̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - outreach

Students from across the country get a taste of studying at Cambridge at the Cambridge Festival

zs332 — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:17:46 +0000

We were delighted to welcome pupils from Warrington’s Lymm High School, Ipswich High School, ̽��ֱ��Charter School in North Dulwich, Rickmansworth School, Sutton Valance School in Maidstone as well as schools closer to home such as St Peter’s Huntingdon, Fenstanton Primary School, Barton Primary School, Impington Village College and St Andrews School in Soham.

Running over two days (25/26 March 2025) and held in the Cambridge Sports Centre, students went on a great alien hunt with Dr Matt Bothwell from the Institute of Astronomy, stepped back in time to explore Must Farm with Department of Archaeology and the Cambridge Archaeological Unit as well as learning to disagree well with Dr Elizabeth Phillips from ̽��ֱ��Woolf Institute.

Schools had a choice of workshops from a range of departments including, how to think like an engineer and making sustainable food with biotechnology with researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, as well as the chance to get hands-on experience in the world of materials science and explore how properties of materials can be influenced by temperature at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy.

̽��ֱ��Department of Veterinary Medicine offered students the opportunity to find out what a career in veterinary medicine may look like with workshops on animal x-rays, how different professionals work together to treat animals in a veterinary hospital as well as meeting the departments horses and cows and learn how veterinarians diagnose and treat these large animals.

Students also had the opportunity to learn about antibodies and our immune system with the MRC Toxicology Unit. ̽��ֱ��students learnt about the incredible job antibodies do defending our bodies against harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses.

Alongside this, a maths trail, developed by Cambridgeshire County Council, guided students around the West Cambridge site whilst testing their maths skills with a number of problems to solve.

Now in their third year, the Cambridge Festival schools days are offering students the opportunity to experience studying at Cambridge with a series of curriculum linked talks and hands on workshops.

̽��ֱ��Cambridge Festival runs from 19 March – 4 April and is a mixture of online, on-demand and in-person events covering all aspects of the world-leading research happening at Cambridge. ̽��ֱ��public have the chance to meet some of the researchers and thought-leaders working in some of the pioneering fields that will impact us all.

Over 500 KS2 and KS3 students from as far away as Warrington got the chance to experience studying at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge with a selection of lectures and workshops held as part of the Cambridge Festival.

Students make antibody keychains during a workshop with the MRC Toxicology Unit

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

Jane Austen treasure is on display today to mark the bicentenary of the novelist’s death

amb206 — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 09:20:56 +0000

When Jane Austen died on 18 July 1817 she had been working on a new novel. With four published novels (all published anonymously), she had accrued an enthusiastic following. ̽��ֱ��title she chose for this latest book was ̽��ֱ��Brothers. After her death, it was released as Sanditon, the name of the seaside town that features in the story.

̽��ֱ��three notebooks in which Austen wrote Sanditon are among the greatest treasures held by King’s College Archive. ̽��ֱ��College will today (18 July 2017) display two of these notebooks in an exhibition in its Old Library. ̽��ֱ��remaining notebook is on loan to the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

Sanditon is the star attraction of a Jane Austen Open Day organised to display around 40 items. ̽��ֱ��objects, arranged in three cases, comprise books and letters – and together represent King’s College’s biggest-ever display of Austen-related material.

̽��ֱ��autograph manuscript of Sanditon can only be described as priceless. ̽��ֱ��manuscript is rarely displayed as both the ink and paper used are vulnerable to light. It was last shown to the public for one day in 2013. Due to the significance of this year's anniversary, it will be displayed again later this year at Open Cambridge.

“A .digital version of Sanditon is available but we want people to have the chance to see the manuscript itself,” said Dr James Clements, King’s College Librarian.

“We know that Jane began writing Sanditon in January 1817 and that her last entry is dated 18th March 1817, by which time she’d completed 12 chapters. ̽��ֱ��novel begins with a carriage accident and charts familiar Austen territory with its wry and witty exploration of society politics.”

̽��ֱ��Sanditon manuscript was given to King’s College in 1930 by Austen’s great-great niece, Mary Isabella Lefroy, whose brother-in-law (Augustus Austen-Leigh) had been Provost of the College. ̽��ֱ��letter in which she talks about giving the notebooks to the College is on display. In it, she presents Sanditon in memory of “the most popular Provost, and Provostess ‘Kings’ has ever had”.

Also on display are first editions of the Austen novels published in her lifetime: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma, all published anonymously. Only after Austen’s death, when her novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were first published in December 1817 (also in the exhibition), was she identified as the author.

̽��ֱ��Georgian town of Bath figures in several Austen novels. A copy of ̽��ֱ��New Bath Guide for 1807, on display alongside the first edition of Persuasion, sets the scene with stunning engravings of life at the fashionable spa.

Other items of interest in the exhibition include a letter from Austen to her publisher, in which she takes a reviewer to task, and examples of early editions of Austen’s novels, including the first edition of Emma to appear in the USA, and a Railway Library edition of Pride and Prejudice “in fancy boards” priced one shilling.

̽��ֱ��Jane Austen Open Day at King’s College takes place today (18 July 2017) from 10am to 4pm. For details and directions, go to https://kcctreasures.com/ There will be another chance to see the display as part Open Cambridge on 8 and 9 September 2017.

̽��ֱ��exhibition has been made possible through a cataloguing and outreach project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Jane Austen fans will have a rare chance today (18 July 2017) to see the manuscript of the novelist’s final (unfinished) novel at King’s College. ̽��ֱ��one-day exhibition in the College's Old Library marks Austen’s death 200 years ago and is open to the public.

A digital version of Sanditon is available but we want people to have the chance to see the manuscript itself.

James Clements, King's College Librarian

̽��ֱ��New Bath Guide for 1807

̽��ֱ��Royal Crescent in Bath

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Yes

Supporting high-achieving black students

ta385 — Thu, 18 May 2017 09:45:00 +0000

Target Oxbridge provides 16 – 18 year old black African and Caribbean students with positive role models and practical advice. ̽��ֱ��development programme runs over the course of a year and involves residential visits and academic sessions. When they visit Cambridge, participants will have an immersive experience of life at the university, including taking part in tutorials and meeting both staff and current students.

Since 2012, 46 Target Oxbridge students have already gone on to receive offers from the two universities. Eleven former participants are currently studying at Cambridge and have welcomed the new sponsorship.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��’s support, alongside Oxford’s, will help Target Oxbridge to expand its places from 45 to 60 in 2018, double the number available in 2016. ̽��ֱ��programme is run by Rare, a specialist diversity recruitment company, and its patron is Cambridge alumna, Zadie Smith, who has previously said:

“Going to Cambridge changed my life. Nothing I have done would have been possible without it. I want more people from backgrounds like mine to have that life-changing experience. That's what Target Oxbridge is about”.

Jon Beard, Cambridge’s Head of Undergraduate Recruitment, said:

“We’re delighted to be strengthening our relationship with Rare through our sponsorship of Target Oxbridge, and look forward to welcoming to Cambridge more of the high-achieving aspirational black students that the programme supports. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� and the Colleges are committed to widening participation by raising aspirations and attainment. Working with partners including the Sutton Trust, ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club and Target Oxbridge is an important part of our approach.”

Fopé Jegede, an English student at Homerton College, said:

“Target Oxbridge helped to dispel the myths and preconceived notions I had about Cambridge and I genuinely don’t think I would have applied without the encouragement and support offered by the programme. Applying to Oxbridge is a very daunting process but studying at this university is such a unique experience. Already, my academic and personal growth during my time here has been incredible. Potential applicants should rest assured that it truly is your intellectual curiosity and potential that matters most - regardless of your social, economic or ethnic background. You do and will belong.”

Daniel Oluboyede, a Medic at Downing College, said:

“This is exciting news and a clear message that Cambridge aims to be more inclusive. Target Oxbridge was undoubtedly a major factor in getting me to Cambridge. They not only made me more confident for the application process but somehow made it an enjoyable experience too! I am confident that this partnership will make a tangible difference because of the real impact that Target Oxbridge makes in developing Afro-Caribbean students from typically less privileged backgrounds to become impressive Oxbridge Candidates.”

Imani McEwen, a Modern Languages student at Clare College, and currently on her Year Abroad in the Canary Islands, said:

“I’m absolutely thrilled. ̽��ֱ��partnership will enable lots of bright potential applicants to see that this is a place for them. When applying, Target Oxbridge certainly helped to prepare me for Cambridge life. ̽��ֱ��mentoring taught me how to engage with what I was reading and then confidently have an academic discussion about it. This was key during the interview and still is during supervisions. Definitely apply to Cambridge, your race should never discourage you because it's your ability that counts.”

Bez Adeosun, a Politics and Anthropology student at Clare College, said:

“Without Target Oxbridge, I may not have received my Cambridge offer. Their help ranged from personal statement advice, mock interviews and simply just being in contact with current students at the university. All this helped make a process that seemed so surreal to me, seem real and achievable. I would definitely encourage students to consider applying for this program as they really do care about helping young talented students get into prestigious institutions like Oxford and Cambridge.”

Michael Harvey, an Engineering student at Homerton College, said:

"Coming from a background in which you weren't expected to study at a place like Cambridge and then making it here gives a constant feeling of accomplishment. To know that you're working among some of the best thinkers of the future, to know you're at that level and to be encouraged to push even further is great. Once you're here the sky is really the limit, anything is achievable. It may seem a daunting task to get in from the outside, but anyone with the right attitude can achieve and excel here. My advice for people thinking of applying would be to put in the work because the rewards are more than worth it."

Timi Sotire, a Human, Social and Political Sciences student at Girton College, said:

"I felt very insecure and worried about applying. Being a part of the Target Oxbridge programme gave me the confidence to fully realise that I am good enough to be at a prestigious university such as this, I don’t know what I would have done without their constant support and mentoring. I hope that this partnership will encourage more people to have the confidence to apply.”

Find out more about Cambridge’s Widening Participation programmes.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� is sponsoring Target Oxbridge, a free programme which aims to increase successful undergraduate applications from black students.

Regardless of your social, economic or ethnic background. You do and will belong.

Fopé Jegede, undergraduate at Homerton College.

Undergraduates (L to R): Timi Sotire, Bez Adeosun, Michael Harvey, Daniel Oluboyede, Leah Grant, Fopé Jegede.

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Yes

Graduate, get a job … make a difference #5

ta385 — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Nina O’Hare (Newnham College) Archaeology & Anthropology (2015)

I’m a field archaeologist with Worcestershire County Council, which means that I spend most days outside working as part of a small team to conduct pre-development archaeological surveys. Our projects can range from several small trenches in a car park, looking for medieval urban occupation, to a multi-hectare excavation exploring changing landscape use from the prehistoric to present day.

I have wanted to be an archaeologist for a long time, but it was only through the outreach work I was involved in at Cambridge that I realised community archaeology is the area I most want to work in. Just after graduating, I was lucky enough to gain an archaeological outreach internship connected to the Archaeology department. This took me to Dunwich in Suffolk, where we worked with a wide range of volunteers to excavate the last remaining part of a once prosperous medieval trading port, which is now almost entirely lost to the sea. Working alongside volunteers and engaging with the community at Dunwich and elsewhere helped confirm that this is the career path I want to pursue.

What Cambridge did for me

As you would expect, my degree gave me a solid foundation in archaeological knowledge, thought and theory. But the research, time management and writing skill sets I gained along the way are in some ways more valuable in post-graduation life, and have already helped me in producing several commercial archaeological reports as part of my current job.

I’m still inspired by the academics and time I had at Cambridge to really explore and investigate a topic - Neolithic archaeology, from the enigmatic time when farming began, is a fascinating challenge to try and untangle.

̽��ֱ��teaching system at Cambridge is based on individual or small group supervisions, in which you discuss a particular topic and your work with an academic. Gaining confidence at explaining, summarising and discussing ideas through supervisions has been extremely valuable to me during job interviews.

Alongside my degree, I also gained a lot of organisation skills and experience through running a large society event and setting up an online access project that is aimed at helping prospective Cambridge applicants. Being involved in college and university-level access work has helped me work towards being involved in outreach and community work and started to equip me with the skill set to do so.

My Motivation

Working with and teaching members of the public about archaeology is really inspiring – it’s a great privilege to be able to share knowledge about, and that physical connection to, our past. In the future, I hope to work within community archaeology and would like one day to be able to combine research into Neolithic Britain with community and university outreach work.

Applying to Cambridge

In exploring different university courses, I discovered that Cambridge's Division of Archaeology runs an undergraduate open day each spring, which I attended. Being a subject-specific open day, I gained a good overview of what the course was like, what module options there were and how it was taught, which helped me to decide that Cambridge was the best place for me to study archaeology.

I found a lot of myth-busting and useful information on the ̽��ֱ�� website and the CUSU Alternative Prospectus (Apply to Cambridge) website – this helped me through Cambridge's unique and early application process.

̽��ֱ��two admissions interviews I had turned out to be a lot less scary than anticipated, as they were more of an academic discussion than a formal interview.

Starting at Cambridge was a less daunting prospect due to the friendly college system, as instead of being 1 of Cambridge's 3000 new undergraduates, I was 1 of just 110 newcomers starting at Newnham College.

Cambridge graduates enter a wide range of careers but making a difference tops their career wish lists. In this series, inspiring graduates from the last three years describe Cambridge, their current work and their determination to give back.

Working with and teaching members of the public about archaeology is really inspiring

Nina O'Hare (Alumna)

Studying archaeology at Cambridge

Undergraduate archaeology is now taught in a free-standing Archaeology course.

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Yes

Languages are fighting back

ta385 — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:20:12 +0000

Only five per cent of the world’s population speak English as a first language. Three quarters of humanity cannot speak English at all. And the UK economy is losing billions of pounds every year through a lack of language skills.

Despite this, the proportion of UK students taking GCSE languages fell from 78 per cent in 2001 to just 40 per cent in 2011. Meanwhile, A-Level language entries have declined by 28 per cent (1996 to 2014). Take-up of languages is particularly low in state schools which accounted for only half of A-level entries in 2014.

As a global ̽��ֱ�� which provides teaching and resources in more than 170 languages, Cambridge is committed to inspiring young people, particularly those studying in state schools, to embrace languages.

Every year, around 200,000 individuals take part in access initiatives run by the ̽��ֱ�� and its Colleges. This programme includes an increasing number of events organised by and with the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages (MML), the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) and the Language Centre, which supports the teaching and learning of languages throughout the ̽��ֱ��.

Recent events have included

Girton College’s first MML inspiration day for GCSE students

Languages may be suffering at many schools but Girton received an overwhelming response from teachers when it proposed a packed programme of multilingual talks and workshops.

Supported by the Faculty, Girton was able to welcome seventy Years 10 and 11 students from non-selective state schools from across the country. Teachers were asked to nominate up to two students based on who they thought would benefit most from the experience.

̽��ֱ��event was the brainchild of two Girton Fellows, Dr Claudia Domenici (Dept. of Italian) and Dr Stuart Davis (Dept. of Spanish & Portuguese).

Claudia commented

“When the pace of globalization is continually accelerating it is more important than ever for students to be aware of the advantages that the study of other languages and cultures offer. For me, learning Italian is about tapping into the very heart of Western identity, and what a wonderful privilege that is.”

Stuart added

“I’ve been delighted to see interest in Spanish, my specialist language, growing in recent years. But it has been so disheartening to see a general decline in take-up for GCSE and A-level languages.

“ ̽��ֱ��intellectual challenge of studying languages is in itself hugely enjoyable but our graduates are also highly employable. Modern language degrees open so many doors to so many wonderful places but they also allow you to reflect on your own culture and to understand its place in the world.”

̽��ֱ��event began with an inspiring welcome from Jocelyn Wyburd, Director of the Language Centre. Jocelyn combined sobering warnings about the risks of monolingualism – “In a global job market, your competitors include people from all over the world who speak two or more languages” – with examples of the exciting careers which languages can lead to.

“Mastering languages and studying abroad can change who you are in wonderful ways. Research has shown that learning languages strengthens cognitive skills, including problem solving and mental flexibility, while studying abroad also builds independence and confidence.”

̽��ֱ��next speaker, Dr Hannah Scott, provided a case in point. Hannah studied languages as an undergraduate at Cambridge and is now a Fellow and Teaching Officer in French at Girton. As part of her degree, Hannah learnt Spanish from scratch and said “Cambridge can take you from zero knowledge of a language to AS Level standard in three months.” This prompted gasps of amazement from the audience.

Hannah enthused about the variety and flexibility of Cambridge’s language courses as well as their culturally immersive nature. At Cambridge, students master languages by exploring the societies and cultures which they serve. A crucial part of this process is the Year Abroad, a life-changing opportunity in the penultimate (third) year of degree courses in both MML and AMES, to study, work and/or volunteer in another country (and language).

Hannah provided a few tantalising examples of what current students are doing "right now"-

“Jess is learning Swedish through German at Humboldt ̽��ֱ�� in Berlin … Iona is volunteering in Nicaragua, teaching English and music at a children’s centre next to the city rubbish dump … Oli is working for a leading financial advisory firm in Paris … And Verity is studying Arabic in Morocco before volunteering for a child protection charity.”

̽��ֱ��Faculty’s portfolio of Years Abroad undertaken by its students would turn Phileas Fogg green with envy.

At this point, Girton invited its visitors to join one of four culture workshops, each led by a specialist at Cambridge. Stuart Davis spoke about the Spanish Civil War, Hannah Scott about hidden secrets in French Impressionist Art; J D Rhodes on Neo-Realism in Italian cinema and Giuseppina Siverstri on linguistics.

This was followed by an opportunity to take part in one of four language workshops: Italian with Claudia Domenici, French with Christopher Gagne; Spanish with Alicia Pena-Calvo, Portuguese with Felipe Schuery or Hebrew with Ben Outhwaite. Ben explained the fascinating mechanics of Hebrew, an unfamiliar language to most of his group. Christopher gave his students a crash course in French slang and invited them to discuss the diverse use of language by different generations. Despite most of his students being new to Portuguese, Filipe spoke entirely in the language, using hand gestures to help translate.

At the end of the day, Girton’s Schools Liaison Officer, Erin Charles, provided advice about A-Level choices and aiming for university. This was followed by an opportunity to quiz current students about A-Levels, starting at Cambridge, Years Abroad, what they intend to do when they leave Cambridge and how they think a language degree will help them.

̽��ֱ��MML Faculty and Cambridge Colleges offer regular language-inspired access events to schools and sixth form colleges throughout the year.

Student-led MML access event

On 5 November, undergraduate contributors to the MML magazine Polyglossia welcomed 37 sixth formers from the London Academy of Excellence in Newham.

Supported by the Faculty and Trinity Hall, Onkar Singh, an LAE alumnus, initiated the event to “give current students the confidence to apply to a top university and pursue their passion for languages in a really supportive environment.”

Onkar, a Second Year at Downing College, gave a talk on Hispanic linguistics and sociolinguistics and was impressed by how “enthused and engaged everyone was in the discussion”.

Other sessions included an overview of MML at Cambridge, talks on German and French, and advice on applying to university.

̽��ֱ��number of young people studying languages in the UK is falling. Determined to change this, the ̽��ֱ�� is running an increasing number of events to highlight the life-changing power of languages.

Modern language degrees open so many doors to so many wonderful places

Dr Stuart Davis, Department of Spanish & Portuguese

Talking in Languages 2.0. Image courtesy of Markus Koljonen

Talking in Languages 2.0

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Alumni couple boost college outreach work

ta385 — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 09:00:00 +0000

This summer, Downing College welcomed students from seventeen schools and colleges in Dorset, Cornwall and Devon to its 16th South West Open Day, where they explored the College, met Directors of Studies, joined departmental tours and got a taste of lectures from Fellows and PhD students.

For most of the students, taking part involved a round trip of at least 400 miles but the College is determined to overcome any obstacles posed by distance.

Downing has helped with travel expenses for some time but this year a donation from former students, Jamie and Louise Arnell, meant the event could be extended to two nights, giving students more time to immerse themselves in ̽��ֱ�� life.

Jamie studied law at Downing in the 1980s and later qualified as a barrister. He is now a Partner at the private equity firm, Charterhouse, and is on several company boards. Louise studied Classics and runs ̽��ֱ��Pebble Trust, a charity supporting individuals and organisations in Brighton and Hove, as well as volunteering for Citizens Advice and the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group.

Jamie said “My degree opened so many doors and I would like to see students from the widest possible range of backgrounds benefiting from those same opportunities. Before Downing I went to a charity school which supports social mobility and I still feel very passionate about this.”

“We focused our efforts on Downing partly because we both studied there, but also because the College has a tough task. ̽��ֱ��South West is a long way from Cambridge and overcoming distance costs money.”

Louise added “I don’t come from a privileged background but I was never made to feel that access to the very best education was out of my reach. My teachers encouraged me to apply to Cambridge but not everyone is fortunate enough to have such support.”

“Many Cambridge graduates go on to become leaders in their field so it benefits society as a whole if the ̽��ֱ�� can attract the most academically able young people from all backgrounds.”

Downing recently appointed a new Schools Liaison Officer, Lauren Payne. An English literature graduate from Emmanuel College, Lauren will continue to build relationships in the South West, as well as organising events for students from across the UK and spreading the word via the Discover Downing website , Facebook and Twitter.

Cambridge’s outreach work achieves national coverage thanks to its Area Links scheme (established in 2000), which gives schools and colleges in every part of the UK a direct way of developing a relationship with the collegiate ̽��ֱ�� through specific contact points.

Schools Liaison Officers and Admissions Tutors for each College engage thousands of state school students and teachers throughout the year through outreach activities. There is no expectation that students should apply to their area link College and all Colleges welcome enquiries from anywhere in the UK, and the world.

In 2013-14, the collegiate ̽��ֱ�� delivered 4,000 access events which led to almost 200,000 interactions with young people and their teachers. For more information, visit www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk

A couple who met at Downing as undergraduates are supporting their College’s outreach work in the South West of England.

It benefits society as a whole if the ̽��ֱ�� can attract the most academically able young people from all backgrounds

Louise Arnell

Downing College, Cambridge

Jamie and Louise Arnell

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Colleges inspire students of the future

ta385 — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 11:45:00 +0000

̽��ֱ��educational charity recruits and trains PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to help students from underrepresented groups to develop the knowledge, skills and ambition they need to secure places at highly selective universities.

A third of places on ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme is reserved for pupils who have been eligible for Free School Meals in the last six years.

̽��ֱ��six-week programme begins with a visit to a highly selective university, at which pupils meet current undergraduates, tour the facilities, hear from representatives of the university, and enjoy their first tutorial with their tutor, a PhD researcher.

Dr Mary Henes, ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club’s Regional Director for London, says “Our tutorials aim to get our pupils as close as possible to a university experience - studying with a researcher, in small groups, at a highly selective university - at the very start of the programme. After this, the PhD tutors will visit the school to deliver tutorials.”

Over four days in June, six Cambridge colleges – Corpus Christi, Jesus, Newnham, St John’s, Emmanuel and Fitzwilliam – welcomed over 100 students (aged 11-17) from 16 non-selective state schools. Each college provided a uniquely inspiring learning environment - between them, they have nurtured over a dozen Nobel Prize winners and countless other influential academics, writers, scientists, politicians and actors.

Schools Liaison Officers for each college joined representatives from ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club to give informative and confidence-building talks tailored to different year groups.

At Corpus Christi college, Year 7 and 8 students from Cromer Academy were encouraged to aim high, work hard and seize every opportunity to pursue their interests. A few days later, at Emmanuel College, Year 12s from schools in Suffolk, Essex and East London were advised to think hard about the courses they were applying for and to read around their subjects.

Katie Ruthven, Schools Liaison Officer at Newnham College, said

“Working with ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club is one strand of the college’s many outreach activities which address the fact that there are bright students who may not realise that they have what it takes to apply to top universities. It's the best feeling when a student leaves here open to the possibility that Cambridge could be for them.”

In September, Cambridge colleges will host a series of Brilliant Club graduation ceremonies to congratulate students on completing the programme and submitting a 1,000-2,500 word assignment or ‘problem sheet’ based on the work done in their tutorials.

̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club was set up in 2011 to widen access to highly selective universities for underrepresented groups by mobilising researchers to bring academic expertise into state schools. ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club currently works with over 6,500 pupils per year nationwide.

̽��ֱ��collegiate ̽��ֱ�� is committed to widening participation both at Cambridge itself and in higher education more generally. In 2013-14, the collegiate ̽��ֱ�� delivered 4,000 access events which led to almost 200,000 interactions with young people and their teachers.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��’s widening participation programme includes college and departmental open days, one of the UK’s largest residential summer schools, subject masterclasses, Higher Education Taster Days, a programme for young people in care and school visits. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� is committed to the principle that no UK student should be deterred from applying to Cambridge for financial reasons, and to this end has one of the most substantial bursary schemes in the UK. For more information, visit https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/

More than 100 high-performing pupils from 16 state schools have embarked on a potentially life-changing educational journey with ̽��ֱ��Brilliant Club, following an inspiring visit to Cambridge.

It's the best feeling when a student leaves here open to the possibility that Cambridge could be for them.

Katie Ruthven, Schools Liaison Officer, Newnham College, Cambridge

http://cargocollective.com/ameliaoakley

Copleston High School at Jesus college.

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A-Level students pick Cambridge brains

ta385 — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 11:12:55 +0000

Nathan Clark, Noel Fombanu and Lydia Rutherford, 17-year-old students from Lodge Park Academy in Corby, spent their Easter break interviewing leading academics about their research to create audio blogs about neuroscience and modern life.

Having tapped into Cambridge Neuroscience’s cutting-edge research, Lydia, Nathan and Noel asked members of the public for their personal views to broaden the debate.

Lydia, who interviewed Professor Trevor Robbins about drug abuse and dependence, said

“We all had preconceptions about what the researchers would be like. However we were all pleasantly surprised; instead of mad scientists who used terms we couldn’t comprehend … They relayed their knowledge in ways that were accessible which made the interviews very relaxed.”

Listen to Lydia’s audio blog below

Nathan, who interviewed Dr Emma Cahill on the topic of memory and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), said

“Memory is a very important subject as it is part of everyday life so therefore affects every-one. It was also interesting to learn about PTSD because now I know how to aid people with similar problems in the future.”

Listen to Nathan’s audio blog below

Noel, who interviewed engineer Dr David Franklin about the role that neuroscience has to play in robotics, said

“Dr Franklin knew a lot about his field and even allowed me to experience some of the machines that he was working on.”

Listen to Noel’s audio blog below

Dr Hannah Critchlow, who develops and runs public engagement projects with members of Cambridge Neuroscience, said

“It was a pleasure to work with these talented students and watch them interrogate my colleagues with such intelligence and confidence. Lydia, Nathan and Noel not only got to grips with complex research but also mastered the art of interviewing – no mean feat. Their blogs are fascinating.”

̽��ֱ��David Ross Educational Trust establishes educational initiatives and supports other organisations to inspire young people to reach their potential.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge is committed to widening participation both at the ̽��ֱ�� itself and in higher education more generally. In 2013-14, the collegiate ̽��ֱ�� delivered 4,000 access events which led to almost 200,000 interactions with school learners and teachers. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��’s widening participation programme includes college and departmental open days, one of the UKs largest residential summer schools, subject masterclasses, Higher Education Taster Days, a student shadowing scheme and school visits.

Is drug addiction hereditary? Why do emotions dominate our earliest memories? Are robots a threat to humanity? These were just some of the thorny questions posed by A-Level students to Cambridge neuroscientists at a recent outreach event organised with the David Ross Educational Trust.

It was a pleasure to work with these talented students and watch them interrogate my colleagues.

Dr Hannah Critchlow, Cambridge Neuroscience

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. For image use please see separate credits above.

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