Author: <span>Joanne Riley</span>

The super buzz of World Bee Day

We love the buzz of energy every Saturday in the Science Oxford Centre, as families share in the excitement of discovering and exploring science. Last Saturday had an extra buzz about it with the celebration of World Bee Day at our monthly Nature Club.

Good news about our great (crested) newts

We love the energy of the awe-inspiring daytime activities at the Science Oxford Centre, but when the lights go down, between dusk and dawn, another world, just as wonderful, comes…

Inspiring big, crazy dreams

“Keep asking questions! Keep reaching for the stars!” These are inspiring words from Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock (MBE) – space scientist, celebrated STEM educator and communicator, and presenter of the long-standing…

Sarah Townson receives prestigious High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Award 2023

Technology Projects Officer, Sarah Townson, has received a prestigious High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Award 2023, presented at a ceremony on Monday 27 March by Mark Beard, the High Sheriff of…

Science Oxford fires up enthusiasm for science during British Science Week

The Great Kimble Primary School hall echoed with gasps of awe and delight. Alice had just set a puff of cornflour alight and a cloud of fire flashed in front…

Spring’s reward

The winter is a relatively calm period of the year when, apart from cleaning muddy boots and trying to keep warm, there isn’t too much that needs doing urgently. That’s not to say that I’m not busy, but the outdoor environment doesn’t change on a daily basis! This past year has been particularly unusual with the dry and warm conditions we’ve experienced and it will be interesting to see what the rest of the year has in store for us.

Female member of staff interacting with two young boys over science exhibit

Building science capital as an approach to STEM engagement

Science Oxford Centre Operations Manager Dr Emily Fisk advocates that science communication and engagement should be approached through the lens of developing ‘science capital’, requiring dynamic and flexible engagement that considers people’s existing relationships with science, and which can help to address inequity in STEM.

Group of volunteers with wheelbarrows and tools to work outdoors in woodland

Joining in the UK’s largest annual tree celebration – National Tree Week 2022

National Tree Week runs from 26 November to 4 December, marking the start of the best period of the year to plant trees. Ignore those photographs of dignitaries planting trees in the middle of a hot summer to mark the opening of a new housing development.

Group of pupils with certificates for Young Scientists of the Year against background of exhibits at Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Celebrating Science Oxford’s Young Scientists of the Year 2022

Committed, determined, hard-working, resilient, talented, enthusiastic, passionate, curious, supportive, encouraging. These are just some of the words teachers used to describe Year 13 students nominated for the 2022 Young Scientists of the Year awards. With attributes like these in our young people, the future of STEM looks bright!

What do people who work in STEM actually do?

Thanks to Science Oxford, a group of year 10s from local Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire secondary schools who participated in the October half-term STEM Insight Week discovered what working in STEM really entails.

The ‘favourite’ autumn season and climate

With thoughts turning to the climate, we caught up with our Outdoor Learning and Ecology Manager, Roger Baker, for his insight and experience in the woodland at the Science Oxford Centre this autumn.

Celebrating our valuable volunteers

In an activity-packed, often frantic world of busy-ness, limited time is a precious commodity. So, charities and organisations like The Oxford Trust, and its Science Oxford team, are immensely grateful to all the volunteers who choose to spend their valuable time to support and work with us.

Working together to impact our communities

It takes a team to achieve real and lasting impact. In her wisdom, Mother Teresa couldn’t have put it more simply when she said, “I can do things you cannot; you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” Her sentiments highlight the real value in our relationships and connections with partners within the communities we serve. Drawing on each other’s strengths, we can achieve more.