Petra and Paul take Unit science out to another local primary school

Petra and Paul take Unit science out to another local primary school

Unit scientist Petra in action at Larkrise Primary School, June 2018

On 20th June, Unit scientist Dr Petra Fischer and Associate Unit Member Professor Paul Bolam visited pupils at Larkrise Primary School in central Oxford, to help them learn more about science, scientists, and how the brain works.

Armed with a variety of eye-catching demonstration aids taken from the Unit’s Public Engagement Toolbox, Petra and Paul spent the morning with two classes of children from Year 6. They introduced the children to what a scientist is and does, and then lead discussions of some key messages about nerve cells and their networks, the electricity and connections of the brain, and diseases of the brain. The children then dove into some practical sessions, such as building pipe cleaner models of nerve cells, and exploring the Unit’s brain tissue specimens. At the end of the visit, the children were given some colourful mementoes of the experience.

The school visit was one of many public engagement events led by the Medical Research Council and held across the country from 14th-24th June 2018 as part of the MRC Festival of Medical Research.