The Solar Spark experience

In September, Aberdeen hosted a five-day “Solar Spark” workshop for primary school pupils, just before the British Science Festival.

In September, Aberdeen hosted a five-day “Solar Spark” workshop for primary school pupils, timed just before the massive outreach event that is the British Science Festival. Altogether, it was seven days during which pupils, teachers and parents came to meet scientists and to discover the coolest stuff of the year. The CDT was there. 

Joining The Solar Spark for the week, we – PhD students working on solar energy – tried to explain the fundamentals of our research. We want to efficiently make electricity using the sun's light. Good. But really, what is energy? What is electricity? What is light?

The Solar Spark workshop consisted of three activities based on these themes. Within an hour, every pupil of a class was given the opportunity to try each activity. As a result, it was a very “hands on” experience and received very positive feedback from pupils and teachers alike.

For the British Science Festival itself, we added activities for older age groups, introducing more complex notions like the principle of energy conversion within a solar cell via a marble run. But the most popular was definitely the “energy slave” experiment. What could you power just by cycling? A microwave? A house? Find out why you would prefer the sun to do it on the Solar Spark website! www.thesolarspark.co.uk

The CDT thanks Neil Robertson and Nina Chadwick, Solar Spark organizers, for this unforgettable experience. To be redone.