Getting hands-on with STEM at the Resonate Festival of Science and Technology – Day Out!

On Sunday 9th March, we were digging with dinosaurs, exploring elements, trying out telescopes and making crafts with maths!

Time to head back to the Oculus to get hands-on with all things STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

Starting from the ground floor, our visiting explorers could find out more about fluid dynamics in their every day lives (racing objects through liquids and seeing square bubbles!), understanding the application of Maths from the Warwick Mathematics Institute where you might not expect it. The journey then continued from things in the kitchen to inside our bodies, thanks to medical students from Warwick Medical School. Attendees got to try their hand at CPR, listen to their hearts and lungs and test their surgical skills to see how well they can scrub in!

We also got speak to some explorers, inventors and engineers with WMG - finding out more about how things are made and even coding a sewing machine! Space enthusiasts could also get up close with the stars in the amazing inflatable Planetarium thanks to the Department of Physics.

Upstairs we were met by a wandering Tyrannosaurus Rex (!) who could guide us to Explore Biology. In this room we joined the School of Life Sciences and were digging with dinosaurs, but also finding out about biological engineering with giant fuzzy bacteria and the story behind the Warwick Godiva Bean. Budding chemists could also explore the periodic table with the Department of Chemistry (did you know that cornflakes are magnetic? We didn’t!) and make their own lava lamps. We also got to see some amazing applications of computing from The departments of Computer Science, Life Science and Design Studies! From acting as computer code-breakers to solve mysteries, to watching how virtual reality can help with design and finding out how computer scientists and biological scientists work together to solve new problems.

The Department of Physics also wowed with lasers and ultrasound activities - showcasing how this fascinating technology can help us make things safer in every day life - while students from the Astronomy Society shared their love for the stars and helped attendees to design their own! Thanks to some amazing demonstrations from the School of Engineering, visiting explorers could also see the inside of an engine part, a balancing robot, and some floating concrete!

For those who were feeling creative, the Science Crafts and Maths Puzzles, Games and Polyhedra rooms offered chances to get making. Thanks to staff and students from the Warwick Medical School and School of Life Sciences, attendees could find out more about menstrual health by making a uterus or a macrophage out of Play-Doh, or investigate the tiny world of phages (viruses that infect bacteria) and make a giant one to take home! There was then a chance to make some beautiful origami and find out about some of the amazing maths behind puzzles and patterns with a team from the Warwick Mathematics Institute.

Thanks to some help from the Post and Portering team, attendees could also visit the Marsh Observatory, where due to the lovely weather we could even take a look at sunspots! On the way many stopped off at the Esports centre to see if they could become the next Esports champion.

We were also lucky to be joined by some amazing Science Speakers! We investigated the tiny world under a microscope (and learned some surprising cheese facts), found out how to survive in a cartoon universe, guessed the ideas that engineers have taken from nature with our shouting voices and stomping feet and even discovered about how we’re all made of stardust!

We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did, and we’re very proud of the new additions to our sticker and badge collection! If you’d like to show off yours, send a picture and tag @Warwickresonates on Instagram!

Thank you so much for joining us, and to the amazing students and staff who volunteered their time to bring such exciting activities - we couldn’t do it without you. Hope to see you all at the Resonate Festival of Arts and Culture!