Coffee in Space

In a fishbowl-style public forum, research scientists and coffee professional will roleplay how they would roast, grind and extract quality coffee in the extremes of space. In an accompanying hands-on activity, the public tastes and rates coffee prepared using systematically varying particle size distributions, viewed through provided microscopes. The fishbowl is preceded by public lectures by scientists which summarise and extend the science behind coffee.

This event uses the light-hearted premise of making coffee in space to engage the public in the serious science and technology around space travel. The event’s activities emphasise the collaborative nature of scientific problem solving, regional engagement, and Science as a Human Endeavour.