University of Nottingham research is to be showcased at an international festival of ideas while senior Hong Kong leaders meet to debate the value of knowledge.

Billed as a platform for cultural exchange between the UK and Hong Kong, SPARK: The Science and Art of Creativity celebrates arts, sciences and education. It also marks the British Council’s celebration of 70 years in Hong Kong.

Nottingham research will be under the spotlight at four events during the festival, which runs from Friday 18-Sunday 20 January 2019.

Scientist Richard Ramchurn will showcase his ‘brain controlled’ sci-fi thriller The MOMENT. Participants wear a headset and their brainwaves affect the edit, sound mix and narrative combination of the specially created film.

Richard said that there are significant benefits to developments in brain-computer interfaces in relation to the arts and creative spaces that will ultimately affect everyone if successful.

He said: “The change will make mobile phones seem like small potatoes. It is going to really change your consciousness and how we relate to the world. It will make us able to access information instantly, which just expands our cognition.”

Professor Eugene Ch’ng, from the University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus (UNNC) will speak on a panel exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by conserving and repurposing buildings. Professor Ch’ng, who is Director of UNNC and NVIDIA’s Mixed Reality Lab, is an expert in Virtual Reality.

His work will also be showcased in a Virtual Time Travel event- allowing visitors the chance to visit Chinese heritage sites, see and touch ancient objects through a combination of photogrammetry and 3D reconstruction.

Finally Dr Samantha Tang will perform a series of live experiments to demonstrate chemical properties and reactions in The Periodic Table of Videos: Live! This is particularly meaningful as this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table.

Ahead of the festival President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham Professor Shearer West and Matthew Cheung King-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will speak on the value of knowledge as technology continues to evolve at University of Nottingham Global Dialogues Hong Kong, hosted by the British Consulate General.