BBC Countryfile Live

The Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Infrastructure Systems and ICER research group attended BBC Countryfile Live 2017 as part of the University of Southampton’s Roadshow team, continuing our presence at the event from the beginning (BBC Countryfile live started in 2016). The event was held from the 3rd August to the 6th August 2017. The BBC Countryfile Live event is set in the splendidly beautiful grounds of Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Whilst being quaint and lovely the grounds are also extremely spacious and provide a fantastic backdrop and setting to BBC Countryfile Live. At the event the CDT exhibited its extremely varied research to event goers, fellow exhibitors, excited parents and children alike! The CDT was demonstrating its work on Fish passage, Eel migration, reintroduction of the Beaver to the UK, and Hydroelectric power research . Over the four days just the exhibit alone had around 600 visitors! With the whole tent reaching into the 1000’s. The University of Southampton Roadshow tent we believe as a hands on science tent, provides a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the University’s research to the public and helps to inspire child and parent alike, by getting them stuck into some hands on science. BBC Countryfile Live also marked a special moment in outreach history as it was the first appearance of the second stage of our CDTSIS/ICER Marble Run which demonstrates fish passage through a river ecosystem. Whilst the CDT had these fantastic exhibits on show, the rest of the University Roadshow team also had some amazing exhibits on show to the public as well! We had fluid dynamics represented by glitter suspended in water, the Centre for Population Control, the Biodiversity Hub with their fantastic interactive games and quizzes, the bioenergy and waste management teams and their anaerobic digester, acoustics with Chinese singing dragon bowls and singing sticks. We even had the Southampton Archaeology team crafting a Canoe from a Lime log. This was done using Flint and Bronze adzes and axes. The whole crafting was a live streamed experimental archaeological project which each day was recorded and chippings bagged for analysis. The crowning glory was that the team even got permission to get the log boat afloat on the River Glyme which runs through Blenheim Palace’s grounds and paddle it along the river with the modern Kayaks and Canoes!