St Bernadette’s School students celebrate science with the University of Bristol

This week, WORKS were joined by a host of MSci students from the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience at the University of Bristol.  They worked in teams to design six different workshops to share with the students of St Bernadette’s to inspire them about studying science at university.  There were a range of exciting sessions including how wounds heal, how the different lobes of the brain function, designing a colony in outer space, discovering the identity of a mystery drug and how hibernation might be beneficial for humans.

It was fantastic to see all year groups access activities that linked to their curriculum and learning in school.

Year 7 students got the opportunity to learn about brain function, while assembling one. They participated in an activity to learn how neurons pass messages from one part of the body to the brain. Later, they were involved in understanding alternate reality which they loved!

Year 8 students learnt about wound repair and how zebra fish are able to regrow their fins, whilst others got to design a space pod in a starlit classroom, in which they could travel into space. They also witnessed a DIY rocket fly off following their own design.

Year 9s got excited about finding out the identity of a mystery drug, its dosage and pH all while playing interactive quizzes and games.  What a fun way to lean about antacids, painkillers and antibiotics!  Finally, Year 10s were involved in an activity to understand the relation between ultrasound and brain activity.  They learnt about how molecules interact with receptors in an activity with balloons and glitter.  The conversations after the workshop revolved around science research, career options, the life of a researcher and how exactly scientists study brain neurons in a lab.

Bristol WORKS witnessed positive interactions between the University students and school students about career pathways, what working as a science researcher means and information about various science topics. We are very thankful to the team of students from UoB who has planned each activity so meticulously and their Lecturer Dr. Zoe Palmer who accompanied them.