Staffordshire University to host 2,000 at Big Bang!

Staffordshire University is to host the 2018 West Midlands Big Bang Fair, which will bring 2,000 young people to its Stoke on Trent campus.

The Big Bang introduces school students to science as an option for them and hopes to inspire them about the opportunities it can open up for them in their future careers.

Visitors will be hosted by Staffordshire University’s flagship Science Centre as well as the Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre which will offer eSports workshops, and the Crime Scene House.

Activities include experiments in underwater plastics – led by Associate Professor Clare Gwinnett who was on the team which found that microplastics are ingested by deep sea creatures – demonstrations on the behaviour of mosquitos and plankton, and the chance to use a driving simulator, and see psychology equipment at work.

Staffordshire University Vice Chancellor, Professor Liz Barnes, said: ” This is a golden opportunity for us to showcase our facilities and some of the amazing learning and teaching that happens here at Staffordshire University i a way that allows young people to get hands-on with a fascinating array of activities. We are delighted with the enthusiastic take up from schools around the country  and look forward to giving our visitors a brilliant and friendly welcome with the organisers and other exhibitors to help excite them about science and inspire them about their futures.”

Every school student who attends the Big Bang event at Staffordshire University will be given a pedometer in a bid to clock up enough steps to make a ‘virtual visit’ to Staffordshire University students on various work placements around the world.

Michelle Lewis of organisers, Learn by Design, said: ” We are excited about the new partnership with Staffordshire University and the opportunities for a fresh approach that the new area provides.”