Snow problem for Be Curious

Heavy snowfall failed to deter hundreds of people from descending on campus for the latest instalment of the hugely popular Be Curious event.

Students Aidan Jeeves, Jordan Tinkler and Cait Meredith distribute an arm-y of bugs at Be Curious

Students Aidan Jeeves, Jordan Tinkler and Cait Meredith distribute an arm-y of bugs at Be Curious 2018

With more than 40 family-friendly activities on offer, the annual attraction has become a favourite way for many researchers to share a flavour of their work with the community, while others see it as the perfect opportunity to take their first steps in public engagement (PE).

With this year’s theme, ‘We are International’, the University celebrated the global scope of its research and the diversity of nationalities working at Leeds.

Nearly 600 people attended, from as far afield as Manchester and Liverpool, many of whom were children enjoying their first taste of university life.

Among the favourite features of the day-long activities staged on 17 March were:

the opportunity to play a Steinway piano in the School of Music
performances by Opera North singers
drilling a tooth on the School of Dentistry’s Big Mouth simulator
an interstellar dust display in a dome constructed in Parkinson Court
a life-size, interactive model of a cow made by Engineering and Physical Sciences students
crushing spices and making candles with the Institute of Medieval Studies; and
• learning whether selfies can damage your health!

Dr Charlotte Haigh, Academic Lead for PE, said: “Visitor numbers were lower than expected due to the adverse weather conditions. This, though, had its benefits, in that the quality and length of interactions with those that made it to the event led to an enhanced experience for both visitors and researchers. Many visitors commented they had stayed all day.”

Details of how you can get involved with Be Curious 2019 will be announced later in the year.

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