Public Engagement:
After-school Science Clubs

Since 2009 we have organised after-school science clubs for Year 7 and Year 8 students in order to maintain an interest in science at the primary to secondary school transition.

Usually these are held at the Babraham Institute and include an introductory talk about the Babraham Institute, a visit to the FACS facility, a talk and demonstration about liquid nitrogen and a biomimetics game.

Other events were run at schools and involved making ice cream and learning how to use a micropipette. A teacher from one local school commented after one club, “All the kids really enjoyed it - they came back to school with a real buzz and asking loads of questions about when we can go again! One pupil even said to me that was the best trip ever.”

We also used the same science club format for a visit from year 10 students from a local school for pupils with learning difficulties. After the event held at the Babraham Institute the teacher contacted us to say, “Thank you so much for organising our visit this afternoon which the students really enjoyed and talked about all the way back to school. You pitched things at just the right level for them and I was delighted with the way they tackled the Biomimetics card game. The visit to a working laboratory was fascinating.....of course the highlight had to be the demos with liquid nitrogen and I'm sure they will go home with tales of bashing Blutack with a banana and collapsing balloons.”