Running from Wednesday 19 March to Friday 4 April, the Cambridge Festival is a mixture of online, on-demand and in-person events covering all aspects of world-leading research happening at Cambridge.

Divided into four key themes – health, environment, society and discovery – the Festival includes over 350 events and activities, and fosters meaningful conversations about the issues shaping our world today and into the future.

Researchers from the Department of Engineering such as Professor Tim Minshall, Head of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), will lead a number of sessions, including but not limited to:

Saturday 22 March at the IfM (West Cambridge)

• Introducing Versius®, the only small and modular surgical robot powered by a digitally native ecosystem.
   
• Your Life is Manufactured – How we make things; why it matters, and how we can do it better. A talk by Professor Tim Minshall. Book your place.
   
• Re-Volting Batteries. Join a hands-on workshop building a Zn-Cu battery and a coin cell battery, and learn more about roll-to-roll manufacturing techniques.

Saturday 29 March at New Museums Site, Bene't Street, CB2 3PT

Bringing history to life with a demo of a reconstructed cricket bowling machine – led by Thomas Glenday, Head of Design and Technical Services at the Department of Engineering.

Originally created in the early 1900s by Dr John Venn – who first described what are now known as Venn Diagrams – the 7ft contraption bowled out players from the Australian cricket team during a visit to the city more than 100 years ago.

Chat to Thomas and his team about the build, which was achieved using nothing more than patent illustrations and an old photograph discovered online.

Saturday 29 March at Newnham College

Delve deeper into robotics during a hands-on workshop titled Navigating the physical world: The essential role of robots.

Dr Chapa Sirithunge, Narges Khadem Hosseini, and Dr Yue Xie, introduce bio-inspired robots. The team also share their experiences as researchers in the Bio-Inspired Robotics Laboratory (BIRL), discussing the essential role of robots in the future and their potential. Find out more.

There are four sessions running throughout the day at 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm. Book your place.

Saturday 29 March at the Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street

• Dive into a world of arcade-style activities that let you explore the wonders of nuclear energy and cutting-edge research. Book your place.
   
• Become a flood-fighting hero! In this action-packed activity, kids will learn how to protect a town from a rushing flash flood by designing their own sustainable buildings and flood defences using the magic of origami and engineering tricks. Find out more.
   
• Smart and sustainable infrastructure and cities. Activity one highlights the importance of public involvement and collaborative learning in shaping the future of urban areas. Activity two emphasises the role of cutting-edge technology in creating smarter, more sustainable urban infrastructure that can respond to real-time data, improving safety and sustainability in cities. Find out more.
   
• Explore cutting-edge research and innovations that are shaping the future of our roads. This event, hosted by the Digital Roads of the Future Research Group, will showcase groundbreaking advancements in transportation infrastructure, focusing on the integration of digital technologies and sustainable practices to create smarter, greener, and more resilient road networks. Book your place.
   
• Learn how cars are designed and manufactured. Build your own model car using the materials and tools provided. Find out more.

Tuesday 1 April at the Cambridge Union Society, Keynes Library, 9A Bridge Street, CB2 1UB

• Your Life is Manufactured – How we make things; why it matters, and how we can do it better. A talk by Professor Tim Minshall. Book your place.

David Cain, Cambridge Festival Manager, said: “We’re excited to return with a programme that lets everyone engage with Cambridge’s world-class research. This year’s Festival is larger than ever, reflecting our rapidly changing world and the need for urgent solutions.

“The Festival showcases vital work being done here in Cambridge and globally, whether learning from the past or using creative methods for future solutions.” 

 View the complete programme.