Science in Norwich Day 2011
25th March 2011
Over 2000 people visited Science in Norwich Day at the Forum in Norwich on Sat 19th March, the finale to National Science and Engineering Week. The day was officially opened by Laura McGillivray, Chief Executive Officer at Norwich City Council and Jon Tickle, from TV’s Brainiac and Big Brother. This started with a performance of the ‘DNA boogie’ on Millennium Plain.
The Institute of Food Research presented its successful ‘Taste and Flavour’ activity, finding out from almost 200 people whether they were supertasters, or non-tasters, and whether this was related to whether they loved or hated Marmite. Among the willing ‘guinea pigs’ was Norwich South MP Simon Wright, who discovered that he was a non-taster and hated Marmite.
Norwich Research Park researchers were joined by RSPB, Natural England, OPAL and Wright Solar for a day of hands on activities alongside the 2, 4, 6, 8 Maths Show and the Inspire Discovery Centre’s ‘Gross Show’.
Feedback from members’ of the public was overwhelmingly positive. Among the comments received were praise for the enthusiasm of the young people on all the stalls and their knowledge and willingness to share it with the young and old alike, and one girl claimed that it was the “best day of my life apart from Disneyland!”
Science in Norwich Day took place at the end of the British Science Association’s National Science and Engineering Week, which also saw IFR scientsts taking part in the Showcase of Young Science Event.
