GOSAS

Glasgow Open Salon for Arts and Sciences

Open conversations across arts, sciences and society

The Glasgow Open Salon for Arts and Sciences (GOSAS) is a series of open, informal gatherings that bring together University of Glasgow staff and students with members of the public to explore major social challenges. Inspired by the tradition of salons during the Scottish Enlightenment, GOSAS creates welcoming spaces for interdisciplinary conversation, curiosity, and exchange across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines.

Students enjoying a coffee in the Gilchrist postgraduate club

GOSAS launch event

Bringing STEM and SHAPE together: Discussion salons for solving 21st century challenges

When: Thursday 22 January 2026, 1-3pm (lunch provided)
Where: Advanced Research Centre (ARC), 237B
 
This inaugural salon will explore the importance and feasibility of interdisciplinary research. The event will combine short provocations with open conversation, offering opportunities to meet others, exchange ideas, and help shape future Open Salons.
 
 

GOSAS leadership team

Background

During the Scottish Enlightenment, scholars, artists and scientists regularly gathered in informal salons to discuss ideas across disciplinary boundaries. These conversations played a key role in fostering intellectual exchange and innovation.

GOSAS draws inspiration from this tradition, while critically reimagining it for the challenges of the 21st century, by creating open and inclusive spaces for dialogue across disciplines and beyond the university.

The project is led by an interdisciplinary team whose expertise spans the health and life sciences, mathematics and computing, and the social sciences, reflecting the breadth of perspectives that the Open Salons seek to bring into conversation.

Why Open Salons?

Many of today’s most pressing challenges — from health inequalities and environmental sustainability to political polarisation and disruptive technologies — cannot be understood or addressed from a single disciplinary perspective. 

GOSAS responds to this by creating open and informal spaces that encourage dialogue across SHAPE and STEM discipline and welcome participation beyond the university.

By foregrounding conversation, curiosity and community, Open Salons offer a different way of engaging with complex social questions. They are designed to support experimentation, learning and connection in ways that formal academic settings often cannot.

Who is GOSAS for?

GOSAS events are open to all:

  • University of Glasgow staff and students, across all disciplines and career stages

  • members of the public with an interest in social issues and ideas

  • community organisations, creatives and practitioners

 No specialist knowledge is required — only curiosity and a willingness to engage in conversation.