Student Finance (Tuesday 7 July)
Knowing how to fund your time at university is vital. This webinar looks at the finance system for studying at university, including Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loans and what you will be expected to pay back. You will also hear about other sources of finance e.g. scholarships and bursaries, plus tips for budgeting.
Chemical Engineering: Year Abroad (Tuesday 21 July)
We will be exploring our Year Abroad option. Following an introduction from our Admissions Tutor, Dr Anita Ghag, one of our students will discuss their own experiences of their year abroad. There will also be a Q&A session at the end in which you can ask any questions you might have about Chem Eng at Birmingham.
Chemistry: Career Opportunities for Birmingham Chemistry Graduates (Wednesday 22 July)
Find out where our graduates find employment.
Benefits of Higher Education (Tuesday 28 July)
Deciding whether university is the right option for you is important. This webinar explores some of the benefits that can be gained by you investing in a university education.
School of Engineering: Shared First Year (Tuesday 28 July)
School of Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Mechatronic and, Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering). We will explain how our shared first year works, the benefits to our students and how it helps students become successful engineers.
Biosciences: Elevated CO2: How will it affect plants, carbon and water cycles? (Tuesday 28 July)
Elevated atmospheric CO2 is driving climate change through the greenhouse effect. CO2 is the gas that plants use to make sugars in photosynthesis. When plants take in CO2 they also loose water putting plants at the centre of the global Carbon and Water cycles. Plants are getting more available resource as CO2 is elevated and we do not understand how plants generally and UK forests in particular will respond. The FACE (Free Air Carbon Enrichment) experiment that the University Institute of Forest Research (BiFoR) has set up will find some of the answers. This seminar will introduce the complex relationship between CO2 levels and water use by plants and how the FACE experiment is addressing these issues, including access to a virtual tour through the experiment site.
Biosciences: The social network of plant mitochondria- why does the powerhouse make friends? (Wednesday 29 July)
Chemistry: What will you Study at Birmingham? (Tuesday 28 July)
Hear from our Head of Education about how our Chemistry course is taught and how our students are supported.
Civil Engineering: Final Year Project (Wednesday 29 July)
Project Work is an important aspect of our degree programmes. Hear from a student about the projects that they have completed during their studies and how doing projects has helped them learn.
Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering: Final Year Project (Wednesday 29 July)
Project Work is an important aspect of our degree programmes. Hear from a student about the projects that they have completed during their studies and how doing projects has helped them learn.
Mechanical Engineering: Final Year Project (Thursday 30 July)
Project Work is an important aspect of our degree programmes. Hear from a student about the projects that they have completed during their studies and how doing projects has helped them learn.
Chemical Engineering: Where could your degree take you? (Monday 3 August)
We will be exploring the various career paths a Chemical Engineering degree offers. Following an introduction from our Admissions Tutor, Dr Anita Ghag, we will also be joined by some of our alumni, who will be sharing their career journeys following graduation. There will also be a Q&A session at the end in which you can ask any questions you might have about Chem Eng at Birmingham.
Law School Live: Ask us Anything! (Monday 3 August)
Ask our Head of School and current students, staff and alumni any questions you have about studying Law at Birmingham.
Why Study at the University of Birmingham? (Tuesday 11 August)
Choosing the right university for you is important. This webinar looks at the academic and social aspects of life at the University of Birmingham and explores some of the benefits of joining our student community.
Why Study at the University of Birmingham? (Friday 14 August)
Choosing the right university for you is important. This webinar looks at the academic and social aspects of life at the University of Birmingham and explores some of the benefits of joining our student community.
Choosing Courses and Universities (Wednesday 19 August)
It’s very important to choose the right course at the right place for you. This webinar helps you consider the important factors to explore when choosing a course and university from course content and student support to location and student life. It also includes details of how to find out more about courses and universities you are considering to help you narrow down your choices.
Psychology: The Psychology of Why We Do (or Do Not) Do What We Are Told (Tuesday 4 August)
Biosciences: Parasites, Viruses, Poverty and Cancer: Tackling Burkitt's lymphoma (Thursday 6 August)
Professor Chris Bunce's research focuses on cancers that arise in blood cells including leukaemias, lymphomas and myeloma. The aim is to derive new treatments, often based on the imaginative use of existing drugs. Chris teaches on cancer, immunity, and cell signalling in year 2 and final year modules.
School of Engineering: Hear from our School of Engineering Alumni (Wednesday 5 August)
School of Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Mechatronic and, Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering). Alumni will talk about their experiences of studying Engineering at Birmingham They will discuss what they are doing now and how Birmingham helped them achieve their goals.
Chemistry: Our Innovative Lab Course (Wednesday 5 August)
Hear from the Director of our Undergraduate teaching labs about the development of our lab course in our new £40m teaching labs.
Computer Science: Degree Apprenticeship with PwC (Thursday 5 August)
Find out more about our Degree Apprenticeship with PwC, you will hear from PwC’s Technology Degree Apprenticeships Manager and current students on the course who will share their experiences and insights.
Computer Science: Live Q&A - Ask us anything (Wednesday 19 August)
Live Q&A with our Admissions Tutor and current students. Find out more about what it is like to be a Computer Science student at Birmingham.
Chemistry: Why Choose an Industrial Experience Placement Year? (Wednesday 19 August)
Hear from the Director of our Industrial Placement Year and some of our students about the opportunities available and how we support our students
Physics and Astronomy : Gravitational Waves - Dr Patricia Schmidt (Tuesday 19 August)
Gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of spacetime, are a prediction of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Their observation allows us to probe some of the most extreme events in the universe, such as the collisions of black holes and neutron stars, opening a new window to studying gravity and cataclysmic phenomena.
Dental Surgery / Dental Hygiene and Therapy: Drill and fill – and what else? (Tuesday 4 August)
This session will talk about the BDS degree course – what will it teach you, what does a dentist actually do, and what makes the Birmingham BDS course special. It will help you decide if a life with a drill in your hand is for you!
Biomedical Materials Science: Where will we be sourcing missing organs in the future? (Wednesday 5 August)
As the population of the world grows older we are beginning to outlive tissues and organs of our own body and are becoming reliant on transplants and artificial biomaterials. In this lecture you will learn about the shortfalls in transplantable organs, their shortcomings and the promising advances in biomaterials and regenerative medicine to deliver the organs of the future.
Biomedical Science/Medicine: It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right (Wednesday 5 August)
Have you ever wondered why you sometimes pick up an empty suitcase and almost swing it up past your ears? Or why you sometimes push a door open so vigorously that it swings back on its hinges? Or perhaps how it is that a test cricketer can hit a ball that is going so fast that the last time he saw it, it was in the bowler’s hands? Or how we know when to stop drinking when we are feeling thirsty? Or how a baby learns to walk and then perhaps learns how to play the piano when they are older? All these questions can be answered by a basic understanding of feedback and feedforward theory and by appreciating how our brain makes an internal model of our world to make accurate predications against. This understanding might also help explain why we sometimes worry so much about things.
Biomedical Materials Science: The Race for the Surface: Microbes, Cells and Biomaterials (Friday 7 August)
When Biomaterials go wrong…Microbes can be found just about everywhere. Lots of them are harmless, even beneficial. However, once a biomaterial is placed into a human body a race begins. Our human cells will start to integrate the new component into our body, whereas microbes will try at the same time to make the material their new home. When microbes manage to grow on biomaterials, such as artificial hips or heart valves and also indwelling devices like catheters, then this can cause terrible infections. In this session we will discuss exciting ways to avoid infection in the first place and also how to treat an infection once it has taken hold.
Pharmacy/ Biomedical Science/ Medicine: Mighty steroids and how to tame them (Wednesday 12 August)
Steroid hormones are master regulators in the human body. They regulate the balance of chemicals in the body. Steroids direct the general growth of the body as well as the development of sex characteristics like ovaries or testes. Here, we will look the steroid ‘backbone’ - what makes it such a highly stable structure. We will also hear of two ways in which the body keeps steroids under control. One of these are redox switches, the other one is to add a cap of sulfate to the steroid. So, we have powerful signalling molecules with on and off switches - ideal for a great deal of regulation.
Biomedical Science/Medicine: Poo: a remarkable new medicine – but could you stomach it? - (Wednesday 12 August)
Faecal Microbial Transplantation (FMT) is proving remarkable in the treatment of many modern-day diseases. The procedure involves transplanting faecal material from a healthy donor into a patient and here in MDS we have recently completed a pilot clinical trial assessing the efficacy of FMT for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. This has revealed some interesting findings about how FMT is working, what we are actually transplanting and what makes a good faecal donor; these findings will be covered in the lecture. In addition, it has highlighted many potential issues with FMT and as such, we are creating safer and more applicable therapies based on FMT that will also be detailed.
Pharmacy: Painkillers: Friend or Foe? (Monday 17 August)
In this lecture, we will discuss a common class of painkillers called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We will look at the chemical structures of the drugs, how they work against pain and inflammation, as well as their typical use and their common side effects which many people are unaware of. This taster session will provide an insight into the appropriate use of the painkillers purchased over-the-counter, and the recent research conducted at the University of Birmingham monitoring the use of NSAIDs in amateur runners and the adverse drug reactions noted.
Biomedical Science/Medicine: Seeing is believing:how we use microscopy to study cells in health and disease (Monday 17 August)
Scientists have many techniques at their disposal to study cells, but none are more powerful than our ability to see cells, organelles and even single proteins down a microscope. In recent years, advances in physics, chemistry and computer science have all revolutionised microscope design and allowed us to see cells in more detail and study sub-cellular events in real-time. This session will highlight some of these advances and how we use them to answer important biological questions.
Law School Live: Diversity in Law (Monday 10 August)
Hear from our student and staff Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity team about some of the initiatives taking place to make the Birmingham Law School community an accessible place for all.
Law School Live: What is CEPLER? (Monday 17 August)
Hear from CEPLER Manager, Senior Lecture and President of the Birmingham Law Society Linden Thomas as she explains all about the Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research.
Tips for your UCAS Personal Statement (Tuesday 25 August)
You will want to make a good impression with your UCAS Personal Statement. This webinar provides advice around what Admissions Tutors are looking for in the personal statement. In addition there will be advice if you are unable to complete work experience due to COVID-19.
Psychology at Birmingham: The psychology of choice: How do we choose what to study in university? (Wednesday 26 August)
Chemical Engineering: Completing your application (Wednesday 26 August)
We will be taking you through the application process for Chemical Engineering, from personal statements to Offer Holder Visit Days! This session will be hosted by our Admissions Tutor, Dr Anita Ghag and we will also be joined by one of our current students. There will also be a Q&A session at the end in which you can ask any questions you might have about Chem Eng at Birmingham.
Physics and Astronomy: Quantum Technology – Dr Mike Holynski (Wednesday 26 August)
Birmingham leads the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology, which has the aim of exploiting the exceptional properties of quantum mechanics to realise novel devices for real-world and fundamental applications. These include ultra-precise clocks and atom interferometers, and ‘gravity cameras’, which can unveil the underworld – from modern urban infrastructure to the buried secrets in archaeology.
Biomedical Science/Medicine: Exercise……how does our body just run with it? (Tuesday 25 August)
When we exercise changes occur in our cardiovascular and respiratory systems, all without us thinking about it. The physiological responses to exercise are finely tuned to ensure that oxygen demand is met and carbon dioxide doesn’t build up in our tissues and play havoc with our pH. Why does your heart race and why does it feel like it is coming out of your chest if you exercise hard? Is it true that you shouldn’t eat just before exercising? Training can help with our ability to meet these metabolic demands but extreme environments e.g. high altitude can restrict how well our bodies can respond to even mild exercise.
Law School Live: 20 minute taster (Monday 24 August)
Hear from CEPLER Manager, Senior Lecture and President of the Birmingham Law Society Linden Thomas as she explains all about the Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research.
Choosing Courses and Universities (Wednesday 2 September)
It’s very important to choose the right course at the right place for you. This webinar helps you consider the important factors to explore when choosing a course and university from course content and student support to location and student life. It also includes details of how to find out more about courses and universities you are considering to help you narrow down your choices.
Physics and Astronomy: Mini Big Bangs in ALICE and the CERN LHC – Professor David Evans (Wednesday 2 September)
The 27km Large Hadron Collider (LHC), situated 100 metres under the Swiss-French boarder at CERN near Geneva, is the World's most powerful particle accelerator. In the LHC, protons (hydrogen nuclei) are smashed together at 0.999999991 times the speed of light recreating, for a tiny instant, the violent particle collisions which would have existed less than a billionth of a second after the Big Bang. For about four weeks a year, lead nuclei are accelerated and collided in the LHC producing the highest temperatures and densities ever made in an experiment and recreating the exotic primordial soup which existed at the birth of our Universe.
Chemical Engineering: Ask us anything! Live Q&A with current students (Wednesday 2 September)
We will be joined by some of our current students who’ll be online to answer any questions you might have about studying Chemical Engineering and student life at Birmingham.
Computer Science: Careers and Job Opportunities (Wednesday 2 September)
Hear from our Careers Tutor and alumni about the different types of job opportunities there are for Computer Science students. After hearing from our speakers, there will be a question and answer session.
Social Policy/Criminology: Investigating Social Murder: Inequality and the social sciences (Wednesday 2 September)
In this 60 minute session students will be introduced to the concept of social murder and how it can be drawn into debates within Sociology, Criminology and Social Policy to understand modern societies and some of the key challenges we face. Through an examination of inequalities and injustice we explore different aspects of "social murder" to not only explore key debates but also potential solutions that can lead to longer, healthier and just lives. This session is ideal for students interested in sociology, criminology, social policy, and Police, Politics and Economics.
Biomedical Science/Medicine: The need to breathe- Low blood oxygen and carotid body activation in COVID-19 (Tuesday 1 September)
The carotid body is a small organ located in the neck that constantly monitors the blood supplying the brain looking for signs of danger. These danger stimuli include a fall in blood oxygen (called hypoxia), a change in pH (e.g. acidosis) and a decrease in blood glucose (called hypoglycaemia). All of these could potentially be lethal if we were not able to respond. This is where the carotid body intervenes. For example, when the blood oxygen level drops, the carotid body immediately triggers an alarm in the form of thousands of nerve impulses sent to the brain. This activates protective reflexes including an increase in breathing, a rise in heart rate and narrowing of most blood vessels, so that enough blood and oxygen can instead be delivered to the brain. In patients with COVID-19, damage to the lungs means that the blood oxygen often falls and the responses triggered by the carotid body are vital to support survival. New research is needed to identify if a dysfunctional carotid body in some specific patient populations increases susceptibility to low blood oxygen and worsens outcomes in COVID-19.
Academic writing skills - tips for students undertaking long essays or an Extended Project Qualification (Thursday 3 September)
This session will provide guidance on academic writing, including how to plan and structure an assignment, what to include in key sections (such as the introduction and conclusion) as well as some handy editing tips and tricks. This is perfect for those students undertaking a longer essay, such as the Extended Project Qualification, for the first time.
Biosciences: Blue biotechnology; the future for blue-green algae (Thursday 3 September)
Blue-green algae are one of the oldest life forms on the planet. Global warming has seen their numbers rise in lakes and oceans where they can produce toxins that are harmful to plants and animals. But, algae can also be beneficial to society. The seminar will touch upon the future of blue-green algae within the biotechnology industry and it's use in cosmetics, the food industry along with it's future application as a renewable energy source.
A Future in Physiotherapy: Musculoskeletal and Sport Physiotherapy (Wednesday 9 September)
Biomedical Science/Medicine: Is it still necessary to still use animals in scientific research? Why? (Monday 7 September)
Technology is impressive and allows us to Zoom around the world in real time breaking down international barriers. We can navigate accurately using our mobile phones and record our life experiences ……so why is it that animals are still used in scientific research? Haven’t we learnt as much as we can from them already? If we do decide we still need to use them, how do we control what can be done and what are the ethical considerations? Do all disciplines in biomedical sciences use them equally?
Biomedical Materials Science: The power of light: from tissue restoration to traumatic brain injuries (Wednesday 9 September)
Light energy can be harnessed for several biomaterial applications. This session will provide a brief overview of modern light delivery technologies that help restore diseased tissue and emerging science that may provide critically ill patients with severe brain injury a better chance of survival.
A Future in Physiotherapy: Community Physiotherapy - Wednesday 16 September, 18:00-19:00