Inspiring festival-goers

A range of Cardiff academics will be inspiring debate and sharing their thought-provoking ideas with festival-goers at one of the most prestigious literary events in the world.

Taking place in the Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons National Park from 23 May – 2 June 2013, the Hay Festival brings together great international writers and thinkers, film-makers, historians and novelists, philosophers, environmentalists, poets and scientists to celebrate the power of great ideas to transform our way of thinking.

The Cardiff Series at Hay gives audiences a chance to engage with some of the University's outstanding academics and researchers from across its three Colleges. This year's line up includes:

• A series of short interconnected talks by sociologists Professor Barbara Adam and Dr Catherine Butler, philosopher Dr Chris Groves and legal scholar Dr Elen Stokes about how we shape and take care of the future. (Futures in the Making, Friday 24th May, 7pm, Landmarc 100 Stage, £5)
• A hands-on talk by Professor Tony Campbell about the phenomenon of bioluminescence - the emission of light from living organisms - and how it has revolutionised biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. (A life that sparkles, Saturday 25th May, 8.30pm, Starlight Stage, £5.50)
• Dr Andrew Edgar's lecture on how an exclusive emphasis upon efficiency leads to a fundamental misunderstanding of the true moral nature of a national health service. (A moral conception of the NHS, Tuesday 28th May, 7pm, Digital Stage, £5)
• A discussion led by Professor Richard Wyn Jones which will examine English identity and growing demand for the political recognition of Englishness. (England and its two unions, Friday 31st May, 7pm, Landmarc 100 Stage, £5)

Also speaking at the Festival is Professor Dianne Edwards of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences who talks to Francine Stock about changes in plant life over the millennia. Dr Helen Nicholson of the School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Wendy Sadler of the School of Physics and Astronomy and Dr Fiona Wyllie of the School of Biosciences will also be giving talks at the Festival.

The full list of Cardiff speakers is available here. Now in its 26th year in Hay, the Festival runs for ten days with a packed programme of debates and conversations.