Science Week

Birkbeck Faculty of Science

Birkbeck Science Week shares our world leading research with a wider audience

Each year Birkbeck organises a week of free public lectures and related events in the form of Science Week to share internationally recognised research in the areas of science. The Faculty of Science encompasses three schools: Psychological Sciences, Natural Sciences and Computing and Mathematical Sciences.

These events are for anyone interested in science and those who are considering studying science at university. The free science talks can be attended in-person at Birkbeck or attendees can join our global online audience.

Our most recent Science Week in 2024 included lectures on subjects such as exploring the Moon, creating an effective data culture within an organisation and how neuroscience, psychology and philosophy can shed light on people's experiences of unseen presences. The programme also included the annual Rosalind Franklin Lecture and the Andrew and Kathleen Booth Memorial Lecture.

Join our mailing list to hear about future Science Week events.

Discover Science Week

Catch up with past events from our collection of blogs, lecture recordings and photos.

Browse videos, blogs and photos.

Science Week 2023

Talks in 2023 explored the impact of AI in biosciences, what astrobiology can teach us and breakthroughs in educational neuroscience.

Science Week 2022

Science Week 2022 looked at what it takes to become a scientist with talks from researchers in biological sciences, earth and plantary sciences and psychological sciences.

Science Saturdays 2021

In 2021 our free online science talks were open to a global audience and live-streamed to Birkbeck's YouTube channel throughout May.

Science Week 2019

Our speakers discussed some of the key issues behind recent science headlines: the search for life in the universe, synthetic life, the adolescent brain and early infant development.

Science Week 2018

Shark's teeth, volcanoes, self-representation and cognitive training: find out more about the talks at our 2018 Science Week.

Science Week 2017

In 2017's Science Week, we explored microbes, human irrationality and how the Earth’s geochemistry controls the Earth’s long-term climate.

Science Week 2016

Events during our Science Week in 2016 included talks about the Moon, Mars and molecules. Oh, and the link between crystallography and chocolate.

Science Week 2015

What do cinema, water, face recognition, dementia and laughing babies have in common? They were all featured in our Science Week 2015.

Science Week 2014

Science Week in 2014 investigated mindfulness, synthetic biology, crystallography, garden flowers and asteroids.

Science Week 2013

Science Week 2013 covered topics such as autism research, climate change and human evolution, chlamydia, earthquakes and drugs.

Discover Science Week

Check out this selection of videos, blogs and photos from past Science Week events.