Cheltenham Science Festival

The guest directors for Cheltenham Science Festival 2017 are television presenter and actor Dallas Campbell and former NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan.

In 2014 the guest directors were BAFTA winning naturalist Steve Backshall and radio and TV presenter Richard Bacon.

The Cheltenham Science Festival aims to engage in entertaining, challenging and deliberately discussing controversial issues and experiences.

In Famelab, contestants give short (maximum three minute) presentations unaided by slides on an area of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) that they have been researching.

In 2007, the competition was adopted by the British Council as one of its flagship science engagement projects, first as a South East Europe pilot.

By 2010, Famelab expanded to include 14 nations across Europe, Asia and Africa, setting the stage for a growing global phenomenon.

For 2013, the introduction of the MRC Helix Theatre and return of the GE Pavilion for its second year marked even further growth in the development of the festival.

This year, the Everyman was not used and instead The Arena, a large marquee built on gardens outside the Town Hall, was introduced which was used as the venue for the more popular events.