As the nights draw in and the weather is dreich, you can still enjoy the wonder of TechFest without setting a foot outdoors.
Join like-minded people from around the world for the Scotland’s Digital Science Festival and participate in a myriad of activities and presentations from the comfort of your own armchair.
All events are FREE to attend, except for the thrilling Locked Room game. Registration is required for all events.
Just click the ‘Book Now’ button next to your chosen event to secure your spot today.
With faster technological advancements and the continued rise of the digital age, many employers are looking for candidates who have a passion for innovation.
TechFest’s ‘STEM into Innovation’, supported by the NCR Foundation, takes students on an exploration into product design and development, while putting their STEM skills to the test!
Unlock Your Creativity with Innovation Masterclasses!
Step into the world of innovation with our dynamic series of masterclasses tailored for S1-S3 students (ages 12-15) across Scotland. Dive into the exciting realm of product design through immersive activities designed to ignite your creativity and problem-solving skills.
Collaborate with industry professionals, the National Robotarium, TLTechSmart Home Solutions and more, who will share their entrepreneurial journeys and product development expertise. These sessions, held in person offer a unique opportunity to learn directly from the experts.
By joining an Innovation Masterclass, students will gain invaluable practical knowledge and skills which could set them apart in their academic and career pursuits. Don't miss out on this chance to turn your business ideas into reality and shape your future!
Innovation Masterclasses in summary
Programme: View the programme.
Available masterclasses: Students may click on the below titles to register for the following masterclasses they would like to attend. Due to limited capacity, this programme is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Aberdeen:
Dundee:
Edinburgh:
Inverness:
Age Range: S1 – S3
Location: Various locations across Scotland, including Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Inverness. Students may pick which masterclass they wish to attend based on their location.
Date: Various - see above
Run Time: 45 – 120 mins.
Cost to take part: free!
For any questions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
TechFest were kindly awarded a grant from the Justtransition Fund to create our EnergyXplorer Toolkit. This toolkit has allowed us to keep on doing some of our most popular workshops based around renewable energy, as well as develop new and exciting activities as our energy mix changes with time. Check out this link for a summary of where this EnergyXplorer Toolkit has been used already this year, and get excited for our new and upcoming workshops featuring the power of Hydrogen!
We are delighted to bring you Aberdeen Science Festival; a celebration of STEM and cutting edge research happening here in Aberdeen.
To help you plan your visit and make the most of your experience, we have created a handy guide on what to expect.
In this document you will find information about the venues, parking, public transport and more.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Aberdeen Science Festival and hope you have an inspiring and enjoyable time exploring the wonders of science!
Download the What to expect at Aberdeen Science Festival document.
Welcome to TechFest's Schools Science Festival Programme 2024
TechFest is delighted to present its Schools Science Festival Programme for 2024 - an exciting line-up of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workshops and shows, all chosen with the capacities, principles, experiences and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence in mind.
This year, in light of the focus education has placed on mental health, we have also added in a greater provision to support the Health & Wellbeing aims with many workshops promoting emotional intelligence and supporting our children’s positive mental health.
The Food & Drink sector (including Agriculture and Fisheries) is the 3rd largest sector employer, comprising approx. 120,000 workers. But, despite significant growth, the media’s depiction of farming often doesn’t highlight the vast range of career paths that must come together to maintain our nation’s food security.
In a new programme for 2024, we aim to change this perception by highlighting the various STEM-based competencies and meta-skills required to keep Scotland’s agriculture industry moving and thriving.
Welcome to ‘TechFest’s STEM on the Farm’
‘TechFest’s STEM on the Farm’ is a five-day programme (delivered one day per week over five weeks) that invites P6 pupils from schools across the North East of Scotland to participate in project-based, curriculum-linked learning and explore each stage of the food production supply chain.
Aimed at P6 pupils, each day of the programme addresses a part of the food production process, including the work of agricultural engineers, farm workers, food scientists, logistics experts, etc. Guided by expert STEM Ambassadors from each section of the supply chain, pupils develop their STEM knowledge through immersive workshops and discover the impact agricultural innovations have on food production.
The knowledge they gain from the programme is then used to create eye-catching display boards and instruct the script for an end-of-project assembly attended by parents, carers, and the school community.
By participating in ‘TechFest’s STEM on the Farm’, pupils learn about food security, climate impact, health & nutrition, modern agricultural innovations, animal care, and how STEM plays a vital role in all of these.
By highlighting how these young people could be part of the generation that makes food production more secure with less environmental impact, the programme sends a powerful and long-lasting message that they can see play out in their daily lives every time they sit down to eat.
Interview with Stuart Common, Managing Director at Mackie's of Scotland
Interview with Sahar Abdulla, Geoscientist in Energy Transition
Interview with Vince Chukwu (PhD), Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Aberdeen
For more information please email Sarah Chew at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Materials + Engineers = Products
Every day, engineers use their skills and experience to mould a wide range of materials into objects and structures that solve problems and enhance our daily lives. As we collectively move towards a net-zero future, the expertise of engineers is in high demand. From Mechanical Engineers optimising the design of wind turbines to Electrical Engineers applying their expertise in power storage, each discipline has a part to play in the energy transition.
Yet, as of 2019, only 39% of young people in the UK aged between 14 and 16 said they knew “what they need(ed) to do next in order to become an engineer”. And in some cases, many can’t even see themselves entering the field because it feels daunting, dull, or irrelevant.
However, children have an innate curiosity that makes them natural engineers. By engaging with children early, EOL strives to bridge the gap and shift the perception of engineering as a viable career path by setting interactive, project-based challenges that show pupils:
1) The diverse range of roles in traditional and emerging engineering sub-sectors that are available to them
2) How engineering disciplines of all types help make our lives better, even when we’re not fully aware of it
3) The entire engineering process from design to manufacturing a product and the benefit their unique skill set can bring to each stage
The Engineer‘n’ Our Lives Programme
For over ten years, the EOL programme has introduced school-aged children to various disciplines under the engineering umbrella. And, as of 2024, in collaboration with Energy Transition Zone Ltd (ETZ), we will highlight the transferable skills that engineers are already harnessing to assist in the energy transition, including their work with hydrogen, drones, and reducing carbon emissions.
Split into P1-3, P4-5 and P6-7, pupils from each group take part in four age-appropriate challenges across five days. These interactive challenges include Properties (of Materials), Design, Prototype, and Process. Covering the spectrum of aural, visual, and kinaesthetic learning, the programme links different engineering disciplines to various subjects. So, whether your pupils’ favourite subjects are based on science, literacy, numeracy, or expressive arts, they can learn about the world of engineering and how it is part of their everyday life.
The EOL programme connects, on every level, the skills children are being taught in school to the skills used by engineers in the workplace today. As they are being asked to follow a brief, meet deadlines, solve problems and work as a team, pupils will use an array of meta-skills covering aspects of self-management, social intelligenceand innovation that will help them to become resourceful, resilient, and adaptive as they move forward in their education and future career.
As well as providing a curriculum-linked sustainable legacy that supports teachers’ work in the classroom, the programme has been strengthened by the involvement of over 100 industry professionals. They continue to provide real-world insight into the issues being faced by their sectors and how engineering is a key element in addressing these. Not only are these volunteers involved in providing feedback on the challenges, but they also offer their time to answer pupil’s questions, creating an ever-expanding knowledge base that future classes can use.
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Since 2012, over 18,000 children across Aberdeen City and Shire have participated in EOL, and over 100 industry professionals have kindly donated their time and expertise to support the programme. If you are a school or an industry professional who might like to volunteer as part of this programme please contact Julia Chew – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We hope you will join us on our mission to raise awareness of the opportunities in engineering and foster a new generation of innovators and problem solvers.
TechFest’s The Discover Series with CNOOC International
Welcome to TechFest's Discovery Series, proudly supported by CNOOC International – an innovative and engaging program designed to spark the curiosity of young minds and cultivate a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) across all age groups. Our four-phase Discovery Series has been designed to cater to a wide range of age groups, starting from as early as three years old. At TechFest, we believe in laying the foundation for success by instilling transferable skills from an early age. Our workshops and programmes provide hands-on experiences that not only captivate young imaginations but also equip participants with the essential tools for a future brimming with possibilities. Please get in touch if you would like more information for any of the below.
Phase 1
Workshop Name: Energising the Transition: Electromagnetism!
Age Range: p3-p5
Running Time: 60mins
Summary: Understanding the properties of magnets is central to the energy industry and to many aspects of our daily lives. In this hands-on investigative workshop, working in small teams, pupils discover the properties and uses of magnets and magnetism and are introduced to the amazing phenomenon of electromagnetism.
How to book: (see our Primary Outreach Catalogue here) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phase 2
Workshop Name: Energising the Transition: Bright Ideas
Age Range: p4-p7
Running Time: 60mins
Summary: Look around you. Are the lights on? Is your computer running? Or the TV playing? All of these things require energy! We use energy everyday to power our world. In this workshop, delve into the exciting future of energy and take part in hands-on interactive experiments to learn about different energy sources, and the trade offs associated with each. Which energy source will you use to power your future?
How to book: (see our Primary Outreach Catalogue here) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phase 3
Workshop Name: STEM into Industry
Age Range: S1 – S3
Running Time: one day event
Summary: This one-day event provides an immersive and engaging learning opportunity, empowering young minds to address real-world challengers while learning about the energy mix and the future of the Energy Industry. The highlight of this exciting engineering experience is the afternoon activity where the students are challenged to design and build their own offshore oil rig while incorporating numerous factors, including having to design and construct an offshore wind turbine to power the rig and reduce its carbon emissions.
For more information contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phase 4
Workshop Name: STEM in the Pipeline: Energising the Transition
Age Range: S6
Running Time: September – December
Summary: STEM in the Pipeline is one of TechFest’s key events across our annual programme. The project is designed for teams of pupils (max. of 6 pupils per team) to compete in a realistic project set within the Energy Industry.
For more information about STEM in the Pipeline please click here, or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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