Croucher Science Week 2024 inspires thousands of youngsters in Hong Kong
Croucher Science Week was back with a bang this year, running from April 4–12. Overall, 53 exciting and interactive events were held at schools, online, and at our partner location, the Hong Kong Science Museum, attracting an audience of over 25,000. The events featured world-class science communicators from renowned institutions like the Royal Institution, the London Science Museum, and Nanogirl Labs, among others, as well as local talent such as Krates Ng and Phillip Yam.
The varied programme included 16 watch-anytime videos, 2 online events, and 29 in-person live events, covering a wide array of scientific topics such as biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, conservation, and psychology. The events catered to diverse learning styles, offering worksheets for traditional learners and interactive live sessions for those who thrive on engagement. To help everyone join in the fun and the learning, we provided English and Chinese subtitles for all programmes, and Cantonese interpretation for live events.
Among the highlights were "Adventures in AI" by the Royal Institution, which delved into artificial intelligence through interactive experiments, and "A Rough Guide to Engineering" by Science Made Simple, which explored the impact of engineering on our lives. The "Mystery Hunters" show by Scitech Discovery Centre captivated audiences with mind-bending demonstrations, while the "Science of Sport" by Science Made Simple revealed the scientific principles behind athletic performance.
Over 90% of participants and partners gave the event high marks for its quality and capacity to spark interest in science. And the feedback we received was heartening:
“My children were amazed by the experiments. The speakers are knowledgeable and they delivered the content very well in the seminar (The AI seminar).”
“Hopefully science week becomes science month in future!”
“The school tour was very enjoyable for our students and a lively way to learn about science.”
“I attended two workshops (Maths and Aerodynamics) and both are exceptional. The Aerodynamics one is impressive as we really got to build something ourselves, test it real-time, with real-time feedback on the spot. Loved it!”
At the same time, we’ll be acting on feedback that will help us make the festival even better next year.
The success of Croucher Science Week 2024 is a testament to the power of science to inspire and educate us all. It’s also the fruit of partnerships with outstanding individuals and institutions. We wish to thank, in particular, our colleagues at the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Education Bureau.
We also wish to thank parents, teachers, and the wider community for nurturing such a high level of interest in science among young people in Hong Kong.
By making science accessible and engaging, and continuing to work with the best, we aim to continue to ignite curiosity and encourage a deeper appreciation for the role of science in our daily lives. And we hope you’ll join us again next year.