BRAINWAVE10 was a great success, over two thousand people visited NETPark to take part in a variety of workshops and experiences.
Some of the highlights of the event:
- The Royal Institution summer lectures
- Interactive workshops - including make your own shower gel, and build a stomp rocket
- A tour of the University of Durham's Research Institute at NETPark.
- A coffee powered car
- Rubot - a robot that can solve the Rubiks Cube in record time
- Starchaser Rocket Show.
Summer Event is a Real Brainwave
Families across County Durham were able to witness science and technology brought to life in a fun and interactive way this summer.
BRAINWAVE10, was an exciting event held at the County’s very own science park - NETPark, the North East Technology Park in Sedgefield. NETPark is one of the fastest growing science parks in the UK.
The three day event ran throughout July engaging with local school children and the general public to communicate the important role that science plays in our everyday life.
BRAINWAVE was organised by County Durham Development Company, which manages NETPark on behalf of Durham County Council, BRAINWAVE was delighted to host the highly regarded Royal Institution Summer Lectures and had a number of creative hands-on workshops, as well as offering career materials and guidance, designed to inspire and open visitors’ eyes to the fulfilling career opportunities available in science and technology on their own doorstep.
Year 8 students from schools across the County were invited to attend BRAINWAVE on one of the two school days, the event ended with a public day, adapted to cater for a far more diverse audience as visitors from across County Durham and the North East were welcomed to NETPark to join in the fun. The event was a huge success enabling almost 400 school children to spend a full day at NETPark and 1,700 visitors on the public day. On the public day the event was designed to appeal to a much wider audience and attracted more than a thousand visitors to the Park.
Catherine Johns, Director of Innovation Development at County Durham Development Company, commented; “Brainwave10 was a fun filled event that we believe will truly inspire people of all ages about science and technology."
"Technology develops so quickly and some of most cutting edge products in the world are being developed right here at NETPark in County Durham. Our aim is to to raise awareness of that and to inspire the next generation about the possibilities of working in science and technology and developing their own products.”
In order to maintain its position as one of the fastest growing science parks in the UK, NETPark must continue to attract and retain science, engineering and technology businesses, which rely heavily on the availability of a skilled local workforce. Project C is part of ongoing efforts to ensure the continued development of the skills base within the County.
Brainwave10 is part of Project C, a programme of activities and events taking palce throughout 2010-12 that will communicate and interact with the regional community, whilst heightening awareness of, and excitement for, the ground-breaking work undertaken by companies based at NETPark.
The project, part of the wider Embedding the Benefits of Innovation project, is led by Durham University and is centred around NETPark, which is managed by County Durham Development Company on behalf of Durham County Council. Funding has also been provided by One North East Single Programme and ERDF, and SANYO.
