As the Public Engagement Lead for the Institute of Population Health (IPH), I had the pleasure of organising one of Liverpool’s Pint of Science events this year.
Our Pint of Science event: Inside the Mind; brought together four University of Liverpool psychologists whose research explores different aspects of how we think, feel and behave. What made the evening particularly interesting was the variety of perspectives on the human mind, including imagination, neurodiversity, resilience and eating behaviour.
From discovering that some people have a completely blind "mind's eye", to exploring what life can be like after realising you're Autistic, challenging how we think about resilience, and learning why we reach for certain foods when we're feeling emotional, the evening highlighted the many different ways psychology helps us understand ourselves and others.
The evening was expertly hosted by Dr Nathan Evans, who kept the audience engaged throughout with humour, thoughtful questions, and smooth transitions between talks. His enthusiasm helped create a relaxed atmosphere where people felt comfortable asking questions and joining in the discussions. Reflecting on the evening, Nathan said:
“I had an amazing time hosting Pint of Science! The event was exceptionally well organised, which made my job very easy, and involved a very fun and engaging ‘after the break’ audience activity. I really enjoyed the opportunity to introduce and support my colleagues as they shared their research with a wider audience, and the audience reacted very positively throughout and seemed to enjoy every part of the night. Overall, it was a very fun experience, and I would happily participate in Pint of Science again in the future, as either a host or speaker.”
Dr Reshanne Reeder opened the evening with a talk called Inside the Mind’s Eye, exploring the science of mental imagery. Audience members were introduced to “extremes of mental imagery” including concepts such as aphantasia (the absence of mental imagery) and hyperphantasia (extremely vivid mental imagery). This prompted many in the audience to reflect on their own experiences of mental imagery.
Next, Dr Jenny Kirton shared insights from her work on autism in a talk entitled The "Oh!" Moment: Life After Realising You're Autistic. Through her thoughtful presentation, Jenny discussed the experiences of people who realise they are Autistic later in life and how this impacts identity, self-understanding, and wellbeing. Jenny highlighted the importance of research that amplifies the voices and experiences of Autistic people. Jenny said:
“Pint of Science is one of my favourite events of the year. It gives me the chance to share research with people who are often hearing about the topic for the first time, and the conversations that follow are always insightful. It reminds me why we do research in the first place: to create knowledge that matters and can be shared with the wider community. I've loved taking part in 2025 and 2026 and would be delighted to return in 2027.”
Following a short interval, the audience took part in a “Would you Rather? The Psychology Edition” activity. Using live polling, attendees voted on a series of psychology-themed dilemmas, including questions such as whether they would rather relive their happiest memory once a day or erase their most embarrassing memory forever, and whether they would prefer vivid mental imagery that sometimes feels too real or no mental imagery at all. This activity prompted lively conversation - As it turns out, deciding between overly vivid mental imagery and no mental imagery at all can generate almost as much debate as football!
The second half of the evening began with Dr Warren Donnellan's thought-provoking talk, Reclaiming Resilience. Warren challenged common assumptions about resilience, encouraging the audience to think beyond the idea that resilience is simply an individual trait. Instead, he explored the broader social and environmental factors that help people navigate adversity and thrive. Reflecting on the discussion, Warren said:
“One of the central messages of my talk was that resilience has developed a bit of a PR problem. Pint of Science provided the perfect setting to have an honest conversation about what resilience really is; not endless toughness or simply ‘coping’, but a fundamentally human process that is shaped by the people and systems around us. It was a pleasure to share these ideas with such an engaged and thoughtful audience.”
The final talk of the evening, Thoughts for Food, saw Dr Jenna Cummings discuss how our expectations about the emotional effects of food can influence what we eat. Drawing on her research into food-related emotional expectancies, Jenna demonstrated how beliefs about food and emotion can shape eating behaviour, offering fascinating insights into an aspect of psychology that affects us all. Jenna said:
“Not all folks have access to higher education (my parents did not). The opportunity to speak to folks in an accessible way about my team’s research therefore is not one I take for granted. To see public interest in the work, and to be asked thoughtful questions, was special and fun.”
For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of organising the event was seeing researchers communicate their work in ways that were engaging, relatable and accessible. Public engagement events such as Pint of Science provide valuable opportunities to share research beyond academic audiences, while also creating space for genuine dialogue and curiosity. Whether audience members were discovering where they sit on the mental imagery spectrum, reflecting on neurodivergence, thinking differently about resilience, or reconsidering their relationship with food, there was something that sparked conversation and reflection.
A huge thank you to all four speakers and the host for giving their time and sharing their expertise, to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions, and to the Pint of Science Liverpool organisers and volunteers who made the event possible.
Events like Pint of Science remind us that some of the most meaningful discussions about research happen outside the university, when researchers and communities come together to learn from one another.
Interested in learning more or finding out about upcoming events and opportunities? Join our Teams channel. Have a question or an public engagement idea you'd like to discuss? Email us at HLSEngagement@liverpool.ac.uk