BAYS days SET ‘97 off with a bang!
Friday saw the Queen’s Lawn invaded twice for the launch of two science and engineering initiatives. Science and Technology Week 1997 and The British Association of Young Scientists shared a network of temporary marquees covering the lawn for a number of events and displays.
The first invasion was for the start of the BAYS two day event, which combined exhibitions in the Natural History Museum, the Science Museums and in IC, on both the Queen’s lawn and the Sherfield building. The two BAYS days were billed as "Two days of fun and discovery for 6-13 year olds, schools and families at the science festival that launches SET ‘97- the national week of science, engineering and technology."
Friday’s event was mainly intended for school parties, who turned up in their hundreds to see displays by British Aerospace, Sun Systems, Thames water, Glaxo Welcome and the Armed Forces. The demonstrations included experiments with chemical slime, raspberry jelly lasers and that perennial favourite, exploding custard.
The participating companies adopted varying approaches to the event, with some displays, such as that from Sun Systems, aimed mainly at the adults in the parties while Glaxo Wellcome’s presentation was clearly intended to provide ‘hands on’ experience of basic science principles for the younger visitors. Demonstrators at the British Aerospace display claimed that their main thrust was in sparking interest in science, while their display also contained elements obviously designed to promote BA among a more mature audience. Their collection of small autonomous robots, however, proved popular with everyone that saw them.
The teachers and parents present also differed in their attitude to the event, with some bringing pupils hoping to promote an interest in science, while others saw the occasion as an opportunity to give their charges a brief respite from the tedium of the classroom.
The second invasion was somewhat more carefully regimented, consisting a small army of middle aged men in suits, attending the launch of SET ‘97, YES (the Year of Engineering Success) and the BAYS days.
In turn, the Duke of Kent, Ian Taylor MP (Minister for science and technology) and heads of the various interested organisations showered the assembled suits with acronym-laden rhetoric concerning the increasing importance of science and in particular engineering to our everyday lives.
Many observers were disappointed that pure science was largely ignored in the speeches, although those on the stands stressed that today’s science will be tomorrow’s technology. British Aerospace in particular were positive about working with universities (including IC) on projects with no immediate technological applications.
Numerous pieces of technology developed by Imperial College groups were on display, including a laser cutting device which launched SET ‘97, theatrically etching the initiative’s name into a piece of plastic. This technology is similar, it was pointed out, to that used in cutting holes to reduce turbulence in aircraft wings.
One teacher described the event as "brilliant", while the minister for Science and Technology somewhat mistakenly described it as a coming together of IC and UCL, which it was not. Elsewhere hundreds of unconcerned school children squealed with delight over green slime
