A ‘Queer & Quantum’ Science & Arts Day comes to The Stage Door, Southampton on Sunday 31st March 2024 for Trans Day of Visibility, celebrating STEM subjects, the arts and trans/non-binary visibility in both.
The event will feature talks from LGBTQIA+ scientists across quantum physics, astrophysics and more, supported by charity Pride In Stem, who work to support and raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ scientists and issues, and the University of Southampton’s board of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.
There will be two performances by trans/non-binary performers working in STEM areas: Moonface by performer and physicist Meg Hodgson (they/them), and Drag ’n’ Drop! by writer/performer Ri Baroche (they/she). Special performances will be presented by Breakout Youth’s New Milton group, local trans/non-binary drag performers who have been supported in their development by Ri, and Cambridge drag king Dean Adze.
The day will end with a DJ set by trans/non-binary performers and drag artist and local legend Dany Issues.
Performers include Dr. Scary Boots (they/them) , who will be giving a talk about why working with soft things is (ironically) hard, why materials reject binaries, and why you would want to make soft machines.
Scary genuinely has a PhD in 3d printing jelly, won the Institute of Physics 3 minute wonder competition for talking about it, has presented their work at hacker camps, the Edinburgh Fringe, and Cheltenham Science Festival, and now works as a consultant for food, soap, and packaging. When not being a legit scientist they also perform drag as Dean Adze.
Dr. Izzy Garland (they/them) is at Lancaster University, working on understanding how galaxies and the supermassive black holes in their centre co-evolve. Growing up in Essex, they moved to Lancaster in 2015 to complete a Masters in Physics, and stayed there to pursue a PhD.
They said: “Galaxies come in all shapes and sizes, colours and components. But how did they get like this? In this talk, I will explain how we know so much about objects so distant, how we can categorise them (and why categorisation is so challenging), and what this can tell us about their internal workings and processes. I will then move on to the supermassive black holes at the centre of these galaxies, so relatively small in comparison, and yet so influential in the evolution of the galaxy. How did they get here? How did they get supermassive? The reasons for co evolution are still very uncertain, but I will explain what we know so far, and what we don’t! I will finish up by demonstrating how you can get involved as a citizen science to help us learn more about the Universe around us.”
Dr Ashley Spindler (she/they) is a Senior Lecturer in Astronomy and Data Science, as part of the Centre for Astrophysics Research at the University of Hertfordshire. Their interests lie in the novel application of machine learning technologies to next generation astronomical surveys, and she has previously studied the evolution of galaxy morphology. Ashley is also a Trustee of Pride in STEM and a Councillor of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Moonface by Meg Hodgson (they/them) – Moonface is a live solo theatre show that uses clowning to explore colonial, capitalist mining practices and how the models created on Earth are being utilised to inform the future of interplanetary travel. Made in collaboration with Professor Ilan Kelman, coordinator of UCL’s Space Health Risks Research group, and the London Mining Network, Moonface is a humorous and exuberant love letter to our nearest celestial neighbour and an exploration of how much ‘space’ we all take up in our late-stage capitalist universe.
Drag ’n’ Drop! by Ri Baroche (they/she) – In a world where gender has been outlawed, only drag can save us… Dragona Budjet (it’s pronounced bou-jzay, m’kay?!) is one half of high energy drag removals company Drag ‘n’ Drop! She really puts the all in removals, bringing entertainment and education in unequal measure.
In a show that puts the feathered eyebrow in high-brow and the dick joke in Phillip K. Dick, Dragona gets to the top and bottom of the biggest questions: if a drag queen falls in a forest, will her makeup survive? Where does self-worth come from? And where the hell is Drop?
This is drag’s answer to Waiting for Godot that no-one asked for.
Ri Baroche (they/them) is a non-binary/trans writer, performer, musician and drag artist based in Hampshire.
Pride in STEM is a charity run by an independent group of LGBTQIA+ scientists and engineers from around the world. They aim to showcase and support all LGBTQIA+ people in STEM fields.
For full details and to book tickets, click here.
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