EBIC at New Scientist Live
Written by Nicola Heaven, Science Communication & Knowledge Mobilisation Officer at EBIC.
We were delighted to exhibit at New Scientist Live, one of the UK’s leading festivals of science and innovation. As an event that brings cutting-edge research to life for a wide audience, it offers an exceptional platform for EBIC to share our work, connect with new audiences, as well as support the development of our team.
Our Experience at New Scientist Live 2025
With visitor numbers at over 25,000 attending New Scientist Live this year, it was a fantastic opportunity for EBIC to reach a broad audience and discover current thoughts on engineering biology and discuss our exciting research. This unique platform enabled us to connect with curious minds, showcase our work, and play an active role in one of the UK’s most vibrant science and innovation events. Across the three days, we engaged with thousands of visitors; students, families, educators, industry professionals, as well as fellow exhibitors – each bringing their own enthusiasm and ideas for the future.
Hands-on Engagement
The event provided an ideal environment for hands-on engagement. Visitors were eager to explore, question, and participate in our activities; giving our team the opportunity to discuss everything from the fundamentals of engineering biology to the real-world impact of our research. These interactions not only helped demystify complex topics but also reminded us how powerful face-to-face science communication can be. Seeing visitors light up as they connected with our demonstrations and displays reinforced the importance of making science accessible, interactive, and inspiring!
A personal highlight for me was the positivity and support for the use of engineered microbes to help solve environmental problems. The vast majority of visitors were familiar with some of the pressing environmental problems we are working to solve – microplastics, forever chemicals and hydrocarbon/oil spills to name but a few. Building from this, when we explained how we can enhance and modify the natural mechanisms of microorganisms to help solve these issues, there was a huge amount of enthusiasm and encouragement for the team.
Our Biofilm Boardgame – designed and created by Lyuboslava Harkova an Early Career Researcher at the University of Southampton – is a fantastic way to demonstrate the role of bacteria and biofilms in environmental bioremediation.
Knowledge Mobilisation in Action
New Scientist Live also served as a hub for knowledge mobilisation, allowing us to translate our most recent findings and research into engaging, relatable stories and practical insights for diverse audiences – everyone from school children to researchers! This was a chance to bridge the gap between research and society – showing how our work can inform everyday decisions, support education, and influence future technologies. The conversations we had throughout the event will help guide how we share and disseminate knowledge moving forward.
Networking and Collaboration
Beyond public engagement, the event created space for valuable networking opportunities, enabling us to connect with researchers and organisations pursuing projects aligned with our mission. These conversations opened exciting avenues for potential collaborations, including opportunities such as a potential regular collaboration with a popular children’s science magazine, and meeting researchers with an interest in potential partnerships for shared research projects. Being part of events such as this is a great reminder of the strength that comes from interdisciplinary partnerships and the excitement and enthusiasm we can spark, and indeed have ignited within ourselves, when we get together and talk.
One of our team, Yasmin Meeda, was interviewed for the Ri Science Podcast, from the Royal Institution. You can listen to the episode below:
Engaging with Educators
One of the most rewarding aspects of the event was meeting teachers, and other educators, who are committed to enhancing learning opportunities for their students. Teachers, home educators and school leaders visited our stand to explore our resources, discuss potential curriculum links, and enquire about opportunities for us to bring our research into the classroom. This enthusiasm for STEM and engaging young people in our research is very much shared here at EBIC, in fact we would love to hear from teachers, schools and other educators about ways we can work together to bring engineering biology to life in your classroom! If you would like to work together or have suggestions for how we can help you please get in touch.
We look forward to developing these relationships and supporting schools, and educators, in delivering engaging, exciting STEM learning.
Feedback from our team
My experience at New Scientist Live was positive. Engaging with a broad and diverse audience allowed me to communicate environmental biotechnology in an accessible manner. Visitors of all ages showed strong interest in our demonstrations of how engineering biology can address real-world environmental challenges, prompting thoughtful questions and highlighting the value of hands-on public engagement. The event strengthened my ability to translate research for non-specialists and reinforced the importance of outreach in shaping public understanding of emerging technologies.
The new scientist live event was an amazing opportunity to showcase all the work we do within EBIC. I’m most amazed at the diversity of the audience, whereby students, parents and even young children were asking questions about what engineering biology is! I felt like the two days I spent there were extremely rewarding, especially as you could see the enthusiasm in the students who want to pursue a career in this type of field.
Describing my daily working life and discussing the topics of the research I am involved in with the wider public at the New Scientist Live exhibition for schools was truly amazing. I was impressed with the enthusiasm pupils showed in the practical activities we offered (learning about bacterial streaking techniques and genetic engineering) and their excitement for the research EBIC undertakes. A lot of parents, teachers and researchers were also intrigued and called the work we are undertaking amazing. The proactive approach of our team on the day and getting to know other EBIC members better was an opportunity not to be missed. Networking with other exhibitors was another aspect I feel I benefitted from. All in all, it was a very rewarding day where I acquired new contacts, deepened working relationships, improved my public speaking skills, and felt I enriched people’s life. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
I thoroughly enjoyed the event, with a chance to showcase exciting science to the public. One of the highlights for me was the interest received from prospective young scientists. I had a number of discussions with current A-level and undergraduate students about career options in this field and the wider scientific space. Questions from the public during the event have helped me to understand more about what concerns they may have regarding the output of our work. This aids in understanding what we can do in the lab to further improve the trust of the public in the bacteria we produce.
Looking Ahead
Our involvement in engagement events such as New Scientist Live will continue to be an important part of our outreach and knowledge mobilisation strategy. Events such as this allows us to share our work with thousands of people, engage with the next generation of scientists, and support the growth and development of our team.
If you are interested in working with EBIC, or run a STEM event or publication and think we would be a good fit, then please do click the button below to get in touch. We would also be particularly keen to hear from you if you would like to work with us to tailor educational materials to meet the current curriculum requirements.
