On Wednesday 7th February we’re delighted to have Dr Anne-Maria Brennan speaking at PubSci about Silk Road science – the ideas, knowledge and technology that made their way from East to West along with trade goods along the old Silk Road.
Caravan on the Silk Road. Cresques Abraham c.1380 from Atlas Catalan
Anne-Maria is Director of Education and Lecturer in Professional Practice at the Centre for Professional Practice at the University of Kent, her area of interest is public engagement with science, particularly the interface between science, technology, culture and the arts. Past winner of the British Science Association’s Sir Walter Bodmer Award and Freeman of the City of London, Anne-Maria is dedicated to bringing hidden stories of science into the light. In her own words “science not communicated is science not done!”
With Islamophobia becoming increasingly rampant in Europe and with the divisiveness of Brexit encouraging a whitewashing of British history and culture, it is useful to remember the long history of cultural and intellectual exchange that has existed between East and West. As Anne-Maria has commented in the past “Europe is inundated with links to Islamic culture, yet many still see the two as worlds apart. Take a closer look and we see castles, fountains, books, ceramics, artefacts, tools and many other things throughout Europe – all beautiful reminders of a Golden Age of Islam.” This enriching of European culture, science and technology through links with the East owes a great deal to the old Silk Road.
Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head, near London Bridge station. Doors open at 6pm for a 7pm start and as usual the event is free, but we will have a whip-round to cover costs – we hope to see you there!
PubSci 