World Heritage Observatories webinar – # 2

Number 2 in a series of 4 webinar talks, showcasing Observatories within UK’s World Heritage Sites and Ireland’s possible WHSs.

Date – Tuesday 17th June 2025

World Heritage Site – Jodrell Bank Observatory

Speaker – Prof. Teresa Anderson MBE, Director of the University of Manchester’s Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank Observatory

Teresa Anderson is Founder and Director of The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement and is professor of Cultural and Creative Industries in the School of Arts Languages and Cultures at the University of Manchester. She has a BSc in Physics, a PhD in Electrical Engineering, and a Master’s degree in Fine Art.  

The Centre first opened in 2011 and (pre-COVID) attracted over 150,000 visitors each year, including 25,000 school children, who participate in a curriculum-linked Education programme. The Centre takes innovative approaches to increasing diversity and engaging new audiences with science, including events (such as ‘Girls Night Out’) that create welcoming and non-intimidating spaces for women/girls and others who may feel that STEM ‘isn’t for them’. 

In 2016, Teresa, together with Tim O’Brien, co-founded the bluedot festival at Jodrell Bank, which brings together science, music, art and culture to celebrate human creativity and break down the barriers between these sectors. The festival typically attracts 25,000 people to Jodrell Bank over the festival weekend.

Teresa led, together with Tim O’Brien, the ten-year project that resulted in Jodrell Bank being awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2019. 

She also led the 8 year long project that resulted in the opening of the £21million ‘First Light Pavilion’ at Jodrell Bank in June 2022. 

In 2013 Teresa was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to Astrophysics. In 2014 she was awarded the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal for Public Engagement with Physics.

Webinars run 7 to 8pm, and are held on Zoom. Zoom details usually sent out latest the day before the webinar.

Single webinar tickets are £5 each. A series ticket for all 4 webinars is £15. Tickets are available up to 4pm the day before.

Each webinar is recorded and uploaded to WHUK’s private YouTube channel. All ticket holders will be sent a link to the video, to revisit or catch up if the live talk was missed.

More details on this webinar to follow. Webinars been and still to come include:

• Tuesday 20th May 2025  – Dr Amanda Chadburn and Prof Clive Ruggles on Stonehenge & Avebury WHS (YouTube recording)
• Tuesday 01 July 2025 – Astronomical Observatories of Ireland Tentative List Sites, with Professor Michael Burton, Director, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
• Tuesday 22nd July 2025 – Maritime Greenwich WHS with Paddy Rodgers, Director, Chief Executive Officer and Ann Carter, Director of Major Projects, Royal Museums Greenwich, with Jamie Fobert and Liz Smith from Jamie Fobert Architects