fellow at the National Centre for Earth Observation
The panel discussion and Q&A with students will be held at Space Park Leicester on Monday 14 March between 3.45pm and 4.30pm, and will be moderated by Professor Sarah Davies, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of College for Science and Engineering. She said: “Without wanting to pre-empt the thoughts of our expert panel, our work in space has an important role to play in tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time: the climate crisis.
“Through our diverse panel of researchers, policy-makers and an astronaut, who has seen our delicate planet from space itself, I look forward to hearing their insight and encourage students to join the conversation.”
The discussion will be livestreamed on the University of Leicester’s YouTube channel.
March’s panel discussion will be the second in the Space Park Conversations series, following an inaugural event to coincide with last year’s COP26 Conference.
As well as space scientists, engineers and other researchers, Space Park Leicester is home to multiple high-tech businesses which use space science to create a better world, and also proudly hosts the headquarters of the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO).