Skeptics on the Fringe: New Biodegradable Materials & Midges, Mosquitoes & Mal

Fern Sinclair: Dancing Our Way to New Biodegradable Materials

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Medical devices, cars, clothes, toys, kettles, toothbrushes… Everyday commodities that we all take for granted. Everyday objects that are sourced from petroleum resources. Resources that are running out. Resources that contribute to global waste build-up and can cause serious detriment to the environment and wildlife. The development of new to the world biodegradable materials is key. With a simple dance this research can be explained. So join us to see how traditional ceilidh dancing transfers to science.

Fern’s passion for Science began during her school years in Aberdeenshire. She went on to graduate with a first class Master of Chemistry degree from the University of Edinburgh which included one years industrial experience in the USA.

Following graduation, Fern was awarded a prestigious Principal Scholarship from the University which provides four years fully funded research and focuses on entrepreneurial development. She is currently in the second year of her PhD working for Dr Michael Shaver of the green materials laboratory.

To date, Fern has won various entrepreneurial competitions including the Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE) Young Innovators Challenge, the SIE’s New Business Ideas and Edinburgh University Bioquarter Challenge.

https://greenmaterialslaboratory.wordpress.com/

Seth Amanfo: Midges, Mosquitoes and Malaria

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Seth’s talk is about Malaria, a disease of significant public health interest in sub-Saharan Africa and other tropical countries.Malaria is a periodic fever which kills. It kills over a million annually in sub-Saharan Africa. Almost 2/3rds of cases are in children under the age of 15. Maternal Malaria is associated with 200,000 estimated infant deaths every year.It’s an ancient disease, the parasite has been in existance for 50-100,000 years but its population didn’t increase until people started farming, 10,000 years ago.Seth will focus on giving a general overview of the disease, current diagnostic tools and limitations and gliding into how his research is centred on developing alternative diagnostic tools for detecting the different species of Plasmodium that cause infection.

Seth is a citizen of Ghana and is currently undertaking a PhD research at the University of Edinburgh on malaria.

Our website for the entire run is:

http://www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk/fringe

*** RSVPing does NOT GUARANTEE you a seat for these events ***

This is because they are part of PBH's Free Fringe and are Free and un-ticketed. Come early, seating is limited and we have to turn people away most nights.

Details are here on Meetup and on our main website. If there are any changes to our published speakers, we will try to send an email to anyone whose said they're be attending, but please check online for changes.

All events start at 7.50 pm prompt and last for 1 hour (with discussions in the bar afterwards). We will try to include a couple of questions in the hour long talk but this may not be possible.

Please note that these restrictions, the timeslot, and the venue are out-with our realistic control, and we apologise for any inconvenience.

The queue for our talks runs from the front door of the Banshee up Niddry Street towards the High Street. Come early to avoid disappointment, we have to turn people away most nights. Committee members will have a "COMMITTEE" lanyard and other people involved in putting the talk on will have a "VOLUNTEER" lanyard.

We ask for donations at the end of each talk to cover our speakers' expenses and our publicity and other costs throughout the Fringe and the rest of the year. Edinburgh Skeptics is funded entirely by the generosity of the people who come to the talks and is only made possible by the speakers and volunteers who freely give up their time.

Our "Respect People, Challenge Ideas" manifesto will apply to all events and can be read here:

http://www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk/about/respect (http://www.edinburghskeptics.co.uk/about/respect/)