Science Festival dates announced for 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Friday 17 July 2009

Food for thought?

New Zealand International Science Festival dates announced for 2010

The seventh New Zealand International Science Festival is pleased to announce dates for the 2010 festival and will run from 6-11 July in Dunedin.

The festival will be held over six days and include a number of high profile keynote speakers and events based on the exciting theme of "food for thought?"

Festival President, Mike Harte said the 2010 event would be run over six days this year, instead of nine days.

"Running the programme over six days will facilitate access to a greater variety of activities, promoting science and technology in a fun and entertaining way," he said.

Sue Clarke, Festival Director recently visited the 2009 Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK and has returned to Dunedin bubbling with ideas.

"There were a number of similarities between our Festival and theirs which was heartening. The main difference is Cheltenham’s access to science TV personalities such as Richard Hammond which instantly draws a crowd. I came away thinking about ways to get science into people’s living rooms" she said.

Sue believes the 2010 festival will appeal to a much wider range of people and encourage the public to get involved in food related concepts such as; what we are eating, where our food comes from and what the future holds.

"The 2008 festival was an incredibly successful event, however, we have chosen a topic for 2010 that will resonate with most people and their everyday involvement with food. The festival will be a stimulating event with lots of hands-on food related activities and thought provoking discussions led by experts in their field, being planned," she said.

Background

The New Zealand International Science Festival has developed, managed and produced six International Science Festivals in Dunedin every two years since 1998. The festivals in the past have run for nine days, and involve participation of international keynote speakers; events, external event organisers, and a range of local and national sponsors and funders.

Up to 40 individual volunteers help run festival events and thousands of visitors from all over New Zealand participate in festival events. The festival attracts a significant amount of high-profile local, regional and national media coverage, in print, radio and TV.

The NZ International Science Festival is a not-for-profit organisation, which exists:

• To promote and celebrate science, technology and the environment to a wide general audience, and show that science is exciting, fun, and accessible

• To encourage science, technology and the environment as positive career options for young people

• To show the relevance of developments in science & technology to our daily lives

• To promote the excellence and achievements of New Zealand scientific research

ENDS

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