While magicians have captivated audiences for centuries with mysterious and impossible acts which defy the laws of nature, scientists spend their lives trying to explore and explain our wonderous world.
Dr Matt Pritchard, an associate of the Inner Magic Circle, is welcoming visitors to his demo-packed talk at TechFest this Wednesday, September 19 to gain insight into the history, conflict and collaborations between these two groups of wonder workers.
Forming part of the public programme, which is sponsored by Equinor and runs until September 22, Wonder Workers promises to be a mind-blowing magic show filled with curious objects and moments of surprise.
Supported by joint principal sponsors, BP and Shell, one of the aims of TechFest’s annual Festival of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is to engage young people in the four STEM subjects and encourage them to pursue a career which utilises these skills by demonstrating that they are both fun and relevant in day to day life.
Matt will inspire youngsters through live demonstrations, historical stories and speaking about how he achieved his place in the Magic Circle, an international society which aims to support magicians and promote magical arts.
There are only 300 members at associate level in the Magic Circle worldwide and to join, magicians must pass both an interview and audition in front of all the other members.
A panel of judges assess your abilities and whether to grant membership and only if you score higher than 90% on the exam are you entitled to call yourself an associate of the Inner Magic Circle.
Starting his career as a research scientist, Matt went on to become a science communicator, performing to more than 50,000 people each year, and has also spent the last 19 years as a magician.
Matt said: “What draws me to both magic and STEM is that I love solving problems and achieving things that most say is impossible.
“During the presentation I will explore the mindset of some of my heroes and how they went on to create their marvels. These are skills and ways of thinking that any student can adopt to pursue their interest in science and magic.”
Sarah Chew, managing director at TechFest, said: “We are really excited to see what Matt will perform during Wonder Workers and we are sure that it will leave the audience in awe.
“This is a special opportunity for visitors to see a live show from one of the Magic Circle’s associates and we are grateful to have such an inspirational magician at TechFest to celebrate our 25th anniversary.
“It’s fascinating presentations such as Wonder Workers that give us the opportunity to inspire, educate and engage young people in STEM and show them that these skills can be used in a wide range of exciting careers.”
Other highlights at this year’s festival include Professor Alex Johnstone, from the Rowett Institute, who will explore the latest research on healthy body weight and how the timing of eating and human physiology influence our weight in ‘You are when you eat – how time of eating influences body weight’, September 19.
Wonder Workers will be held on Wednesday, September 19 at 6.30pm at the Sir Ian Wood Building at Robert Gordon University. Tickets are priced at £4 or £3 concession, available from Aberdeen Box Office.
Book tickets online at www.aberdeenperformingarts.com or call Aberdeen Box Office on 01224 641122.
