Car-Boot Science

Car-Boot Science
-

This is a past event

Car-boot science is our new vehicle for taking science to the public! A brand new initiative from the University of Aberdeen supported by Research Councils UK and the British Science Association.

Car-Boot Science will zoom into action at Thainstone Market on Sunday 14th March, as part of our events for National Science and Engineering Week. The Car-Boot science team consists of undergraduate students and postgraduate/postdoctoral researchers from the University of Aberdeen. Selling their wares on the 14th will be undergraduate biomedical sciences students Lauren Rennie and Krista Chisolm, and postgraduate researchers Samantha Flannigan, Saadiya Ishmal, Beverly Minter and Lauren Rennie. They will be joined by postdoctoral researcher Dr Alun Hughes, co-founder of Car-Boot Science.

The event will take place throughout the Market, normally around 9am - 12noon. Demonstrations and hands-on activities will be complimented by resource flyers highlighting areas of current research taking place at the University, and how basic scientific principles underlying this can be 'tested out' through a series of safe, home-brewed experiments. Sam Flannigan, pictured right, PhD student in reproductive development at the University's Institute of Medical Science, was the lead applicant on the RCUK grant. Sam said "We are reallylooking forward to Car-Boot Science. It will be a great way to talk with the public about our work, but on their own patch. It will be a really great learning experience for us, and help to build our communications and presentation skills to boot!".

Car-Boot Science is a flexible format which can evolve depending on who we work with. Dr Ken Skeldon of the University's Public Engagement with Science Unit commented "The best thing about Car-Boot Science is the simplicity of the concept. Researchers can literally throw a few props in their boot and drive to a venue. It could be Thainstone Market, or Satrosphere's car park or even a supermarket car park."

For information about our full National Science and Engineering Week programme, please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/science/nsew