Member Article

Science gets seriously cool at Life Science Centre

Want to try some DNA extraction or play at being in CSI? If that appeals to you, then head to Life Science Centre where a top-spec science lab is now open for scientists-in-waiting of all ages.

Experiment Zone is a state-of-the-art science laboratory where visitors to Life can try out different experiments using equipment that top scientists are using in today’s research laboratories around the world. Life Science Centre secured flagship funding of £425,000 from the Biffa Award scheme to develop a new ‘one of a kind’ science laboratory experience that will allow visitors to ‘step into the shoes’ of working scientists and carry out real experiments.

Biffa Award is a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to community and environmental projects across the UK. Experiment Zone was funded under Biffa Award’s ‘Cultural Facilities’ category.

Linda Conlon, chief executive of Life, said: “We want visitors to get a real feel for what it’s like to be a scientist. The Experiment Zone offers a superb opportunity for visitors to step into the shoes of scientists and do the sorts of experiments that they carry out on a daily basis.”

When designing the new space, staff carried out research among Life’s visitors to see what the thought a lab space should look like.

Andy Lloyd, Head of Special Projects at Life, who led the development of Experiment Zone, said: “Many of us will have an image of what we remember science labs looking like from school but thanks to popular TV programmes and movies our view of what they should look like is changing. The overwhelming majority of our visitors expected a lab to look like the command centre of the Starship Enterprise or a scene from the latest Avengers film.”

The activities available in Experiment Zone will range from ‘gateway’ experiences, such as using microscopes and pipettes, to more complex, structured experiments where visitors follow a multi-stage set of instructions to answer a specific question. Support for these scientists of the future will be provided by Life’s team of ‘Science Explainers’, all recent science graduates.

When awarding the funding, Life impressed Biffa Award with its one of a kind, innovative family attraction.

Gillian French, Biffa Award Programme Manager, said: “The Flagship Scheme is an opportunity to award funding to projects that have something unique and exciting that no other project in the region can offer. Their inspirational Experiment Zone will be a fantastic experience for visitors.”

For more information about the Biffa Award scheme, visit www.biffa-award.org

Ends.

Media contact: Nicola McIntosh, Communications Manager, Centre for Life T: 0191 243 8209 E: Nicola.mcintosh@life.org.uk M: 07941801552 Twitter: @scienceatlife Facebook: scienceatlife

Notes to editors:

Biffa Award Since 1997, Biffa Award has awarded grants totalling more than £150 million to thousands of worthwhile community and environmental projects across the UK. The programme administers money donated by Biffa Group Ltd through the Landfill Communities Fund. www.biffa-award.org

Landfill Communities Fund The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) is an innovative tax credit scheme enabling operators (LOs) to contribute money to organisations enrolled with ENTRUST as Environmental Bodies (EBs). EBs use this funding for a wide range of community and environmental projects in the vicinity of landfill sites. LOs are able to claim a credit (currently 5.1%) against their landfill tax liability for 90% of the contributions they make. Since its inception in 1996, over £1.3billion has been spent on more than 51,000 projects across the UK. For further information please visit www.entrust.org.uk or see HMRC’s general guide to landfill tax.

About Life:

Life opened in May 2000 in Newcastle upon Tyne and comprises biomedical research laboratories, NHS fertility and genetic health clinics, schools’ teaching laboratories and a public science centre, supported by a range of business activities. Research groups based at Life include the Mitochondrial Research Group (MRG) whose projects include work exploring brain functioning and neurological disorders in partnership with Newcastle University Institute of Neuroscience. Life also has strong links to other relevant researchers at regional universities particular Northumbria University with whom Life has a formal partnership agreement. It is a core member of the Newcastle Gateshead Cultural Venues consortium, with whom many diversity and skills development programmes are delivered.

About Fran Scott: Fran Scott: Fran is a science and engineering presenter. In the past 18 months she’s presented four science series on CBBC, a science series for Radio4extra, 2 series for BBC Learning (in association with the prestigious QE Prize), spear-headed an engineering campaign for CBBC’s Newsround, showcased a brand-new stage show at the Edinburgh Fringe, and appeared on Radio4’s Today Programme and Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. She’s also filmed an Engineering series for BBC Worldwide (Factomania) which is currently TX-ing worldwide.

Fran loves science and loves to talk. She has a Masters and First Class Degree in Neuroscience, but this doesn’t stop her calling a spade a spade. Annoyed by the constant over-complication of science Fran draws on her knowledge to convert science for the masses, making it not only jargon-free, accessible and accurate, but also bringing entertainment and excitement to the subject.

Fran is a scientist not afraid to get her hands dirty and can often be found knee high in corn flour, fighting with pyrotechnics or surrounded by her infamous orange goo. She loves thinking outside the box to design and build demonstrations that reveal the exciting and curious bare bones of science and engineering. Well, that and setting fire to things!

Fran is not just a presenter, she often writes her own material, builds (& tests!) her own props and is often commissioned to write live science stage shows.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nicola McIntosh .