Going bananas at Cambridge Science Festival 2024
The early morning sunlight scattered across the many instruments laid out on benches, illuminating a scene that belonged in a mad scientist’s lab. Cooling fins, plasma chambers, thorium rods and various gadgets and gizmos dotted the stands, surrounded by an anxious crowd of lab coats. Finally, after months of preparation, the Nuclear Energy Futures CDT were ready and determined to share their knowledge with the next generation of scientists and engineers.
We started off slow, with only a trickle of children and parents filtering through the doors. But soon, with the help of our aggressive and unconventional marketing techniques, the room was filled with curious children and adults alike. Starting off with an educational and interactive visit of energy around the globe, families would move on to our very own star in a jar, complete with a model of ITER. They then got to see radiation with their own eyes and were shocked to find a bunch of it in bananas. Lastly, contestants completed their certification as a nuclear operator with our very own control room simulation.
In the end, it was an enjoyable and unforgettable experience for both us and our guests. Our main complaint, to our amusement, was that the venue was too crowded, and some guests did not have the opportunity to engage us directly. I hope that next year, the future cohort will conduct an equally exciting and educational experience.
Jason Lee
PhD Student, Nuclear Energy Futures Centre for Doctoral Training (NEF CDT)
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures: A postgraduate training consortium comprising Bangor University, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and The Open University.
