ESR’s exhibition at the Science New Zealand Conference at Te Papa was a real crowd pleaser. The exhibition, which included displays from the seven Crown Research Institutes, was held in the Ocenia Room at Te Papa from 9 -11 November 2017 as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the Crown Research Institutes.
ESR's four interactive exhibits included fun activities for the whole family. Scientists were on hand to talk to about what they do and answer any questions from the public.
Communications Manager, Lynne St.Clair-Chapman, estimated well over one thousand people went through the exhibition including people from all around the globe.
"Our four amazing displays, with hands on activities, were a real draw-card not just for kids but for adults too," she said. "Our people are passionate about how our science keeps people safe and healthy and they enjoy engaging with the public about this."
The displays included ‘Up the Pipe’ where kids could experiment with making natural alternatives to household products and learn about the effects of what goes down the drain.
The Water Group’s interactive display asked people to match the animal with the poo – and educated them about how poo can contaminate our waterways.
Aspiring young forensic scientists were able to experience a ‘real life’ crime scene including a 'dead body', stepping plates, bloody footprints and blood spatter. There was also an opportunity to experience a virtual crime scene using ESR’s virtual reality equipment. They could also see how ESR captures 3D data from a crime using scanning technology.