On Wednesday 15th May 2024, PubSci is delighted to welcome leading entomologist, Dr. Erica McAlister, and award-winning radio producer, Adrian Washbourne, for an evening of six-legged wonder.
The eyes of the robber fly inspired new solar cell designs (Credit: Thomas Shahan/Creative Commons)
Apologies for another tardy blog post. I’m just back from Mexico after viewing April’s total solar eclipse. You can read my personal blog post about what it’s like to experience an eclipse on LinkedIn, where you can also join the Science in the Pub (PubSci) LinkedIn group.
So, to business!
PubSci is next Wednesday 15th May, and it’s one you won’t want to miss.
Dr. Erica McAlister of London’s Natural History Museum has spoken at PubSci more than any other scientist, with good reason. Erica is on a mission to change our minds about flies. As keeper of flies and fleas at the Natural History Museum, her infectious enthusiasm for flying and sucking things is guaranteed to win you over.
Award-winning Radio producer Adrian Washbourne has made numerous programmes for BBC Science and recently produced two acclaimed series on insects for BBC Radio 4, fronted by Erica. Now they have published a book inspired by the series: “Metamorphosis, How Insects Are Changing Our World”.
Flea, from Robert Hooke’s ‘Micrographia’
PubSci is delighted to welcome Erica and Adrian who will bring us some of the highlights of their book – described as an “accessible, beautifully illustrated celebration of insects and their extraordinary contributions to humankind – to reveal the wonder of insects, historical figures who made breakthroughs in understanding them, and the vital role they play in ensuring life, as we know it, continues.
Book now on Eventbrite if you’d like to know how insects inspire human technology, if flies can help us lower our carbon footprint, and why the best mixtape to take into space isn’t what you think!
Metamorphosis will be on sale at PubSci, with the opportunity to get your copy signed by the authors.
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PubSci takes place upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge tube. Doors open 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Talks run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub.
We use Eventbrite to manage numbers – reserve your place now! PubSci is free to attend but please consider making a donation with your reservation to help us cover our costs.
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About the speakers
Courtesy of NHM
Dr. Erica McAlister is Principle Curator of Diptera (flies) and Siphonaptera (fleas) in the Department of Entomology at London’s Natural History Museum.
She is a regular guest on TV and Radio, including The Natural History Programme, The Living World, Who’s the Pest?, Natural History Heroes, Infinite Money Cage, No such thing as a Fish, The Museum of Curiosity, The Museum of Life, Springwatch and The Life Scientific. In 2019 she was the winner of the Zoological Society of London Award for Communicating Zoology.
Erica is the author of award-winning natural history books, The Secret Life of Flies (2017), The Inside Out of Flies (2020), and A Bug’s World (2022) – a book for children illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman.
Metamorphosis will be available to purchase at the event
Adrian Washbourne is an award-winning producer who spent 35 years working for BBC Radio and the World Service. He has produced landmark documentary series on botany, art and science, and the history of medicine.
Adrian has won several Association of British Science Writers awards and was awarded the 2019 Medical Journalists’ Association Feature of the Year.
Metamorphosis – How Insects are Changing Our World is the result of Erica and Adrian’s work together on two celebrated series for BBC Radio 4, and was published in April 2024.
PubSci is delighted to welcome Erica and Adrian as our speakers for May. Subscribe to our calendar to be the first to know what’s happening each month.
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There is no charge for attending PubSci talks, but we have a traditional whip-round to cover expenses – consider it a “Pay What You Can” event. Not many of us carry cash these days, so you can contribute digitally through our TipJar or make a donation when registering for ticketed events with Eventbrite. Please help PubSci continue putting on events. We have no other source of funding.
We aim to keep PubSci accessible for all, although it is unsuitable for under 18s as we meet in the function room of a pub. Regrettably, there is no wheelchair access.
Check out the Future Events page where you can also subscribe to our Google Calendar so PubSci events automatically appear in your own Calendar. You can find all our links on our LinkTree.
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We used to meet on the first Wednesday of the month but PubSci is now on the third Wednesday. Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge Underground (Borough High Street east side exit) every month apart from December for a regular dose of Sipping, Supping & Science.
Address:
The Old King’s Head (upstairs room)
King’s Head Yard
45-49 Borough High Street
London SE1 1NA
PubSci takes place upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge tube. Doors open 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Talks run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub. 
He received his PhD in psychology from Florida Atlantic University and has a degree in Applied Science from Wolverhampton University,
PubSci 