Cyber security students will help deliver activities at Cheltenham Science Festival

University of Gloucestershire students will demonstrate their cyber security credentials as part of an innovative new attraction at the 2022 Cheltenham Science Festival, which gets under way next week.

The Cheltenham Science Festival, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, brings together the UK’s most respected scientists, writers and artists to talk about today’s hottest topics. 

The University is one of the proud partners of the Festival (7 June to 12 June) that assisted in the design of its brand new drop-in zone, The Arcade, which is expected to prove hugely popular with visitors of all ages. Entry to The Arcade is free.

The Arcade will feature retro arcade games and pinball machines, to highlight past technologies, as well as showcasing new cyber and computing technologies and exploring how they will shape our culture in the future.

Students from the University’s School of Computing and Engineering will provide support in delivering cyber security activities within The Arcade, such as ethical hacking, and demonstrate the importance of webcam and USB security and of not leaving devices unlocked and unsupervised. They will also take part in activities showing how blockchain technologies can improve security in web applications.

Professor Kamal Bechkoum, Head of the University’s School of Computing and Engineering, said: “We’re extremely proud to be partners of such a fantastic event as the Cheltenham Science Festival and to have collaborated with other partners in designing The Arcade, which we’re confident will prove a great new addition to the programme.

“The Arcade is a wonderful way in which to engage with visitors of all ages and backgrounds through lots of fun and exciting games, as well as helping to celebrate Gloucestershire as a fast-growing UK cyber hub.”

The University’s Professor Adam Hart is among the presenters at this year’s Cheltenham Science Festival.

Professor Hart – the University’s Professor of Science Communication – will host a talk entitled ‘Gardening to save the planet’ on Saturday, 11 June between 5.15pm and 6.15pm at the Helix Auditorium in Imperial Square, Cheltenham.

He will be talking to plant ecologist Kate Lewthwaite, horticulturist Alistair Griffith and biologist Dawood Qureshi about how green spaces can be lifesaving for our planet, and what we can do to help them thrive. Tickets for the event are priced from £9.

Images: Children and adults enjoying the activities at recent Cheltenham Science Festivals