First events announced for our upcoming season
We are delighted to announce the launch of our 2021-2022 programme, featuring talks, days out and family-friendly activities. As we emerge from the Covid pandemic, and following the success of the British Science Festival and ARU Family Science Day, we are beginning to return to "in-person" events and hope to resume our social programme in 2022.
Please save the dates for our exciting events for autumn / winter 2021:
- Wed 27 Oct (evening): 150 Years of Science and Technology in Chelmsford, a talk by Prof Robert Iliffe (Professor of the History of Science, University of Oxford). This will be an online event.
- Wed 17 Nov (evening): CSES Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2021. An update on our plans launched last year and a showcase of our recent Spotlight Roundtable on Inclusivity.
- Sun 21 Nov (daytime): Essex State of the Art Technology Exhibition, join us at Hylands House for hands-on science and coding and the latest innovations from local companies.
- Wed 24 Nov (evening): The Role of Nuclear in Net Zero, a talk by CSES, ARU and the Bradwell B project. Our first 'hybrid' event with both in-person and online attendance options, and something we plan to roll out more widely.
- Sat 18 / Sun 19 Dec (daytime): Hands-On Science and Technology at The Art Place. Join us for fun, hands-on science and technology activities for all the family in Chelmsford City Centre. This will be on one or both of these days (TBC).
Note that some details are still to be confirmed; we will update the listings on our website in due course. Please do register your interest in the meantime by booking where appropriate.
Also a reminder that our Centenary Photographic Competition 2021 is still open until 15 October, and our Fresh Air – Fresh Thinking project is kicking off this month. We are still looking for volunteers!
We hope to see you at these events and more in 2022. Stay safe, and thank you for supporting CSES.
We are pleased to advise that our Centenary Photographic Competition 2021 is open for another four weeks, to allow as many people to participate as possible following the summer holidays and busy start of term.
The deadline for entry has now been extended to Friday 15 October 2021.
The competition, with this year's theme of Fresh Air, Fresh Thinking is open to anyone in full time or part time education in Essex and explores the key link between the creative arts and STEM.
We want you to take photographs that express what air pollution means to you, or how it impacts our health or our environment, and the negative or positive roles that technology can play.
Read full details here and submit your entry here (please make sure to read the FAQs, terms and conditions first!)
On Saturday 11 September 2021, Anglia Ruskin University hosted a family day for the British Science Festival, which was held in Essex for the first time in its 180-year history. This came about through planning for the 2020 CSES Centenary (albeit delayed by a year), which also led to Essex 2020 – A Year of Science and Creativity.
CSES was delighted to host a major stand / attraction at the festival, which saw over 5,000 people attend the ARU Chelmsford campus in one day! With our partners STEM Learning and STEAM Powered Education, and help from STEM Ambassadors, visitors to the CSES 'dome' were treated to an egg drop challenge, paper rockets, an earthquake table and many other fun, hands-on experimental activities for all the family. Over 400 families took part!
Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult announces apprenticeship vacancies
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult has opened its first apprenticeship vacancies at its Braintree facility, working on the development of vaccines. This would be a fantastic opportunity for someone in the local area. Please note that deadlines are very close (early-mid September 2021), but there is still time to apply!
Follow the links below to see further details and to apply:
- Apprentice Engineer
- Technician Scientist Apprenticeship
- Apprentice Quality Technician
- Human Resource Apprentice (Level 3)
These are an excellent chance to work at the cutting edge of science and medical technology.
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult is one of a network of elite technology and innovation centres established by Innovate UK as a long-term investment in the UK's economic capability. Applying business-led research, Catapults help businesses transform great ideas into valuable products and services to compete in the global markets of tomorrow.
The British Science Festival 2021 is underway in Chelmsford, transforming the city into a celebration of science and culture
BOOK NOW for the British Science Festival 2021. One of the most ambitious science festivals in the UK since the start of the pandemic, with over 100 free events taking place over five days.
This year's programme has been specially curated to highlight the region’s strength in sustainability, healthcare and social sciences. The British Science Festival will offer a mix of outdoor talks, immersive installations, and indoor events that delve into the stories, ideas and the people behind science and innovation.
On Saturday 11 September, join us at Anglia Ruskin University’s Chelmsford campus, for a fun filled Family Science Day. Take part in lunar expeditions, have fun with bubbles and clouds and explore your health and fitness. From Medical Mavericks and an appearance from Spiderman, there is truly something for everyone.
To book your FREE tickets for the Family Science Day, visit www.aru.ac.uk/events.
The full programme for the British Science Festival 2021 has been launched and will transform the city of Chelmsford into a celebration of science and culture
The British Science Association (BSA) has unveiled the full programme and opened bookings for the British Science Festival 2021. The rescheduled event is set to be one of the most ambitious science festivals in the UK since the start of the pandemic, with over 100 free events taking place during the five days of the Festival.
This year's programme has been specially curated to highlight the region’s strength in sustainability, healthcare and social sciences. The British Science Festival will offer a mix of outdoor talks, immersive installations, and indoor events that delve into the stories, ideas and the people behind science and innovation.
On Saturday 11 September, join us at Anglia Ruskin University’s Chelmsford campus, for a fun filled Family Science Day. Take part in lunar expeditions, have fun with bubbles and clouds and explore your health and fitness. From Medical Mavericks and an appearance from Spiderman, there is truly something for everyone.
To book your FREE tickets for the Family Science Day, visit www.aru.ac.uk/events.
To support a project for Primary and Secondary School Students: September 2021 to June 2022
We are launching a major new science, technology and computing project for primary and secondary schools.
We are looking for volunteers (STEM Ambassadors) who will help us by working as a champion to support student teams with the following:
- Collect weather and air quality information (equipment will be supplied).
- Interpret, publish and share data in real-time with other schools – opportunity for coding and web development.
- Undertake a survey of student, staff or parent perceptions of air pollution.
- Design and carry out a scientific investigation into clean air, nitrous oxides or particulate matter. Or you can discuss your own idea with your CSES School Champion to develop your own unique study.
Do you have a few hours a month to support this exciting project?
A project for Primary and Secondary School Students: September 2021 to June 2022
We are launching a major new science, technology and computing project for primary and secondary schools.
We are looking for participating schools across Essex to become CSES School Affiliate Members where student teams will:
- Collect weather and air quality information (equipment will be supplied).
- Interpret, publish and share data in real-time with other schools – opportunity for coding and web development.
- Undertake a survey of student, staff or parent perceptions of air pollution.
- Design and carry out a scientific investigation into clean air, nitrous oxides or particulate matter. Or you can discuss your own idea with your CSES School Champion to develop your own unique study.
To maximise the success of these student-led projects, additional competitive funding may be available from our CSES STEM Club Bursary.
There will be PRIZES for the most innovative, best data and greatest impact entry in each age group, presented at our annual awards ceremony at Anglia Ruskin University in July. In consultation with your CSES Champion, teams may be funded to enter their project for an appropriate level National CREST Award.
We are now looking for schools across Essex (including the unitary authorities) to become CSES School Affiliate Members and discuss how they would like to be involved in this exciting project.
Please contact our Vice President for Education, Professor David Humber, for further information (
Report from CSES Spotlight Event, 15 April 2021
In April 2021, CSES held a 'spotlight' meeting to discuss the role that trust plays in stimulating and enabling new partnerships between users and providers. Specifically, the event explored the role of trust in the context of emerging trends in the four sectors of focus: healthcare, planning, digital economy and education. This follows directly from the Covid recovery roundtable hosted by CSES and Essex County Council in October 2020.
The event concluded that:
- There is a clear case for multidisciplinary collaboration, and there is appetite among the group to establish a more formal model for this.
- Each sector's issues are connected and cannot be considered in isolation. Any collaborative initiative must adopt a "whole system" approach.
- Diversity and inclusion are not simply "nice to haves"; they are essential to getting things right. Whilst the existing stakeholder group is relatively diverse, the model that we adopt to bring about action must be fully inclusive.
- To achieve the necessary levels of system integration, inclusion, diversity and participation, trust among the parties is essential.
Read more: Optimising the new normal: the central enabler of TRUST
After our very successful 2020 photographic competition, which received some outstanding photographs depicting important aspects of the history of science and technology in Essex, we are pleased to open again for entries in 2021.
The competition is open to anyone in full time or part time education in Essex and again explores the key link between the creative arts and STEM. As part of a bigger project, which we will be running later this year, the theme of this year's competition is:
Fresh Air, Fresh Thinking
While pollution is a multifaceted global problem, from agricultural pollutants such as nitrates and ammonia to mercury and lead contamination and of course our worrying reliance on single-use plastics, air pollution is often less noticeable but is increasingly harming both our health and our environment.
We want you to take photographs that express what air pollution means to you, or how it impacts our health or our environment, and the negative or positive roles that technology can play. Each photograph should be accompanied with a short explanation (not more than 50 words) of the story or thoughts behind it.
- IET Engineering Stories Podcast
- Spring 2021 Imagine! STEAM Competition winners announced
- Southend Virtual Careers Fair
- Sandra's Story: Science Experiments
- The Buildings that Fought Hitler - Featuring Baddow Tower
- CSES Needs You!
- Ask Us Anything on Reddit
- Festival Operations Officer opportunity at The British Science Association
- STEM Ambassador Programme Launches Online Mentoring Scheme
- Electronic Engineer opportunity at CVC Components