The Institute of Cancer Research, London, gave local sixth formers across Sutton the chance to find out about our research and the options available for careers in science at an open evening at the ICR’s site in Sutton this week.
More than 70 students from six local schools attended the evening in the Brookes Lawley Building, and took part in a wide variety of hands-on activities designed to communicate about our research.
Dr Udai Banerji gave an inspirational welcoming speech, introducing the ICR and the vital work we do, and explaining how exciting and rewarding it is to do experiments than no one else has ever done, in order to benefit patients.
Many of the students came out of the auditorium talking about how they were going to go on and change the world!
The students then visited 12 interactive stands designed by ICR staff, giving them the chance to talk to our researchers in small groups and ask lots of questions.
The creative activities included a large board game designed to explain how we use artificial intelligence to help determine the best targets, a mock clinical trial where all students were stratified on arrival, a 3D printer in action, DNA extraction from strawberries (which smelled a little too good) and a discussion of what kind of personal data students would be prepared to share.
Medical physics stands gave students the chance to design a course of radiotherapy and see an ultrasound scanner in action, and the Hit Discovery and Structural Design Teamlet them try their hand at pipetting.
Stalls trained students to 'think like a scientist' by designing their own experiments, while others asked students to design the cancer research of the future by working out the next steps for some of our research projects.
A team from the Biological Services Unit also had a stand at the event, talking to students about how we care for the animals we use in research, and featuring cages and other props to show how our animals live.
One of the messages the students took away from the event was that you can take many different routes to becoming a cancer researcher, and work in a wide variety of scientific areas.
Richard Hoey, Director of Communications, said: "The ICR’s work will only continue if the brightest students continue to opt for careers in science, so we have a duty to play our part in inspiring the next generation. It was fantastic to see sixth formers across Sutton enthralled by the work we do and to have their eyes opened to the wide variety of career opportunities available in science.
“I was also so impressed by all the hard work and imagination that teams across the ICR put in to devise activities that really grabbed the attention of students and communicated complex scientific concepts to them. Delivering the event was a real team effort, with more than 20 volunteers on the stands, Udai’s great introductory talk and lots of behind-the-scenes organisation, so a big thanks to everyone involved."
The event was so popular that plans are already underway to organise a similar event for students in Chelsea, with annual outreach events being considered in the future.