Education

At Discovery Park, we don’t just work to make today a success, we’re always looking to tomorrow. Education is a vital part of what we do, sparking a love of science to last a lifetime.

This is a science park built on collaboration, with young scientists benefiting from unrivalled access to companies carrying out innovative and pioneering research in laboratories on site – from immuno-oncology and diagnostics to new forms of antibiotics.

For example, PhD students working out of Canterbury Christ Church University’s Life Sciences Industry Liaison Laboratory, launched on site in 2016 have been supporting tenants Genea Biomedx and Venomtech in exploring a variety of potential new treatments and processes.

The list of stories below reveals the full breadth of what we do at all levels of education from the colourful Big Bang and East Kent Science Jamboree school events to the Community Lab run by Pfizer and Discovery Park with East Kent College.  Add in apprenticeships, we’re not simply raising awareness, but creating an environment for training, ambition and job creation.

With new investment on the way, including new ‘pop-up’ laboratory space and an auditorium for lectures and presentations, Discovery Park is ensuring the skills and expertise built up on this site over decades as a science hub continue to grow for generations to come.

Schools invited to shine with launch of Bright Sparks Awards

Young braniacs from schools across Kent are invited to come up with inventive ways to change the world.

The 2018 KM Bright Sparks awards, sees finalists compete at a Dragon’s Den-inspired final held at Discovery Park in order to win trophies and a £500 cash prize.

The collaborative science projects are an excellent way to test cross-curricular skills in maths, IT, science and engineering.

Students will be expected to present a variety of investigations and inventions to a panel of judges, and star in a short film that is screened during the awards event.

For more information on the awards, or to watch the 2017 video, please follow this link: http://www.kmcharityteam.co.uk/schools/brightspark/

You Tuber Greg Foot wows Big Bang 2018

You Tuber and TV science presenter Greg Foot joined more than 1,000 secondary pupils from schools across Kent swapped the classroom for a day of interactive fun at Discovery Park

The Big Bang, organised by The STEM Hub, brings companies and educators together with one common purpose: to spark a passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. From medicine making – with balloons as replica molecules – to making waves with Maths (and a water tank) there was plenty going on to fire the imagination and to get across how important STEM subjects are to modern life.

Find out more in our news section.

Schools enter Dragon’s Den

Ten teams of science whizz kids have tamed a group of dragons to emerge victorious at the KM Bright Spark Awards 2017.

The youngsters presented a variety of innovations, investigations and inventions to an impressed panel of judges at the finals staged at Discovery Park.

Find out more on Kent Online.

East Kent Science Jamboree

Discovery Park hosted the annual East Kent Science Jamboree for the fifth year running in June 2017, bringing together science companies and engineers with a single aim – to inspire the next generation of scientists.

This ever popular and inspirational educational science event brought 1,500 children aged 10-11 together from over 50 Kent primary schools from across Thanet and Dover districts.

The Year 6 youngsters took part in hands on science experiments designed to spark a love of science subjects and complement their classroom teaching experience by bringing science to life.

Find out more in our news section.

The Big Bang 2017

More than 1,000 secondary pupils from schools across Kent swapped the classroom for a day of interactive fun at Discovery Park

The Big Bang, organised by Kent and Medway STEM, brings companies and educators together with one common purpose: to spark a passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. From medicine making – with balloons as replica molecules – to making waves with Maths (and a water tank) there was plenty going on to fire the imagination and to get across how important STEM subjects are to modern life.

Find out more in our news section.

Community Lab

The launch of a new community lab at Discovery Park is set to revolutionise the quality of science education in East Kent – giving local schools access to state-of-the-art facilities to bring lessons to life.

Using East Kent College laboratory space, groups of up to 16 secondary aged students will be able to use a range of specialist instruments and equipment as part of their science lessons.

Find out more about the Discovery Park Community Lab project.

Collaboration in action

The School of Human and Life Sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) opened its industry liaison laboratory at Discovery Park in March 2016.

The industry liaison laboratory provides the University and its students with first class facilities for science and research, with access to a diverse and dynamic range of pharmaceutical and bio-technology companies.

PhD have linked initially with Genea Biomedx and Venomtech on specific research projects connected to research being carried out at Discovery Park. They presented their initial findings at a symposium event earlier this year.

Find out more about CCCU’s Industry Liaison Laboratory.

Schools compete to be a bright spark

Students from across the county were invited to submit collaborative science projects using cross-curricular skills in maths, IT, science and engineering to investigate, innovate and invent.

The top ten initiatives were selected to go before at a Dragon’s Den-inspired final at Discovery Park on Friday, July 6 in a bid to win trophies and a £500 cash prize.

Find out more about the KM Bright Sparks Awards.