Science Jamboree premiere a big success

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Science Jamboree 2016

On Saturday 26th November, student volunteers delivered the inaugural Science Jamboree at CTL.  The event ran science activities for over 250 Brownies, Cubs and Beavers from across Cheshire and Merseyside and their leaders.

The Science Jamboree comprised a number of science related activities so that those taking part could attain their science activity (and science related) badges at the event.

A total of 70 undergraduate and postgraduate students  worked in teams to design and deliver the activity sessions that fitted a simple, but strict brief, to ensure that the young people could attain their badges.  The students have been mentored by staff and post-docs from across the University since September.

In particular the event was support by the Physics Outreach Group and a large group of PhD students from the Cockcroft Institute. The Physics Outreach group helped visitors to make their own compasses and allowed visitors to see inside Kinder eggs with the Xray units. There was an opportunity for the visitors to learn about the electromagnetic spectrum and particle accelerators with a large team of PhD students from the Cockcroft Institute. Outside the CTL, rockets were fired by Physics and Engineering Students and towers built to introduce the children to concepts of engineering.

Science Jamboree

The large scale event was organised by CTL Lecturers Dr Cate Cropper, Dr Lis Rushworth and Dr Helen Vaughan, and Maths Outreach Lead Chris Marchant.  Helen said:“This was the first time we have organised an event for Brownies, Cubs and Beavers .  Students and staff from across the University  came together to design and deliver this event and make it a big success, which we hope to repeat. We’re really grateful for all the support so many groups have given to this event.”

One leader described the event as “A fantastic opportunity for the young people to look around a university and get involved with some activities.” whilst another noted that “Young leaders [typically aged 14-16] were keen to come today, not only to support their cubs and leaders but also to look around the University with a  view to coming here in the future to study.”

This project was funded by the Faculty of Science and Engineering as a co-curricular opportunity for undergraduates.