Launched in 2009, The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair is the UK’s biggest single celebration of science and engineering for young people and aims to celebrate and inspire them. So we were very excited to be asked to help Shell Education Services deliver their Family Science Activity at The Big Bang in the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London.

A team of stewards students ranging from Year 7 to Year 10 became Shell volunteers for the day, helping families make at least 2,000 balloon buggies and jumping beans and demonstrating how chromatography worked. They also found time to attend the Brainiac Live Show and visit the Science Fair, taking part in lots of interactive activities and finding out about future science and engineering careers. At the end of the day they attended a Bang Goes the Theory Live show starring Dallas Campbell, Jen Stansfield and Liz Bonnin. Some students even managed to ask Dallas Campbell to sign their T-shirt!

Vanya Arabadzhieva said: ‘I really liked it especially helping the children do the activities. I also enjoyed watching the shows.’

Isaac Lucia said: ‘The Big Bang Science Fair appealed to me on a number of levels. Primarily, though, I enjoyed the fact that we were able to take an active part in the experiments – balloon buggies, jumping beans and chromatography.  Another high point was the Bang Goes the Theory show in which the presenters provided us with an exciting and humorous view of science.’

Legend for Photo:

Back row, left to right: Chloe Mitchell (Year 7),  Alarna Lintonbon-Baker (Year 7), Riley Hampson (Year 7), Matt Fleming (Year 7), Harrison Hickey (Year 9), Tyler Hampson (Year 8), Joseph Thomas (Year 7),

 Front row, left to right: Vanya Arabadzhieva (Year 8), Taonga Chabva-Shoperai (Year 7), Isaac Lucia (Year 7), Thomas Goodenough (Year 8), Adam Pope (Year 10), Matthew Allen (Year 10).