Youngsters from across Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire are invited to take part in interactive activities at TechFest’s STEM-filled day at the Bettridge Centre in Newtonhill and The Barn in Banchory on Sunday, September 16.
Forming part of TechFest’s Eureka Series, the Eureka Day, sponsored by Chevron, is split across two locations, providing visitors with the chance to get hands-on experiences during workshops between 10am and 4pm.
Young people aged three to 12 will have the opportunity to learn about STEM through a variety of interesting talks, puzzles and problem-solving challenges with a special Toddlefest for under threes at the Bettridge Centre.
TechFest is an Aberdeen-based charity which engages young people in the four main STEM subjects and encourages them to follow a career which utilises these skills by demonstrating that they are both fun and relevant in day to day life.
At the Betteridge Centre there will be a variety of STEM activities, including a show by Live Wire Productions which will explore the science behind the human wind pipe and lungs in Who Says I’m a Windbag!
TechFest will be hosting workshops such as Wild About Maths, where visitors can undertake puzzles and challenges inspired by the natural world.
Discover which part of your body is stronger than steel and the jaw dropping facts about the strength of the human skeleton at Bizarre Bones and learn about the inspirational scientists and engineers who developed Aberdeen into an incredible city at Amazing Aberdeen.
The Eureka Day at the Barn in Banchory will also host STEM workshops such as the TechFest Dome, where visitors will learn what makes day and night in a unique environment under the dome. This show demonstrates how the sun moves during the day and how to identify constellations in the night sky.
Children can put their imaginations to the test with TechFest and their Racing Rockets where they will have the opportunity to design and build their own rocket ships, with a challenge to see whose will go the highest.
Sarah Chew, managing director of TechFest, said, “Eureka Day is an excellent example of the variety of ways in which children can interact with STEM subjects at this year’s festival.
“It’s a great opportunity for youngsters to engage with science, through getting involved in exciting and enjoyable problem-solving challenges, which in turn generate skills which can be applied in the real world.
“We are incredibly grateful to our sponsor Chevron Upstream Europe whose support allows us to continue to educate, inspire and entertain. We hope to see lots of young people taking advantage of these fun and educational events throughout the school holidays.”
The public programme runs until September 22 at venues including RGU and the University of Aberdeen. The events range from fun and interactive lively shows aimed at children to thought-provoking lunchtime and evening events for adults, featuring everything from celebrations of Scottish wildlife, jewellery workshops and talks from some of television’s most well-known naturalists and scientists.