The Cambridge Science Centre is celebrating a major milestone — ten years of collaboration with global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The partnership has helped more than half a million young people across Cambridgeshire and East Anglia explore science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through engaging, hands-on learning.
Since the partnership began in 2015, AstraZeneca’s support has enabled the Centre to deliver a wide range of innovative activities and exhibitions that bring science to life. One of the earliest highlights was the LifeWorks! exhibition in 2016, which invited visitors to explore DNA, build jointed creatures and experiment with seed dispersal in a wind tunnel. The exhibition laid the foundations for years of impactful, interactive life sciences education.
The collaboration also inspired the Science in Pictures programme, which introduced children to the world of drug discovery through creative workshops. Young participants produced colourful circular artworks inspired by petri dishes and lenses, which later decorated the hoardings of AstraZeneca’s Cambridge site during its construction — a vibrant symbol of young curiosity at the heart of the city.
Throughout challenges such as the pandemic and relocation, AstraZeneca’s backing helped the Science Centre expand its outreach, delivering its PopUpScience roadshows to communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. In summer 2023 alone, more than 13,000 children and families took part in events designed to make science fun and accessible for everyone.
Now settled in its new home at The Trinity Centre in Cambridge Science Park, the Centre continues to grow. This year, AstraZeneca apprentices joined forces with the Centre for a “Super Heroes” event, sharing stories of their own journeys into science to inspire local schoolchildren. The two organisations have even introduced STEM-based activities for toddlers at AstraZeneca’s workplace nursery, sparking scientific curiosity from the earliest years.
Rebecca Porter, CEO of Cambridge Science Centre, said:
“Without AstraZeneca’s long-standing support, so much of what we’ve achieved simply wouldn’t have been possible. Their investment has enabled us to bring science to life in communities across the region.”
Lisa King, Director of UK STEM and Community Engagement at AstraZeneca, added: “Our partnership with Cambridge Science Centre has been incredibly rewarding. Together we’re inspiring the next generation of scientists and innovators.”
