We have an interest, and strive to be actively involved, in research-based Outreach and Public Engagement, and are always looking out for new opportunities to get involved in a range of activities.
GREAT EXHIBITION ROAD FESTIVAL 2023
discovering new materials with robots
In collaboration with the ATLAS Facility, and with volunteers from the group and the Petit and Heng groups in Chemical Engineering, we engaged the public in our research on porous materials and automation as part of the Smart Machines Zone at the Great Exhibition Road Festival on 17th-18th June 2023.
Big Bang North West 2019
PLATFORM OF INVESTIGATION: THE HOLE STORY
In collaboration with the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, we engaged school students in our research on molecular cages by using our ‘Molecular Cages - The Hole Story’ exhibit stand as a Platform of Investigation at the Big Bang North West on 2nd July 2019.
LEGO ROBOTICS
LOW-COST LIQUID HANDLING LEGO ROBOTS
As part of a Postdoctoral Development Award from the School of Physical Sciences in 2019, we are building liquid-handling Lego robotic platforms (based on those reported by L. Gerber et al., PLOS Biology, 2017, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2001413) to demonstrate the advantages and capabilities of high-throughput automation for synthesis.
ROYAL SOCIETY SUMMER SCIENCE EXHIBITION 2017
MOLECULAR CAGES - THE HOLE STORY
As part of the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2017, which ran for a week (3rd-9th July 2017) at The Royal Society in London, Becky and a team of 30 researchers showcased some of the cutting edge research carried out in the area of molecular organic materials as part of their exhibit stand ‘Molecular Cages – The Hole Story.’ Selected from a competitive application process, the team were selected as one of only 22 exhibitors, and brought to life the research around porous organic cages through a series of hands-on interactives. Around 14,000 people attended during the week of the exhibition and, alongside our research collaborators from Imperial College London (Dr Kim Jelfs group), and exhibition collaborators from both Liverpool (Prof M Rosseinsky group) and Manchester Metropolitan (Dr Sam Illingworth), ‘The Hole Team’ thoroughly enjoyed engaging the public in their research.