Science fun day event encouraging Bulwell children to get into science and technology over half term
Dr Jerrine Joseph teaching the children at the fun day one of the chemical reactions
By Henry Green
A fun day event in Bulwell is giving children hands-on experience and encouraging them to become the next generation of scientists and mathematicians.
The Science Fun Day at Bulwell Riverside Library hosted interactive activities from STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) companies such as Rolls Royce, British Geological Survey and pharmaceutical company Catalent.
The half term event aims to introduce young people to STEM subjects and careers, giving them insight into simple experiments such as ‘elephant toothpaste’ foam creation and water filtration.
Dr Jerrine Joseph, a project manager at Catalent, said: “We are doing some science experiments just to trigger their curiosity, maybe in the future they will end up getting into science and will become doctors and scientists.
“The children and the parents during this half term are very excited, a lot of the stalls have so many simple science things that keep parents and children well engaged.”
Steph Plummer, a primary school teacher, attended the event with her nieces Karys and Rachel Stephens.
Karys said: “I really liked a science bit where you make a filter and you have to make dirty water into clean water.”
Steph added: “I think it’s a really good idea, I think anything we can do like this to encourage children to engage in STEM it’s great.
“I think things like this is really important to get children into science, especially I think it’s really important to have girls going into STEM.”
Judith Porter is a geophysicist for the British Geological Survey (BGS), which has been attending the fun day for the last three years.
The BGS put on an activity in which the children had to guess what material was inside of a box by using electricity.
She said: “Explaining what geophysics is to children, with it being so obscure, and showing them how it occurs to everyday life is important.
“To provide kids with a non-expensive way to learn about geology is important.”
Recent studies have shown a shortage of children from more disadvantaged backgrounds interested in STEM subjects.
One study in 2024 showed the odds of a child from a lower income household or from an ethnic minority choosing the subjects after leaving secondary school are 44 per cent lower.
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