Dynamic Earth Schools science event in Edinburgh

Left: Students at the exhibition. Right: Dr Mary Abed Al Ahad, Dr Jennifer Rao and Dr Laura Maclean with a display of the Design Hopes Mosiac game.

Mary Abed Al Ahad alongside two colleagues from Universities of Dundee and Glasgow, Dr Jennifer Rao and Dr Laura Maclean, provided an outreach exhibition as part of the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment, and Society (SAGES) network at Dynamic Earth Schools science event in Edinburgh, Scotland. The event was attended by a large number of school students ranging in age from 9 to 16 years old. The event ran over two days, Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 March 2025, with several exhibitions about robotics, chemistry, space, earth science, social sciences, public health, glaciology, renewable energy, hydrology, and forestry.

Students got the chance to learn about these diverse topics through a set of hands-on games and activities, as well as through posters, flyers and presentations from the exhibitors. Exhibitors came from various universities, governmental and non-governmental institutions across Scotland including the Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and Forestry and Land Scotland. Across the two days, there were over 1200 learners and teachers, from 20 schools and 10 local authorities, with slightly more attending on the Monday than the Tuesday. On Monday specifically, 13 schools attended from 8 local authorities.

Mary, Jennifer, and Laura's exhibition was on how to design facilities around a hospital to cater for patient's needs using the Design Hopes Mosaic game. Students were engaged in the game activity and displayed high levels of creativity in designing accessible amenities around the hospital. Students were presented with case scenarios about patients and had to choose outdoor amenities around the hospital that would help these patients in having a better experience. For example, Shiona is a patient that has a leg injury, what amenities would help her to enjoy outdoor spaces whilst at the hospital? One of the students picked an accessible outdoor cafe with a flower bench for Shiona.