Lunch Sessions
Are you interested in discussing important topics with like-minded attendees? Would you like to learn more about some of the non-research aspects of an academic career? If so, then you might be interested in the specialist lunch sessions running during the conference.
During the week there are seven specialist lunch sessions scheduled from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. If attending one of these sessions, please collect your lunch beforehand and take it with you!
More information about the details of these lunch sessions, including their locations, will follow nearer the conference.
Please note that we are unfortunately not able to offer online attendance at these sessions.
Monday 11th July
Publishing Lunch
Kim Clube (RAS Publishing Manager)
Venue: Arts Centre Enemble Room
A lunch for early-career researchers looking to publish their research and to review papers. The Editor-in-Chief of MNRAS and MNRAS journal staff will explain how the review process works, how long it takes, and give advice on how to write a good paper, responding to referee reports and completing your first reviewer report. Q&A will be encouraged.
Diversity Lunch - Allyship workshop
Sheila Kanani (RAS Education, Outreach and Diversity officer)
Workshop run by Jennifer Lobley (ACAS Senior Advisor)
Venue: Arts Centre Studio
This hour-long session will include topics such as:
- What is an ally?
- What does effective allyship look like?
- How to become an ally?
So grab your lunch and come along!
Tuesday 12th July
MIST-UKSP Business Lunch
Maria Walach and Sarah Matthews
Venue: Arts Centre Ensemble Room
The MIST-UKSP business lunch is a joint meeting of the "Magnetosphere, Ionosphere & Solar-Terrestrial" and "UK Solar Physics" communities. This business lunch will include reports from the MIST and UKSP Councils, and representatives of STFC will be present to discuss issues raised by members of both communities. Brief updates on potential future missions may also be provided followed by a discussion of our future plans.
Sci-Art: Communicating Scientific Concepts Through Art
Soheb Mandhai
Venue: Arts Centre Studio
Throughout history, crafting media (e.g. paintings, sculptures, dance, music) have played a crucial role in conveying messages through depiction and symbolism. These art forms are unrestricted by language barriers or borders and can take forms that are universally accessible.
This lunch session will explore avenues of science communication using different crafting tools and methods. These crafts can distil complex ideas into immersive experiences attainable by a broader audience. This in turn can help develop an understanding of scientific concepts and aid in inspiring members of the public to explore ground-breaking science. The session will consist of an open discussion promoting an exchange of ideas to encourage and improve science communication, with the overall objective being to formulate strategies to apply crafts to various topics such as outreach, inclusivity, accessibility, and general engagement. The accompanying art exhibition will give attendees a platform to upload and show their art/crafts to their colleagues.
Thursday 14th July
Outreach Lunch
Lucinda Offer (RAS Education, Outreach and Events officer)
Jenny Shipway (AstroBoost)
Venue: Arts Centre Ensemble Room
A lunch for delegates to NAM to meet, have discussions with, and draw inspiration from people involved in different aspects of public engagement in small groups. Find out about AstroBoost, a project bringing up-to-date astronomy to new audiences across the UK. AstroBoost partners with astronomers to provide outreach kit and training to Amateur Astronomical Societies, with a current focus on the Webb Telescope. Delivering activities within their own communities, societies can effectively engage audiences who are underserved by other outreach organisations. AstroBoost is all about building networks - could you be involved?
Early Careers Networking Lunch
Megan Maunder, Áine O'Brien, Dominic Bowman, Fred Richards, Steven Gough-Kelly, Jack Reid, Valeriya Korol, Jakob van den Eijnden, Nathan Steinle, Chiara Spiniello, Soheb Mandhai, Laura Nuttall, Matt Nicholl, Jayne Birkby
Venue: Arts Centre Studio
Given the lack of in-person events over the past two years, this collaborative lunch with the RAS Early Careers Network will provide a much-needed space for Early Career Researchers to network and share and discuss their own experiences.
Friday 15th July
LGBTQUIA+ Astronomers Lunch Meet-Up
Ares Osborn
Venue: Arts Centre Studio
If you feel you are the only individual with a queer identity in your discipline, it can be incredibly isolating. This is further complicated by a (criticized, but a widely upheld status quo) culture of science that revolves around the idea of objectivity, that your work should be separate from your identity. It can make it hard to be authentically you, an experience which is exhausting to uphold, and results in wider invisibility and erasure of queer researchers.
This session is a private lunch meet-up for Astronomers who identify under the LGBTQUIA+ umbrella (Lesbian, Gay, Bi+, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, Undefined, Intersex, Asexual and Aromantic, and those of other queer identities). It will be a forum to meet each other, network, discuss experiences in Astronomy/STEM/academia and share advice with one another, and to ultimately feel less alone. The organisers encourage representatives from UK-based organisations that promote the inclusion of LGBTQUIA+ people in STEM - e.g. Pride in STEM, the Birmingham oSTEM chapter, PRISM Exeter - to talk about their work and distribute advertising material to those attending.
