Sunday 16 August 2015

Big Biology Day returns to Essex

After a successful launch of Big Biology Day Essex last year, the 2nd Big Biology Day fair in Essex returned to the Sandford Mill museum in Chelmsford on 2nd August 2015.  The fair which was originally initiated by the East Anglia branch of the Royal Society of Biology as part of biology week celebrations in 2012 has since caused a ripple effect across various regions within the country.


Big Biology day is designed to engage the public with the life sciences by showcasing activities from various biology related sectors and this year’s fair in Essex set out to do just that. With representation from various sectors and organisations such as the Essex Wildlife Trust, British Naturalist Association, Science Grrl, the Cambridge Big Biology Day team, the Royal Society of Biology, Queen Mary University, University College London, Science:Gamed and Oxford University, attendees were occupied through the day with various educational hands on activities suited for all the family.

Some exhibitors all set up ready for the fair.



 The lovely sunny day allowed for the beautiful landscape of the museum including the river running through the site, the mill pond, scrubland, woodland and habitat areas as well as the wide variety of plants and animals to be appreciated through outdoor activities such as ‘bugs hunt’, canoeing demo and a nature trail.

Sample outdoor activities

Indoor activities included, a computer science game based on medical diagnosis, Species identification, the future of personalised medicine based on cancer, the role of pH in relation to Alzheimer’s disease, and a board game and craft session based on skin anatomy.  The museum was also opened for the day where ‘friends of the museum’ were available to give a tour of the Marconi displays.









Overall, the Big Biology Day fair was a success and we look forward to adapting the feedback received for an even more diverse and exciting fair next year.
This year’s Biology week will be taking place from 10th October – 18th October. Visit the Royal Society of Biology website for an event near you.  
Special thanks to all our supporters, exhibitors and volunteers without whom the fair would not be the same.