News

Lord Winston opens £23m bioscience building

Published 4 July 2011

Scientists have a duty to communicate and explain their work to the people who pay for it – the taxpaying public.

That was the message from Professor Lord Robert Winston as he opened a new £23 million bioscience building at the University of Brighton on Friday 1 July.

Lord Winston, scientist and TV presenter, said: “The science we do in laboratories here at Brighton and at my university, Imperial College, is not our science - it is paid for by the public, and therefore we have a duty to ensure that it is understood and communicated.”

Lord Winston watched a demonstration by the university’s Professor Hal Sosabowski, professor of Public Understanding of Science, who regularly performs explosive experiments for school groups.

Lord Winston said: “What Hal demonstrates is funny and quirky but actually what he is doing is really very important because he is communicating and engaging with the public.”

He said scientists had to ensure people in society understood what they were doing: “And when they feel concerns or anxieties then we as scientists have to be less arrogant. We have to listen to what those concerns are and adjust what we do to take in those concerns.

“One of the really exciting things happening today at places like Brighton is the amount of engagement the university does.

“One of the great chances we have now is to reduce, diminish and indeed make seamless the barrier between schools and what was previously mysterious, arcane, elitist and out of touch universities.”

Professor Julian Crampton, Professor Andrew Lloyd, dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering; Professor Lord Winston; Lord Mogg; Professor John Smart, head of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

Lord Winston, who was introduced by Lord Mogg of Queens Park, chairman of the university’s board of governors, said universities had massive resources which could help bring down those barriers: “If governments understood that a little better and tried to fund that in novel ways then I think there would be a massive improvement in the literacy of our young people.”

He told scientists and university staff: “You are a beacon for that kind of activity.”

Professor Andrew Lloyd, dean of the Faculty of Science & Engineering, supported the argument: “We feel strongly that this building and the facilities should be considered as a shared resource for the university, local businesses and industry and indeed the local community – schools, colleges and other educational and user groups.

“We invite our community to take full advantage of this facility.”

He said the new building housed state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories for the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.

Named after the Huxley family, credited with widely contributing to the understanding of science, literature, commerce and politics, he said the building, in Lewes Road, Brighton, was home to breakthrough research into ageing, diabetes, and to activities promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics among young people.

Professor Julian Crampton, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, said the university was continuing to invest in its infrastructure and new buildings, across its five campuses: “We are delighted to be working with the city council on the development of the Preston Barracks site and Circus Street, close to our Grand Parade campus in the city centre.

“The university is looking to the future in a positive and proactive way.”