CITER's Engagement at Public Events January to March

Public engagement is a key CITER activity and between January to March participated at four public events. Such events provide an opportunity to increase the visibility of CITER outside the University.

CITER joined colleagues from the School of Engineering on 28 February as part of an After Dark: Leonardo - Science in art and art in science event held at the National Museum Wales. The event was a family friendly evening of scientific, hands-on activities and entertainment inspired by some of Leonardo da Vinci's greatest ideas. Visitors also had an opportunity to view his twelve greatest drawings as part of Lenardo500 - a national celebration of this extraordinary artist to mark the 500th anniversary of his death.

The event was targeted at children aged between seven and fourteen years of age. CITER demonstrated the "virtual rehabilitation movement games" and was also part of the "wound painting" activity.

On Sunday 10 March CITER STEM Ambassador Kaiya Bartram-Daly from the School of Biosciences joined other STEM Ambassadors from around Wales as part of a Spring into STEM day held at Margam Country Park. The event was part of the Park's National Science week event offering exciting, engaging and fun activities for their visitors. Our stand was very popular with the children as they learnt about how medicinal maggots can help heal wounds and a basic explanation of blood and cells in terms of what happens in the body following a cut to the skin followed by our volunteer creating amazing realistic wounds, bruises and cuts on their hands.

".........public visitors attending the event were highly impressed with the learning outcomes, organisation and sheer enjoyment. Kaiya was particularly impressive with her communication and activity skills".

CITER volunteers joined colleagues in the University on Tuesday 12 March to promote STEM subjects as part of Llandaff Cathedral Schools' STEM Society evening. The school hosted the evening in Cardiff University's School of Chemistry and targeted the schools pupils in years ten to thirteen and undergraduate students. CITER demonstrated the suturing activity and eye vision activity.  The event was well attended with between one hundred fifty to two hundred attendees.

As part of the annual Cardiff University secondary schools event Science in Health LIVE which was held between 13 - 14 March at the School of Medicine, CITER exhibited two outreach activities targeted at A Level students including suturing and eye vision loss. Both activities were well received by the students.

Many thanks to our brilliant volunteers for their time at these events and promoting the work of CITER.