Warwick Christmas Lectures

Warwick Christmas Lectures 2026

Call out for Christmas Lecture Presenters

Would you like to share your passion for science with over a thousand school children, young people, families and adults? We are looking for enthusiastic and engaging scientists to take the stage in Warwick Arts Centre’s Butterworth Hall on 2 December 2026.

The annual award-winning Warwick Christmas Lectures aim to inspire and engage the next generation of scientists. Running for over 10 years, this is a key event in our festive calendar in engaging our community. We want to break down the barriers to science by making Warwick’s cutting-edge research accessible and engaging to a family audience.

What's involved?

You must be available to perform your lecture on 2 December 2026. You will also be required to attend the following rehearsals:

4, 5 or 6 November - Initial Rehearsal
17 November - Rehearsal in Butterworth Hall
24 November - Technical Rehearsal
1 December - Dress Rehearsal

Rehearsals usually take place during the day. The performances will take place in the early evening.

Brief

Each Lecture is up to 20-minutes (you can do less than 20 minutes). We are looking for:

Science / science related themes that are engaging and interesting
Exciting experiments and/or demonstrations that have a visual impact
Language that explains things clearly to those as young as 8 years old, but also engages the adults in the audience, and all the ages in between!
Enthusiasm and passion for your subject
A willingness to work with the Christmas Lecture team to shape your material
Opportunities for the audience to be called on stage to volunteer or to participate from their seats. One experiment should ideally include the whole audience
If you are staff, ways to get your colleagues / students involved in the planning or delivery of the lecture
A festive connection is desirable but not essential
You can be a PhD student, academic, technician, or any other science-related role

How to apply

Outlines should fill no more than one side of A4 paper and shortlisted applicants will be invited to a meeting where you will be asked to present part of your proposal. Full versions of experiments will not be necessary. Please include your confirmation of availability for the performance date of 2 December 2026.

Applications must be sent to Asha Eade-Green at Asha.Eade-Green@warwick.ac.uk and received no later than Wednesday 3rd June at 11am. Meetings to discuss shortlisted lectures will take place on 16 or 17 June or as close to those dates as is agreeable.

Submit your application to Asha

What next?

Once selected, you will work with the Warwick Christmas Lectures team who will support you with accessibility for younger audiences and making your contribution ready for the stage of the Butterworth Hall. Delivery deadlines for your script are as follows:

2nd October - First Draft
23 October - Second Draft
13 November - Final Draft