For British Science Week (6-15 March 2026), Ed Bye and Nigel Stephens represented CSES at The Boswells School Science Fair. With exhibitors from other local organisations, they worked with Year 9 and Year 7 students on the school’s chosen theme of "Curiosity".
Activities and Displays
A set of hands‑on exhibits encouraged students to explore science and engineering through play, questioning, and practical investigation.
- A robotic comfort cat designed for dementia patients drew steady attention and opened discussions about assistive technology.
- LED eyelashes on a model head showed one way how electronics are being used in the fashion and beauty industries.
- A box of “electronic poo” – a humorous container filled with dead batteries – prompted conversations about recycling, waste management, and battery safety.
- An artificial‑urine battery powering an LED demonstrated how energy can be recovered from a natural by‑product that is normally flushed away. The exhibit showed how this waste stream can generate a small amount of electricity, reducing the cost on sanitation systems by turning part of that waste into a useful output.
- Hand dynamometers allowed students to test and compare their grip strength.
- Ring and peg puzzles challenged problem‑solving skills and persistence.
We are seeking judges for the 2026 CSES Schools' Technology Exhibition (TEXPO).
The exhibition gives primary and secondary school students the opportunity to present their STEM projects to the CSES judges, with the potential of winning an award for themselves and/or their school. As ever, the whole ethos of the competition is to promote STEM subjects and careers to the students and to celebrate their achievements. Further information can be found on this page.
This year the event is to be held on Friday 27 June at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Chelmsford from 09:00 until 15:00 approx.
We are always interested in recruiting new judges, so if you have any link to STEM and would be interested, please contact
![Poster: Are you more into this [left half of an ancient human figurine] or this [right half of a Pikachu figurine]?](/images/news/SPARK_x_MoC_CoF_Campaign_Radio.png)
What objects tell your Chelmsford story?
SPARK! Young Cultural Changemakers are working with the Museum of Chelmsford to help shape the future of the Museum's collection, and are asking everyone one question to help shape its collections policy into the next 50 years:
"If the Museum of Chelmsford could collect just ONE object to show what your life in Chelmsford is like today, what would it be?"
Together, we are Collecting Our Future.
Share your story: https://forms.gle/inHHkEReU4VJNEhG8
*SPARK! is a youth movement of 13-25-year-olds, using art and creativity to make Chelmsford an even more fun and inspiring place to live. Find more about SPARK!’s inclusive Collecting Our Future, part of their Young Cultural Changemakers Programme, 2025-27.
CSES is proud to work with SPARK! on promoting Chelmsford's globally significant culture of science and innovation.
Are you looking for a flexible, low-commitment way to get more involved? The role of CSES Treasurer could be for you. We are currently looking for an Assistant Treasurer who could move into the formal Treasurer role when ready.
You would be able to get involved in activities such as the Science Festival, TEXPO, Saturday Club and events in schools. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking for flexibility, with options for career and profile development.
Now accepting entries for our annual STEM competition and exhibition
Welcome to the CSES Annual STEM Competition, TEXPO, a premier event that celebrates the ingenuity and creativity of students across Essex. This competition provides a unique platform for young minds to showcase their innovative projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Why Participate?
Participating in the TEXPO offers numerous benefits:
- Exposure to Industry Professionals: Your projects will be judged by experienced scientists and engineers, providing valuable feedback and career insights.
- Skill Development: Enhance your research, presentation, and problem-solving skills through hands-on project work and public speaking.
- Networking Opportunities: Meet and interact with peers from other schools, local dignitaries, and industry leaders.
- Recognition and Awards: Compete for substantial cash prizes and accolades that can bolster your CV or university applications.
In December we played host, with ARU, to students and teachers from all over Essex at our third annual series of FREE Christmas Lectures for schools.
The lectures are proving to be more and more popular each year – so much so that this time we had to offer two different speakers to satisfy demand! On Wednesday 10 December 2025, Professor Neil Lawrence, Deepmind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge, presented his lecture entitled “The Atomic Human”. Students were asked to think about what makes us human and Prof Lawrence explained why he thinks that Artificial Intelligence can never replace the human brain.
The following week we welcomed Grace Dickinson from Reptiles Etc. In a very different lecture, “Animal Encounters”, she spoke about relationships between humans and animals throughout time. From the earliest encounters with wolves, to rats used to locate landmines, Grace explained how animals work with humans to benefit us all. She went on to speak about her work as an “Animal Wrangler” in the film industry and the lecture ended with some thrilling demonstrations, including a Barn Owl flying just above the heads of the students!
Read more: AI and Animal Wrangling: The CSES/ARU Christmas Lectures 2025
TEXPO Schools' Competition: Fri 26 June 2026, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford
We are pleased to advise the date for the 2026 CSES Schools' Technology Exhibition (TEXPO).
The dates will be as follows:
- The TEXPO will take place on Friday 26 June 2026 (confirmed).
- The awards evening will take place on the evening of Thursday 9 July 2026 (TBC).
Please note that this is not the same as the provisional date (19 June) given in the call for expressions of interest. This is due to venue availability and we apologise for any difficulty this may cause.
Find out more about the competition here.
We will provide full details and open for registration in the new year.
FREE club starting 24 January 2026 for Year 10 students – apply now
We are pleased to offer Year 10 students the opportunity to take part in the 2026 National Saturday Club which CSES will host, once again, at ARU in Chelmsford. As with everything we do at CSES, the Saturday Club is completely free of charge!
The club will provide an opportunity for year 10 students to experience a range of different Science and Engineering topics using the state-of-the-art Super Lab and workshop facilities at ARU's Chelmsford Campus. Each session will explore the science and engineering behind real life activities and problems that can affect our daily lives. In addition to laboratory and workshop sessions, there will also be visits to science and technology related organisations. The NSC also organise for us a masterclass with leading industry professionals and a Summer Show at Somerset House in July.
Report from the Family Weekend
The Chelmsford Science Festival Family Weekend was once again a great success seeing several thousand members of the public coming to the CSES activity area. Many favourite demonstrations from previous years were present including Magnetics, 3D Printing, Centre of Gravity and Force and Moment. The ever-popular Egg Drop also saw a return with over 220 participants over the two days, including some coming back to try and beat last year’s attempts! We had some very innovative designs and some very good results! For those interested, the winning score was 1.1g (the lowest shock registered by our "digital egg") achieved by Violet, on the Sunday.
Students uncover the world of game design
In October 2025, we hosted 110 students from seven schools at an event, designed with young people for young people, to showcase the career opportunities available within the game design industry.
Organised by CSES in collaboration with Anglia Ruskin University and Culture Chelmsford (including Spark! Youth Forum), and supported by Essex County Council, Game On! was a half-day industry spotlight event held as part of the Chelmsford Science Festival.
In workshops, presented by industry professionals and academics expert in the field, students created an audio clip to accompany an action scene, thought about the development of games from the very first idea through to marketing the finished product, had a go at creating their own simple games, heard about a day in the life of a professional games developer and learned about the educational routes and skill-sets needed for success in the field.
- Hack-a-Ton 2025
- The CSES 2025-2026 season has begun...
- A day at the racecourse!
- STEM Club Bursary 2025: Priory Primary School
- STEM Club Bursary 2025: Cherry Tree Primary School
- CSES Imagine! Saturday Club completes its third year
- Game On! – Uncover the world of game design – A Chelmsford Science Festival industry spotlight event for students
- 2025 TEXPO results
- CSES helps to secure major investment for Chelmsford Science Festival
- CSES Wins SheCanCode STEM Educator Award