Led by Dr Catherine Galloway and Dr Mariam Rashid
As part of our long-term mission to connect with the Abbey community — a district in Cambridge facing significant deprivation—we were honoured to be invited to join a local science festival hosted by community organisation Abbey People. This event featured other organisations such as AstraZeneca, Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, Ninja Theory, and the Centre for Computing History.
Our goal was to create an inspiring, family-friendly engagement event that showcased our work and also empowered the local community. Reflecting on our 2023 contribution to the event (a ‘curiosity lab’), we crafted our 2024 contribution around the theme of ‘wonder’. In attendance as support to this event was Dr Nadia Mohd-Radzman, a postdoctoral botanist at the University of Cambridge. Nadia’s pioneering research explores the connection between food and mental health, as well as developing new technologies for food sustainability. Her feature in The Guardian newspaper added depth to her conversations with the public at the event, which can be seen here.
We aimed to make science accessible and exciting. At the heart of our event was the “Wonder Wall,” an interactive art installation. Children and adults shared their scientific questions and ideas directly on the wall. Designed with community artist Hilary Cox Condron, this vibrant centrepiece celebrated curiosity and creativity, making science feel approachable. We encouraged attendees to see themselves as “wonder-full” contributors to scientific dialogue, measuring their “wonder levels” and distributing badges reading “Wonder-FULL Abbey!” which we were delighted to see still pinned to people at the 2025 event this year.
With over 100 families participating, the event strengthened community confidence in engaging with science. It demonstrated the power of collaboration— bringing together residents, artists, and scientists to spark meaningful conversations. By breaking barriers, we fostered a sense of belonging and rooted science in the community’s aspirations.
Our efforts earned the trust and appreciation of local leaders, and we have since returned to deliver our ‘wonder dome’ in the 2025 Eager Explorers event. They value our ability to design original, dialogue-focused experiences tailored to their community’s needs.