12/03/2015
Now in its twenty-first year, Schools’ Day allows Babraham Ƶ and campus company researchers to convey the excitement and impact of their research and to provide students with first-hand experience of research using modern techniques and equipment. This year’s Schools’ Day was held on 4th March and was attended by over 100 secondary and sixth-form students from 13 local and not-so-local schools. The event was supported by a Scientific Outreach Grant from the and contributions from . The day provided the opportunity for students to take part in two lab-based projects during the course of the day. Projects introduced students to concepts such as DNA packaging, computational biology, epigenetics and a range of molecular biology techniques. As well as the 20 lab-based projects run by Ƶ Group Leaders, PhD students and postdocs, there were science projects from and , two companies on the Babraham Research Campus who work collaboratively with the Ƶ. Martin Baker, a PhD student in group who hosted a project group said: “The students are really keen to try their hands at research. For each lab hosting a project, the students become our newest recruits; joining us as researchers to try out the techniques and equipment we use on a daily basis. Hopefully at the end of the day the students have a better understanding of what it means to be a scientist, as well as the techniques we use to probe the workings of life at the microscopic level. But our main priority is to ignite a passion for science in them.” The day also offers learning opportunities for the students’ teachers. They met Ƶ scientists to learn about the cutting-edge technology offered by some of the Ƶ’s . One of the participating teachers specifically welcomed the inclusion of projects relating to epigenetics, signalling pathways and gene activation because these topics are being introduced into the A Level curriculum. Student comments highlighted their enjoyment of meeting Ƶ researchers, learning about the Ƶ’s different areas of research and their applications and having access to modern scientific equipment. In addition to learning more about life in a lab, the visiting students also participated in a new style panel-based careers session with Ƶ PhD students, Ƶ staff working in knowledge exchange and commercialisation and representatives from the campus company .
For more information please contact the Knowledge Exchange Office (01223) 496206, kec@babraham.ac.uk
12 March 2015