"Café Scientifique events have been organised all over Europe and many are based in other parts of the UK. The first in Wales came into being in Cardiff in 2004.

The Aberystwyth Science Café held its first meeting 27 January 2005 in the Aberystwyth Arts Centre Theatre bar area. It is based on the Cafe Scientifique philosophy - a forum for debating science issues, not a shop window for science. Meetings have taken place in cafes, bars, restaurants and even theatres, but always outside a traditional academic context.

The objective of the Aberystwyth Science Café is to provide a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology. We are committed to promoting informal public engagement with science and to making science accountable.

We intend that a speaker leads off with a short talk. The meeting is then open for the audience to participate by making their own points or by asking questions. A science background is not required.

We would like all the community to feel they can come along and take part. We hope to organise a number of speakers at events concentrated in the period October - April.

At the first Aberystwyth Science Café, Prof Tim Lang (author, academic and Food Policy specialist) led a discussion on science relating to agriculture, food and public health.

The meeting was introduced and compered by Sid Thomas a local scientist at IGER, and one of the organisers. He had a busy time rushing about with a microphone so that everyone who wanted to say something could be heard, on what turned out to be quite a noisy evening. The audience of about 60 continued discussions from 7.30 pm until about 10.30.

Thanks are due to the Aberystwyth Arts Centre for allowing us to hold the Science Café in the Theatre Bar area.

The Aberystwyth Science Café is an initiative organised by the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), University of Wales Aberystwyth and the Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

We have received support and financial assistance (from COPUS) from Techniquest Cardiff."

Article written by Dr Tony Gordon