“Good Air, Bad Air” Showcased at the Cambridge Science Festival
A new interactive outreach activity, Good Air, Bad Air, was developed and trialled by Teaching Technicians in the Histology and Experimental Classrooms of PDN, with funding from the TSN ROKS Outreach Demonstrator Fund. The activity was designed by Taylor Thomas Lennon to engage audiences with the science of breathing.
The first version of the demonstration unit was showcased at the Cambridge Science Festival on 28 March 2026, which welcomed 955 visitors. Attendees were invited to explore how the lungs work by examining lung blood vessels under microscopes, sketching their observations, and taking part in an adapted air hockey activity that demonstrated how oxygen and carbon dioxide move into and out of the bloodstream.
Amelia, a Junior Technician at the Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research, provided support at the stand throughout the day, and her contribution was greatly appreciated.
The festival offered a valuable opportunity to observe the activity in action, gather feedback, and make refinements ahead of its next outing at the Technician Takeover event at the Science Museum, London, this June. It also helped to highlight technical career pathways at Cambridge and the breadth of skills technicians contribute to research and teaching.
Thanks are extended to the Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research for enabling Amelia’s involvement.