On Wednesday 25th September at Chelmsford City Racecourse, CSES members Chris Neale and Ed Bye promoted the Society and in general STEM career paths at the Braintree Careers Fair.

The event was for students in their GCSE year (age 15/16) to help them decide on options for college or 6th Form as well as provide information on future career choices and paths such as apprenticeship or university route.

Eight schools in the Braintree area attended for an hour throughout the day, with a total student count of around 1500!

Read more: CSES at the Braintree Careers Fair 2024

We are looking for members / volunteers who could help with the Chelmsford Science Festival Family Weekend on 26/27 October at ARU. The campus will be alive with fun, hands-on activities for all the family! Could you spare a few hours on Saturday or Sunday to help us out? Everything is prepared and a full briefing will be provided, you just need to turn up! Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you're interested.

We are delighted to announce our new season of events, including the Chelmsford Science Festival, social meet-ups and FREE evening lectures at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford!

We have searched near and far for speakers and once again we have a varied and fascinating mix of topics so there is bound to be something of interest for everyone. We would say, though, don't just come to the talks that appeal to you, often the most interesting topics are those you may think are "not my thing".

So, what's in store?

Read more: Welcome to CSES 2024-2025

CSES@ARU Science and Engineering Saturday Club

Having just completed its second year, our Science and Engineering Saturday Club focuses on exploring the science and engineering behind real-life activities and problems that affect our health and wellbeing. As well as professionals and academics, the Club was supported by our medicine, science, engineering and business students, giving our members a unique opportunity to talk to current ARU students studying a range of STEM related courses they may be interested in. The programme enabled students to use state-of-the-art equipment in our unique Super Lab facilities and the workshop and computer laboratories at ARU's Chelmsford Campus. In addition to sessions on campus, the students visited external STEM related centres.

Overall, the students learnt a range of science and engineering skills including: Laboratory health and safety, microbiology, medical diagnostics, statistics, 3DCAD design and printing, pump engineering, clock construction and even bush craft!

Read more: CSES Imagine! Saturday Club completes a second year

The 2024 Chelmsford Skills Festival was held on Thursday 27 June at ARU Writtle. CSES attended the event, alongside Teledyne e2v, BAE Systems and other businesses in the region.

A whole school day event for Year 8s, to help them choose their exam options, eight local schools attended, with an estimated footfall of 1,200 students in total at the event. There were around 75 companies and organisations represented, accommodated in seven large marquees.

On the CSES stand, we had an autonomous line-following robot (bit:bot) and a hand-strength gauge which proved quite popular with students seeing who of their group had the strongest and weakest hand grip. There was also a small box of "electronic poo", i.e. dead batteries, which stimulated much discussion about the necessity, science and engineering of correctly disposing of waste materials to protect the environment and ecology. This was accompanied by a range of leaflets and booklets explaining what engineering is and some of the different types of engineering that takes place.

Overall, this was a very good and enjoyable day. The society's thanks to Chris Neale and Ed Bye for supporting.

In a wonderful display of creativity and collaboration, Felsted School pupils, parents, and staff teamed up with REMAP engineers at the Billericay Soapbox Derby. The annual extravaganza drew in thousands of spectators eager to witness the spectacle of soapbox chariots hurtling down a perilous route towards the finishing line. This year, Felsted pupils have partnered with REMAP, working collaboratively to create a computerised memory game aimed at assisting people with dementia. Weekly sessions with REMAP engineers have provided Felsted students with invaluable opportunities to hone their scientific, engineering and design skills, all while contributing to a meaningful cause.

Read more: Felsted Pupils Shine at Billericay Soapbox Derby 2024

Congratulations to everyone who won an award at the 2024 CSES TEXPO, which took place on Friday 21 June 2024 at Anglia Ruskin University.

Read more: 2024 TEXPO results

25 April 2024 was the 150th anniversary of the birth of Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of radio and to whom the city of Chelmsford owes much of its industrial heritage.

Marconi set up the first factory for his Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company in Hall Street, Chelmsford in 1898. The work that took place there (and other sites subsequently) changed the world, completely revolutionising how we communicate with each other, entertain the population and sense the world around us. Find out more by reading this BBC article by CSES member Tim Wander.

The history of CSES, which had its centenary in 2020, is closely linked to the history of the Marconi Company. In its earliest days, the society was a meeting of engineers from the major companies based in Chelmsford, including Marconi's. You can read more about our history here.

We mark this occasion in collaboration with the Museo Marconi, Bologna, Italy, who are holding a special celebration event, further details of which can be found here.