A University of Nottingham researcher has been awarded a lecture at the internationally renowned British Science Festival.
Angela Thornton, a PhD candidate at the university's Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) and member of the Faculty of Engineering's Human Factors Research Group, is one of just seven researchers in the country selected to showcase their cutting-edge work to the public.
As part of her Digital Innovation Award Lecture, Angela will explore 'Mind Uploading', which is a concept often discussed in science fiction. However, it is also one potential outcome from the scientific process of emulating or 'reverse engineering' the brain. As well as sharing her findings, Angela will also showcase a novel method of researching such far future concepts involving a bespoke storytelling website, which allows participants to explore both utopian and dystopian scenarios in a world where mind uploading is a reality.
She said: "Although we're probably still around a century away from being able to emulate a human brain and much further away from the possibility of mind uploading, the ethics of how we handle personal neural data are attracting a lot of attention around the world. We need to ensure we all think about the potential risks as well as the benefits of such advances."
New technologies have the potential to transform what it means to be human and I'm really excited to be able to contribute to this dialogue.
She continued: "Coming from a predominantly commercial background myself, I fully understand the importance of engaging with those not in the field of academia, which is why I've always been passionate about sharing my research with different audiences. Speaking at such a prestigious event is a huge personal achievement for me and I can't wait to experience the festival."
Alexandra Lang, Assistant Professor in Human Factors and Angela's Lead Supervisor, said: "I'm incredibly proud that Angela has been selected as part of this year's Award Lecturer cohort. Her research is truly unique and interdisciplinary and I've no doubt that her lecture will be one of the most popular at the festival.
Angela has a real skill for communicating complex concepts in an easily understandable and engaging way - making her the perfect presenter for this topic.
The British Science Festival has acknowledged promising early career researchers for more than 30 years, with previous Award Lecturers including Brian Cox, Richard Wiseman and Maggie Aderin-Pocock.
This year's event is being held at the University of Exeter from 7-10 September. To find out more about Angela's research, please visit: https://highlights.cdt.horizon.ac.uk/students/lpxat
