Category: Events and Outings

Mars Curiosity and *the* Space Book for Kids (by )

I spent last week working at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival and as part of it I got to go and see a few of the talks which was brilliant. The first one I selected was Mars Curiosity as I spotted it had my old personal tutor Sanjeev Gupta in it. I also got a ticket for Jeany even though at 7 I thought she might be a bit young but she would never have forgiven me if I had gone to see such a talk with out her!

Jean in her Question everything tee

Sanjeev taught one of my favourite subjects at uni Earth Surface Processes so I was very excited to see how Mars research was going especially after seeing the prototype with Jeany earlier in the week. He looked basically the same but has grey hair! He still moves around far too much for a decent photo but that is what energises his talks (of course he didn't recognise me when I said hello - boo hiss but it has been ten years).

Sanjeev Gupta talking Martian landscapes at the Cheltenham Science Festival

The other talker was Lewis Dartnell who was very engaging and handled the childrens' questions brilliantly at the end including the sad, 'When is it coming home?' Jean has been going on about forever vacations on Mars ever since!

Lewis Dartnell talking Mars rovers at the Cheltenham Science Festival

Jean did get a bit confused about the fact the robot is ingesting Mars and yet needed batteries! I explained in whispers that it was eating the rock to see what it was made off and not as food. I was impressed she knew what ingesting ment to be honest. They went through the grissly details of man missions and radiation sickness and stuff Jean is still determined to go to Mars if she can or failing that she asked me if she could build a robot to go and then worked out that the 2030 mission would be a good one for her (she'll be 24).

After the talk I had to head over for a meeting but took Jean to Alaric and Mum and Dad to get the book she wanted signed. My meeting ended really quickly and just as well as I received a phone call from Al saying they couldn't find the book! I asked and was told it had sold out but then I saw a copy on the signing table and ended up talking to a lady who turned out to be the authors wife! It was the last copy!

Jean getting her book signed by Lewis Dartnell

Jean went and got it signed and I felt an ache of sadness for my impact lithologies and endolithic organisms and a moment of doubt about science communication instead of trying to go back but I missed that boat a long time ago. Jean was instantly obsessed by the book and Alaric and Lewis had a conversation involving lots of hands about space ship design. We had to drag the still reading Jean away from the table so that he could go home!

Alaric and Lewis Dartnell excitedly talking spaceship design at the Cheltenham Science Festival

Jean has had her noise in the book ever since, it is a good childrens' book, informative, fun and easy to read but also it is gamified - the kids get to choose where they go on a stella holiday - Jean has always loved books like You Choose so this is right up her street. The illustrations are lovely and colourful, some simple and some intricate giving it a wide appeal to kids as it has different levels you can appreciate it on. It is one of the best I have seen recently and Jean took it into show and tell at school this week along with her cave man stickers and her t-shirt saying Question Everything. She proudly showed the other kids that it was signed with her name in as well 🙂

Jeany was very excited that they had mentioned Liecester as we had spent the previous week going around the space centre there etc... with my friend Becca 🙂 (still need to process the photos and blog about all of that!)

Here is me and Jeany in our festival t-shirts - I'm hiding it at the end as it isn't that flattering of me! hee hee!

Mummy and Jean at the Cheltenham Science Festival in our t-shirts

Oh What A Soggy Day (by )

Wild flowers

This evening I went to cubs with Alaric - they were doing archery at the campsite in Cranham. I wondered around at first finding the late comers but soon ended up instructing the archery like the good ol' days back at Thriftwood (though not as the archery leader as my qualification must be well expired). It started raining and got heavier and heavier but it was good fun. I did however miss the chance to photograph Jeany as I was showing her how to do it instead!

The hiding tractor

It was great fun and I have really missed stuff like this. I took photos of the campsite before the session began 🙂

Mary wants a campfire

Mary loved exploring though was a bit grumpy we weren't having a campfire.

Mary off for an explore

Jean and Mary helped put the kit away which was really sweet. We were all drenched by the end of it 🙂

Tractor

The Cheltenham Science Festival Highlights (by )

The Science festival was amazing - I just picked out the photos here that aren't going into their own write up about a specific event etc.... It was crazy and mad and informative and showed me just how valuable science communication is!

Science Fun Day at the Cheltenham Science Festival

There was the normal fun circus stuff - lovingly science themed 🙂

I say there is some science over there!

This rather elegant dude reminds me of someone? 😉

Stilt Walking Scientist at the Cheltenham Science Festival

Mary loved exploring.

I know which way to go mummy!

Ok so mainly it was running off but excited running off.

Mary running off to explore the Cheltenham Science Festival

She did grudgingly come back when I started counting.

What do you mean I shouldn't run off on my own at a science festival

I found a random hospital trolly outside one of the venues!

hospital gurney at the Cheltenham Science Festival

I found a BBC dude with random props wondering around a little lost so I photographed him and then found him the place he needed to be 🙂

The BBC exploder at the Cheltenham Science Festival

I found a ferret!

Ferret!

I don't think it was with the festival but was someone walking their pet - it was funny because one of the suggestions Al had given me for getting more people to fill in the highly important research questionaire was that I should find a ferret!

Guy with fire hydrant Cheltenham Science Festival

Unfortunately I just missed him filling the bag with stuff from the hydrant can - but oooo random stuff at a festival - really?

Aliens on the town hall Cheltenham Science festival

Once more aliens seemed to have taken up residence on the roof of the town hall!

Watching explosions at the Cheltenham Science Festival

Thursday the kids came and joined me after school - they all loved the explosions bit run by the BBC.

Mary over awed by the Cheltenham Science Festival

When we first arrived Mary was over awed and just kept saying WOW! and Ooooo 🙂

Jean finding just how easy it is to over compensate and crash

Jean and her friends found the racing car simulator 🙂

Vroom vroom at the Cheltenham Science Festival

She rather liked it even if she did keep crashing!

Jean racing at the Cheltenham science festival

Dad found an old sports car with gears and things inside it 🙂

Ferfer looking at the old chain and cog car

See cogs!

gubbings!

It was rather a nice car

ancient race car

The kids made LED torches 🙂

Making LED torches

They were all just so excited 🙂 Mum found knitting and Al and Andy found robots - it was brilliant 🙂

Excited to be at the Cheltenham Science festival

Science, Knitting and Dr Who! (by )

Yesterday was amazing, I came up with a solution to Matt Smiths retirement from Dr Who - it was simple really Alaric's cubs think he is an incarnation of the Dr anyway! I think we should petition the BBC 😉

Alaric for the next Dr Who!

Then I turned up as a last minute recruit to the Cheltenham Science Festival - I'm doing impact research - basically walking around with shiny tech asking questions for Warick University. The team are lovely - if anyone is about - come over and say hello!

The Impact Research Team at Cheltenham Science Festival

Then I met a lady from Surrey University who is using knitting to explain chemistry - similar to my knitted molecules she is crowd sourcing knitting to create a giant models of minerals 🙂

Knitted minerals

She is giving out the patterns 🙂 And I am going to be knitting up all my blue wool for the project! I am also hoping to catch the lovely Lizzy Burns who's molecular jewellery and glass ware I had on display in March for Science and Engineering week 🙂

Then to cap it all I found a welcome to UWE email in my in box - it is still stuff about processing applications but it made my day 🙂

For the knit wits out there it is The Perovskite Project and they are looking for more knitters 🙂

UWE, Goslings and Me (by )

Dream Big Wall art Bristol

Today I had a bit of a mixed medium day - I went to UWE (University of the West of England) in Bristol to look around their science communication centre and to talk about maybe doing the post graduate certificate there. Being me I arrived stupidly early and was doing my normal clumsy performance with my paper work and bag and what not. My legs have also not recovered from the poetry festival yet so I found keeping up with the lovely woman who was showing me around a bit hard but I managed it.

UWE building ary

The university campus is quiet different to UCL and IC and for that matter the OU - there was lovely wall art/graffiti type stuff with inspiring messages through out the place - they are more the sort of thing I would have expected at a six form college - but I love this type of art work so annoyed students by getting in there way to take pictures.

Philosophical wall art UWE

They also had a random fruit and veg stall inside!

Flaming dragon wall art UWE

The department itself looked pretty much like others I have been in that have not yet had some sort of corporate make over. There were examples of publications and works of the students on the walls and an air of hard work. I feel I was't my normal energetic self as I was having a mild flare up but then in many ways this is a good thing as I needed to check I could get about on a not so good day anyway.

Zues wall art UWE

As many of you know I came out of the failed to complete MRes experience knowing that I enjoyed putting together my talk and writing the essays more than I probably should have - add that to the fact that I have been building myself up as a writer and artist over the last few years and the natural shift is obvious - science communication. I've been looking at this course for a while and got a prospectus last year and have tracked down people who have done the course and spoken to friends at the uni about what it is like.

Blue deity wall art UWE

The course sounds more doable due to the structure of it than the MRes was as I like to focus on things - it is in blocks of 3 days which means it is less travel time etc... than what I was doing before which was all evenings and in London. I also now live in walking distance to the train station that takes me to the train station in Bristol I need which is a vast improvement!

Unity wall fresco at UWE

I am applying for the bursary but there is only one so it is unlikely that I will get it though I have already writing the first draft of an article for it. Alaric also things this is far more doable than last time - we are in a more stable position and I have back up money for it in case and it is going be less of an issue with finding child care solutions.

Birds and bird cage wall art at UWE

Having said all this I am still nervous that I will not get a space or that something will go wrong but I still have to try. And that leads me to module choices - I want to do them all to be honest :/

Epic bird cage building art Walk way art at UWE Egyptian Queen wall art UWE Ghandi wall art UWE

After the meeting I wondered out to meet Al who was in Bristol (almost getting myself hit by a car as I was looking the wrong way :/ due to being confused about traffic flow and the round about! I also had my waist length hair down which was stupid as it was sooooo windy). He popped over to pick me up and whilst I was waiting I found goslings!

goslings and mum out for a swim

Goosey Gander Goosey Ganders family walk Ignore the fake ducks Up the hill kids I think we're short of a gosling dear Come on you lot or we will be late! I call to the sky and I don't know why goslings at UWE Out for a family swim Come on kids bath time Eating slugs The family pic I will not tolerate another male bird that near to my family Goose trying to take off Gosling looking left Cheep CHEEP Who's looking at you kid gosling looking right Family Going for a swim Goose at UWE

The photos are not brilliant as the light levels kept changing and it was soooo windy - I tied my hair up!

Duck at UWE

There were ducks and moles too!

Mole hills and buildings

I also found a bench with The Personal is Political written on it.

The Political is the Personal

Once home we went to get a cat tree to stop the kitten shredding everything - Mary was not impressed that I had gotten out of the car without her again at Bristol so was very clingy - as was the kitten.

Lithium investigating the cat tree

Cat tree in place Alaric constructing the cat circus

When I got home - I sat down in the nursing chair for a rest and... was instantly covered in cute things!

Mummy Buried in a pile of cute things

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