The Curiosity Cube, a retrofitted shipping container transformed into a mobile science lab, stopped in Birmingham last week. Staffed by 19 faculty members and employees of the University of Birmingham, the Curiosity Cube visited Crocketts Community Primary School and Blackheath Primary School.

This second-time customer partnership event model between Merck and the University of Birmingham yielded an impact in over 366 students. During the Curiosity Cube visit, students had the opportunity to interact with the local STEM experts. 

A Year 4 student at Crocketts Community Primary School, exclaimed: “It was really fun, and I learned a lot like we shouldn’t throw plastic into the sea because it can harm animals. I think it is good for everyone to learn about science. If I do listen to what the scientists say, it will help the environment a lot.”  

Rachel Burgess, a Senior Outreach Officer at University of Birmingham, said, “We've worked with Merck for almost two years now in a partnership. I helped to get the Curiosity Cube in primary schools across the Birmingham area and also to recruited volunteers from the University of Birmingham.

“It has been really lovely to work with the Year 3, 4 & 5 students at the environmental contamination experiment station, to get them inspired and curious about science. They were really engaged, weren't shy at all, and had lots of questions to share with us.

“It is also great to see that as they leave, we have sparked that curiosity for science. I'd highly recommend this partnership.” Iain Ferris, a lecturer at the University of Birmingham said volunteering at the Curiosity Cube has been a valuable experience. “It has been really fun taking part at the Curiosity Cube and engaging with the potentially new scientists.

“From a personal perspective, this has been very rewarding and valuable experience. I’ve had to adapt my teaching style to suit a new audience. I would recommend to anyone, if they have the opportunity to volunteer on something like this, that they really take kept that opportunity and go for it.” Salma, a Crocketts Community Primary School Year 4 teacher said: “My students were all so enthusiastic at the Curiosity Cube.

“The experiments are hands-on, so they have been so engaged and engrossed in all the activities. I love how fascinated they with the VR experiment, I was also fascinated by it.” Inside the Curiosity Cube, pupils interacted with cutting-edge technology, such as virtual reality (VR), alongside other scientific equipment that made learning fun and engaging.

They conducted three experiments to learn about contaminants and gained a glimpse into the world of a scientist by:  

  • Exploring evidence of environmental contamination in a variety of samples and learning ways conservationists try to mitigate the negative environmental impact of contamination.   
  • Working with VR technology to discover what contaminants are commonly found on classroom surfaces and learn how to stop their spread.   
  • Using scientific instruments to run a quality control test on different beverages to determine if any contaminants are present.

The Curiosity Cube, a 7x2.5meter, retrofitted shipping container, was created in 2017 as a platform to immerse young minds in STEM subjects in a fun and memorable way. Its impact extends well beyond the classroom to reach more students and their families at schools and public events. Merck scientists lead all experiments, allowing visitors to connect with real-life scientists, ask questions and learn firsthand about the power of STEM careers.  

There is a shortage of STEM professionals worldwide as growth in STEM occupations outpace non-STEM occupations. According to the European Commission, by 2030, there will be 50 million open vacancies worldwide for positions requiring STEM skills. With an expanding workforce that calls for more graduates to fill the pipeline, it is crucial to engage school-age children early and open their eyes to the importance, the excitement and the possibilities of STEM.  

   

The Curiosity Cube debuted in Europe a year ago, impacting more than 11,800 visitors at 92 events. Last year’s visitors had the opportunity to learn about the microbiome – the billions of bacteria in all of us that help our bodies to function properly – before operating ‘bacteria robots’ to understand what influences the microbiome, using digital microscopes to learn about different types of bacteria that make up the microbiome and finally, creating their unique microbiome. 

This year’s international tour will engage 45,000 visitors at schools and public spaces via more than 250 events across 13 countries in Europe and North America. In Europe, the Curiosity Cube will make stops in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K.