The Open University at Orkney Science Festival 2026

On six days of The Orkney Science Festival in September 2026, there’s an opportunity, wherever you are, to join the Festival for a lively hour online with speakers from The Open University. 

The events will take place 5.30-6.30pm each day, with topics ranging from regional accents to renewables, and from facial recognition technology to the science of sleep and dreams. 

• Thursday 3 September: Climate and Energy Science
  Prof Stephen Peake: Our Islands of Free Volts
   
• Friday 4 September: Languages and Education
  Dr Sylvia Warnecke: The Power of Scots Language
   
• Saturday 5 September: Forensic Psychology
  Dr Lara Frumkin: The Sound of Bias
   
• Monday 7 September: Forensic Psychology
  Prof Catriona Havard: Understanding Recognition Failure: Evidence from Eyewitness Research
   
• Tuesday 8 September: Classical Studies
  Dr Steph Holton: The Ancient Science of Sleep and Dreams
   
• Wednesday 9 September: Philosophy
  Prof Sophie-Grace Chappell; The Problem of Free Will is Child’s Play

Find out more and book your free tickets at The Orkney Science Festival website.