About this day
In four incredible sessions we will bring the excitement of STEM subjects to audiences using real world applications and future directions. We know that getting the fundamentals right at KS3 is key to later success and we want students to be engaged and curious from an early age. Join us for a programme of inspiration, exploration and experimentation!
Host: Alex Baker
“Engaging, interactive and interesting. Brilliantly pitched!”
– Maria Fidelis Catholic School –
Programme & speakers
How to Speak Whale Tom Mustill, Writer and Wildlife Filmmaker
In 2015, filmmaker Tom Mustill narrowly escaped being crushed by a humpback whale while kayaking. Fascinated, he began exploring how researchers use AI and technology to decode whale songs. In this talk, Tom will cover whale biology, recent discoveries about their communication, AI’s role in this, and updates from research. The session features whale videos, deep-sea recordings, artifacts, and the chance to feel the vibrations of the planet’s largest voices!
About Tom Mustill
Tom Mustill is a biologist turned filmmaker and writer, specialising in stories where people and nature meet.
Origami Engineering: From Art To Science Chenying Liu, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oxford
Most of us have done origami since childhood. Is the paper-folding art just a beautiful face? In this session, we are going to explore how origami transforms aerospace engineering through hands-on folding activities.
About Dr Chenying Liu
Chenying recently finished her D.Phil. (known as Ph.D. elsewhere) at the University of Oxford. Her work focused on origami-inspired structures and their applications in robotics, healthcare, and sustainability. Chenying also teachers at Christ Church and is passionate about outreach.
How to Freeze a Human Alex Baker, University of Warwick
In every cell in every tissue and every organ of your body, millions and millions of reactions are being carried out to keep you alive. The key ingredient in all these reactions is heat, so what happens if we drop the temperature? Could we cryogenically preserve organs and blood? Alex will explore the science and cutting-edge research behind cryogenics and consider how to freeze a human.
About Dr Alex Baker
Alex is an organic chemist with a particular interest in carbohydrates, polymers and nanoparticles. His work is used to design medical diagnostics with a particular focus on the developing world and fighting health inequalities.
The Maths of Luck Alison Kiddle, Maths Communicator
It’s not common to get struck by lightning or win a huge lottery prize, but we often hear stories about things like that happening. Join Alison to discover how understanding probability can help us make sense of the chances we take in everyday life. Plus, find out if knowing about probabilities helped Alison when they appeared on the TV quiz show Who Wants to Be A Millionaire last year!
About Alison Kiddle
Alison is a mathematician and educator from the East of England. As well as travelling round the UK and abroad to talk about maths, Alison designs puzzles, writes about maths, and creates mathematical art and craft.