Students explore practicalities of life on Mars at science event

Over 200 local Year 8 students explored the practicalities of humans living on Mars for a science event at Cardiff University.

The event, entitled STEM Live!, which was successfully held for the first time in 2015, encourages students to explore a theme using their understanding of science and engineering. It also aims to introduce students to the wide range of science careers open to them before they make their GCSE choices.

At this year’s event, students investigated the science around an evacuation of Earth for habitation on Mars. Staff from the Schools of Engineering, Biosciences, Physics, Computer Science, Earth, Architecture, Chemistry, and Mathematics led students in a number of different hands-on activities, ranging from designing rockets to transport humans to Mars, to exploring living conditions and issues of temperature and energy, and farming on the planet.

The event was organised by the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering in conjunction with yello brick – a marketing agency who specialise in immersive and engaging experiences – and UCAN Productions, a performance and arts cooperative for blind and partially sighted young people.

Dr David Willock, a Reader in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry from the School of Chemistry and contributor to the event, said: “It’s a joy to participate and encourage students to see the links between the STEM subjects. The Mars survival theme helps us demonstrate the importance of applying scientific ideas to solve problems. It’s wonderful to see how this enables students who wouldn’t normally consider studying a STEM subject becoming enthusiastic about science.”