RESILIENCE and VaxHub collaborated to deliver interactive, high-quality outreach activities utilising cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technologies and innovative teaching approaches, making bioprocess engineering education accessible to all age groups. 

The Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (Vax-Hub) is an academic collaboration led by UCL Biochemical Engineering and the University of Oxford. The department is also part of the RESILIENCE UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence, which aims to attract more young people into the sector, develop industry-ready graduates, and support the continuous professional development of those already working in the UK bioindustry and beyond.

Their first formal venture into elementary STEM outreach was a day of fun activities at The Willow School, featuring 10– to 11-year-old students. The Willow is a two-form entry primary school with 420 places. They educate children aged 1-11 years old with a wide range of abilities and disabilities, serving a diverse ethnic community.

“The teachers at Willow school, particularly Ruth Robinson, helped us group 59 students and rotate the groups through our VR, pipetting, filtration, LEGO, and molecular modelling activities that they had helped us set up in two fantastically organised classrooms (picture primary colours, educational posters, ordered rooms kitted out with super cute little chairs, low tables and cupboards with compartments allocated to each child).”

Said Dr Bernice Wright, lecturer at UCL Biochemical Engineering

“In the VR classroom, the pipetting and molecular modelling activities basically served as busy work while the students eagerly awaited their turn to try the VR. The FourPlus Immersive simulation, Proteus, was a firm favourite. Students were also curious about the basic laboratory (weighing, mixing liquids, microscopy) simulations designed using Eclipse Creator (FourPlus). VaxHub utilised LEGO-based activities and the filtration of coloured beads to demonstrate the basic principles of industrial bioprocessing in an engaging manner. The engineering principles explained are often completely new to students. 

We plan to continue working with Willow school and other primary schools in and around London, helping teachers introduce their students to interdisciplinary applied engineering science. We will package biochemical engineering concepts as activities that we will design to make them accessible to students at key early stages in their STEM education journey.” 

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