Living Lab Climate Action

What actually is Engineering? Many young people are interested in STEM, but not sure what engineering is, and how it can make a huge difference to improving people’s lives and communities.  

Living Lab: Climate Action explores how engineering can make communities more sustainable, shape the future cities we live in and respond to climate change, by reducing flood risk. 

Designed for pupils in Years 9–10, the programme helps young people understand the wide range of engineering careers and the subject choices needed to pursue them at university. 

Students will take part in an aspirational visit day at the University of Cambridge, featuring:

• Fun, hands-on engineering challenges. Highlights of the day include making and testing flood-proof homes 
• Careers focus: talk to engineering role models, studying and working in research and industry.
• Campus tour 
• A taste of college life, with delicious lunch at Churchill College 

Authentic research (optional): 

Schools will also have the option to support students in completing a short authentic research project ahead of the visit, helping them build confidence, curiosity, and communication skills. 

Gatsby benchmarks: 

The programme supports the Gatsby Benchmarks by linking curriculum learning to real-world engineering careers through hands-on STEM activities (Benchmark 4), providing experiences of a university and research environment (Benchmark 6), and offering clear guidance on subject choices and pathways into engineering (Benchmark 7).

Other programmes available:

We also have another engineering university visit and research opportunity, focused on medical technology, exploring how biology, chemistry and engineering come together to improve healthcare and transform people’s lives.  Both themes have the same format and sign-up form. Schools can choose which of the themes they are most interested in.
Find out more about MedTech Inspire here (Suitable for Y9-12): Medtech Inspire | Undergraduate Study