An exciting collaboration between the University of Kent and Thanet-based Discovery Planet C.I.C. is set to create an innovative new venue on Ramsgate High Street.
On March 10 Discovery Planet will open the doors to its new home at the former Boot Opticians at 47 High Street.
The site will be transformed into an exciting and welcoming community space, where regular interactive workshops delivered by research scientists from the University of Kent will take place over the coming years.
The hands-on workshops will kick off with an event called Light Fantastic, which explores the amazing properties of light. Fittingly, given the venue’s most recent use, the sessions will touch on the fact that light science has many medical applications, such as enabling an examination of people’s eyes.
The workshop will be delivered by research scientists and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask them questions about their field, as well as about working in science more generally and routes into different careers.
As with previous Discovery Planet events, the event will be free of charge. Schools can book workshop places on Thursday, March 10 and Friday, March 11.
Members of the community can drop in on Saturday, March 12 on the hour, every hour from 10am to 3pm, which is when the last workshop starts. There is no need for community members to book, but schools can get in touch by contacting Nikki at [email protected].
Director Xanthe Pitt said: “Light Fantastic is just the first of a series of monthly workshops running through to the Autumn. Between April 21-23 we will looking at materials for energy storage; May 19-21 we will be observing space with telescopes; June 16-18 we’ll be thinking about meteorites; and from July 7-9 we’ll be examining how science can help us explore heritage.
“Between these dates other University departments and community groups will be invited to deliver additional activities, so you are invited to watch out for information by following Discovery Planet’s various social media accounts or looking out for posters and flyers.”
The ‘shop’ opening has been timed to coincide with British Science Week 2022, a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. It is hoped that the Discovery Planet Shop, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, will foster an interest in science among the local population and encourage future generations of scientists and engineers hailing from Thanet to make their mark on the world.
For more information see the Discovery Planet website www.discoveryplanet.co.uk , Facebook: ttps://www.facebook.com/DiscoveryPlanetUK , Twitter: @ScienceSpaceCr8
