Grow your own at Magnificent Microbes 2014

Published On Fri 7 Mar 2014 by Grant Hill

University of Dundee scientists will next week help school pupils and members of the public to experience the world of Magnificent Microbes and even grow the types of organisms that live on their own skin.

Led by members of the Division of Molecular Microbiology, the events will allow visitors to Dundee Science Centre on 14th and 15th March to get hands-on with microbiology-themed experiments and games, including the chance to grow common microbes in a petri dish.

Magnificent Microbes is an event led by Dr Nicola Stanley-Wall and colleagues keen to inform the public about how necessary microbes – often called germs – are to our lives as well as the important research into them taking place at the University. Although most microbes are invisible to the naked eye, our bodies contain millions of them, they help shape our environment, and we use them without knowing it every day. 

The popular event first ran in 2010, and is now being expanded this year to include even more public engagement and education opportunities, including continuous professional development workshops for teachers, school visits and a celebration event at the University on May 6th.

Visitors will be able to take part in a range of interactive activities, talk to experts from the University, and view the exhibitions on display.

Dr Stanley-Wall said, “Members of Molecular Microbiology are excited to participate in Magnificent Microbes 2014. We are particularly looking forward to extended interactions with the school children and being able to interact with a broad range of community groups from the local area.

“People don’t realise how broad the range of functions are that microbes play a role in. Microbes are used to make a massive range of food and drink products, for instance, and we aim to use them to demonstrate to our visitors what microbiology is. We aim to appeal to visitors, young and old, and hopefully encourage some of the youngsters to consider a career in science.”

Pupils from Dens Road, St Clement's, Fintry, Glebelands and other primary schools will attend an event held special for primary pupils at the Science Centre on Friday, 14th March. The visit is just the start of their journey, as afterwards they will be tasked with producing projects inspired by their learning, as well as creating graphs and other studies of the differences in microbe growth on the hands of boys and girls.

Erin Hardee, Schools Outreach Organiser, said, “Events like Magnificent Microbes are important because they allow school pupils and the general public to meet and interact with scientists in a fun, informal setting, which can help break down stereotypes about science and how accessible it is to everybody. Days like this also give us the chance to communicate the important research going on at the university to people who may not be that familiar with what we do.”

The wider public are invited to attend the Centre on Saturday, 15th March, and members of the Magnificent Microbes teams will also be welcoming various community groups to the event from 10am-4pm.

The team is enabled to carry out its public engagement work thanks to support from the Society of General Microbiology (SGM), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Wellcome Trust, and other organisations.

For more information contact Erin Hardee on 01382 386 460 or e.hardee@dundee.ac.uk, or visit http://www.lifesci.dundee.ac.uk/groups/nicola_stanley-wall/outreach.   

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Grant Hill
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