Soapbox Science London 2026

On the 23rd May 2026, 1-4pm, London’s Southbank will transform again into a hub of scientific learning and discussion, as some of London’s leading scientists take to their soapboxes to showcase their science to the general public.

This year marks a special milestone as we celebrate 15 years of Soapbox Science London, and the 200th anniversaries of both our founding institutions: ZSL and UCL. The speakers have been selected from our pool of amazing Soapbox Science alumni and are returning to thrill passers-by once again with their presentations about their research.

The event’s mission remains the same: to help eliminate gender inequality in science by raising the profile, and challenging the public’s view, of women and non-binary people in science. The event is free. If you’d like to see what Soapbox Science looks like in action, have a look at the Soapbox Science 2015 video.

Speakers

Selected from a competitive pool of researchers, our 12 speakers will be sharing their work in technology, science, medicine and engineering. The speakers and their discussion topics are:

Dr Ameenat Lola Solebo, UCL, “Eyes on eyes”

Prof Sudaxshina Murdan, UCL, “Vaccines for humans, fish, chicken and livestock”

Prof Zoë A. E. Waller, UCL, “The Changing Shape of DNA”

Prof Seirian Sumner, UCL, “Why you should love wasps!”

Dr Clíona Farrell, UCL, “Our brilliant brains – Why they forget”.

Dr Bhavana Solanky, UCL, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging- an introduction”

Prof Sophie Scott, UCL

Dr Charlie Outhwaite, ZSL, “Insects! Why you should care and how you can help the little things that run the world”

Dr Patricia Brekke, ZSL, “Why eggs fail”

Prof Nathalie Pettorelli, ZSL, “Rewilding our cities: why and how?”

Dr Hollie Folkard-Tapp, ZSL, “Tales of the Southbank: reconnecting with the city’s secret infrastructure- nature”

Dr Sophie Ledger, ZSL, “Extinction isn’t black and white – it’s a rainbow”

Sponsors

We couldn’t run this London event without the generous logistical and financial support of our sponsors. Our London event is supported by UCL and the Zoological Society of London.