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Fiftieth anniversary celebrations for University of Leicester

Celebrate Leicester Day on Saturday 26 April

This year the University of Leicester is inviting the people of Leicestershire and Rutland to help celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Events are taking place throughout the year, but the heart of the festivities will be ‘Celebrate Leicester Day’ on Saturday 26th April.

Celebrate Leicester Day will be a day of fun for all the family and for all ages. The University is internationally renowned for its research and many of its experts will be there to share the excitement of their discoveries with the public.

Organiser of the event, Jenny Lees, commented: “Celebrate Leicester day is an opportunity for all the family to come and get involved with the University through talks, displays, and hands-on and interactive activities. The day has a fantastic range of activities, some for children, some for adults and some for both, from all the University Faculties. We would love for you to come and help us Celebrate our 50th Anniversary.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, Professor Robert Burgess commented, “Our 50th Anniversary is a splendid opportunity for us to throw our doors open to the public. Come and see our world class research and enjoy a day of fun for all the family.”

Are you a budding inventor?

On Celebrate Leicester Day at 12 noon, prizes will be awarded for the University’s competition ‘Leicester Invents’. Leicester Invents is looking now for new inventions designed by students aged 5-16, which will be judged by the University’s leading academics. More details are available `here

Take to crime!

Across a number of departments, the University plays a significant role in the solving of crime, and Celebrate Leicester Day reflects this.

The reality of psychological profiling will be revealed to those with a taste for crime, by one of the country’s few experts in the field; while, on a similar theme, you can discuss what exactly counts as murder, looking at some knotty problems from the world of terrorism and organised crime. Alternatively, you can solve a murder using DNA, with genetics experts from the internationally acclaimed department, home of the discovery of genetic fingerprinting.

Mathematical geniuses can learn how maths can come in useful in the world’s casinos, and – if a crime is committed there - how it can be solved, while the University’s experts in Criminology will test your knowledge of crime and punishment in fact and fiction.

The Earth and the Universe

The Earth comes under a different kind of scrutiny in sessions on fossils, pterodactyls, giant volcanic explosions and how the Antarctic can help predict climate change. Exploring even further, you can take a look at the real science behind the search for extra-terrestrial life and consider how life got going on Earth in the first place.

Adventure and Travel

University experts don’t always stay behind their desks and laboratory benches and visitors with a spirit of adventure can travel to the Colombian Amazon in film, with a group of undergraduate geographers, or the East African Rift Valley with undergraduate biologists, or fly through some wonderful landscapes in the Geography Virtual Reality Theatre, or take a look at the images and culture of Europe and South America.

Visit the past – fight with a Viking, learn about ancient Rome, see what a cemetery can tell you about past societies. Travel even further back in time with the Leicester’s archaeologists, looking at human and animal bones, pottery and – for younger enthusiasts – costumes, models, artefacts and quiz sheets, not to mention the Glen Parva Lady’s skeleton.

Save the Environment

Learn how automotive tribology is helping to reduce harmful emissions from engines, or how a simple B-vitamin used in chicken feed can create environmentally benign solvents.

Something for everyone

Have fun with numbers, enjoy some whizzes, bangs and ice-cream making in a Chemistry laboratory. Give yourself a health MOT and learn whether red wine really can help prevent cancer. Give in to the medical megalomania you have resisted all your life and have a go at keyhole surgery.

Eat around the globe with the School of Management. See for yourself what one of Europe’s most prestigious Physics and Astronomy Departments has achieved over 50 years. Build a comet or a Mars Lander. Learn things you didn’t know about Lewis Carroll, author of the ‘Alice’ books. Immerse yourself in 16th century English art or the early film industry or the University’s rare book collection.

Find out how derivatives from chilli peppers and mint have led to a greater understanding of heat, cold and pain. Take a look at what has happened to professional football over the past 20 years. Explore the campus. Discover the wonderful world of slime.

Celebrate Leicester Day opens on Saturday 26th April, from 10.30am to 4pm. Admission is free of charge. Food and drinks can be bought at a number of cafés and restaurants on campus.

More details on the day itself and on other events throughout the academic year are available on: http://www2.le.ac.uk/institution/50-years

The programme for Celebrate Leicester Day is now available. To download it, please click here .

Notes to Editors:

For more information on this please contact Jenny Lees, tel 0116 252 5386, email jel13@le.ac.uk