FUTURES

A festival of discovery exploring the past, creating the present and imagining the future
Highlights from FUTURES2024: young children taking part in some interactive activity.

FUTURES festival returns to Plymouth for fifth year of discovery

Plymouth’s free festival of ideas, innovation and discovery returns this autumn as FUTURES2025 brings researchers and the public together for inspiring, hands-on events across the city.
Now in its fifth year, FUTURES is funded by UK Research and Innovation and showcases the groundbreaking work taking place at universities across the South West. The festival is a collaboration between the Universities of Plymouth, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Bath Spa, offering a packed programme of public events designed to make research accessible, interactive and fun for all ages.
As a hub of outstanding research and innovation, the South West showcases projects that address some of society’s biggest challenges and make a real difference. The festival celebrates groundbreaking initiatives at local universities, helping to shape a brighter future for all.
FUTURES2024: two young scientists take part in an experiment at the event
Research is all about curiosity, creativity and hands-on exploration – and at FUTURES2025, the public has a chance to experience this first hand!
In Plymouth, the festival will feature three key events:
The headline public lecture, The Big Talk, will see world-leading marine scientist Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS take to the stage to explore the global challenge of plastic pollution in our oceans – and the urgent action needed to protect marine life and coastal communities. Professor Thompson, who leads the University's International Marine Litter Research Unit, is recognised globally for his pioneering work on microplastics and ocean health.
Also returning this year is Voyage of Discovery, a flagship family-friendly research showcase taking place right in the heart of the University campus. This lively, interactive event invites visitors of all ages to get hands-on with cutting-edge research, meet the experts behind the discoveries, and experience how science, creativity and innovation come together to shape the world around us. From ocean science and health technology to archaeology, climate action and robotic pets, Voyage of Discovery offers something for everyone.
FUTURES will also join Seafest Plymouth on the city’s historic Barbican, where the University’s Plymouth Fish Finger Project will take centre stage. Led by Dr Clare Pettinger , Associate Professor in Public Health Dietetics, this innovative research is working with local fishers, schools and community partners to transform underused local fish into nutritious school meals – supporting sustainability, tackling food waste and connecting the city to its rich marine heritage.

All events are free to attend, with booking opening soon.

For more information on events across the South West and for bookings, please visit the main FUTURES website, or visit the University's events calendar .

Voyage of Discovery 2024 showcase

Watch our showcase video from last year's fantastic event and hear Dr Daniela Oehring , Associate Professor in Optometry telling us more about what public engagement means to researchers.

Highly informative. Helps me stay connected to the advancements of the technology necessary for developing interactive architecture. Please organise more similar events, make research visible!

It was a great event with lots to do for all ages. Ideal for my little boy who wants to be a scientist.

Highlights from FUTURES2024: a young boy is engrossed in watching a demonstration.
Highlights from FUTURES2024: a young girl is taking part in some interactive activity.
A young boy is taking part in a practical demonstration involving a basketball
Highlights from FUTURES2024: young children taking part in some interactive activity.
Highlights from FUTURES2024: a young girl taking part in some interactive activity with a robot.

From public engagement to scientific recognition

The story of Lotion in the Ocean

Scientific discovery doesn’t happen in isolation. It thrives on conversation, curiosity, and collaboration – often well before a breakthrough hits the headlines. Last year, we hosted Lotion in the Ocean, an event exploring the impact of sunscreen on marine life, led by PhD researcher Anneliese Hodge in partnership with The Box. The event was part of FUTURES2024. Through this programme, we've been able to create dynamic, interdisciplinary spaces where researchers and the public can come together to explore and engage with emerging research.
Anneliese’s research, initially shared through Lotion in the Ocean, has now been picked up by The Guardian, highlighting the urgent need to investigate the effects of sunscreen chemicals on marine ecosystems. This journey – from an interactive public engagement event to international media coverage – demonstrates the vital role of engagement in shaping and amplifying research.
Public engagement is often seen as a way to share ‘finished’ research, but it’s most powerful at the beginning, when questions are still forming, and data is still unfolding. Events like Lotion in the Ocean provide researchers with the opportunity to refine ideas, test public interest and even uncover new perspectives that shape their work. The conversation doesn’t just flow one way; public input can spark new directions, build confidence and create real-world impact.
Past FUTURES events

Find out more about FUTURES events from previous years

Public Engagement at Plymouth

The University of Plymouth is committed to engaging the public with its research. Our researchers work with a diverse range of communities and publics from in and around the city of Plymouth to communities right across the globe.
The public engagement team work across the University to provide advice and support, training and funding for engaged activities.
FUTURES 2022 event, talking to children