FUTURES

FUTURES is a free festival of discovery taking place in the South West across venues in Bath, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Exeter and Plymouth throughout September. The festival is a unique opportunity to find out more about the innovative and world-class research taking place at universities across the South West.

With something for every age, FUTURES brings science, culture and research to life in new and exciting ways. There are plenty of events to experience, including late-night museum openings, hands-on activities, exhibitions, storytelling, comedy nights, talks, quizzes, radio shows and much more!

Some events are ticketed, some are drop-in, but all are completely free. Find out more about the FUTURES events happening in Exeter below.

Events showcase – Exeter

Pop-up Shop

This summer, you are invited to be curious, let your imaginations run wild, and embrace the extraordinary! Enter a world of wonder and step inside our Pop-Up Curiosity Shop, right in the heart of Exeter city centre.

Immerse yourself in our interactive activities, get hands on with science, and have your mind blown by our boffins. With plenty to explore, you can take to our treasure trail, dive into our discovery workshops, and venture into our Fungus Escape Room for an experience like no other!

This unique family-friendly event is taking place in Princesshay Shopping Centre in Exeter City Centre on the 28th and 29th September. Just drop in – it’s free to attend and you don’t need to book.

Walkie Talkies

Hit the streets with our team of experts to explore the local area in a fun and fascinating way. Join one of our Walkie Talkie excursions, led by academics at University of Exeter, to find out for yourself where the magic happens!

In the ultimate science ‘show and tell’, you will head on a guided tour to witness research brought to life, delve into important discoveries, and visit inspiring places where vital work happens.

Researchers at Schools Programme

Thanks to funding from FUTURES, we're featuring University of Exeter researchers in the Our World From Space project, about the relevance of UK space science for the future health and sustainability of our home planet! If you are a researcher who would like to get involved, register your interest here.

Killer Fungus Escape Room – Positive Lights Exeter

Do you have what it takes to fight the Killer Fungus outbreak?

Working against the clock, with clinicians and scientists, can you solve the clues that surround a mysterious illness that is taking over Exeter? Work through a real-life clinical scenario to find out more about the fungal threat that is all around us, and what you can do to fight the fungus.

You’ll be helped by real-life medical mycologists from the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology to implement life-saving treatments and find out how their research is saving lives and helping fight this global threat.

Researchers in Churches – St Mary's Church, Totnes

As part of Futures 2024, the University of Exeter will be at St Mary's church in Totnes for an engagement event celebrating and exploring vital research with speakers from across the South West.

Hosted by a BBC journalist, there will be a special discussion featuring researchers from universities in Bath, Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth. With plenty of time for conversation, all are welcome to join us in this beautiful space. The event is taking place at 19:00, on the 27th September 2024.

Expression of interest – Seeking engaged researchers

Are you looking for exciting and fun ways to share your research with an external audience? We are looking for researchers to get involved in the following events:

Exeter school events which are being delivered by Exeter Science Centre in July;
Killer Fungus Escape Room which is happening at Positive Lights Exeter in September;
Researchers in Churches events being delivered by Agile Rabbit in Totnes in September; and
Pop-up Shop of Curiosity and Walkie Talkies being delivered with Clear Events in September.

It's also a great opportunity to increase awareness of your research, pilot engagement activities, hone your ability to speak in lay terms about your research, gain views about your research from festival attendees, inspire young people, and help increase connections between the University and local communities.

If you are interested in participating, please complete our Expression of Interest form to get involved and contact PER@exeter.ac.uk with enquiries.