Spectra Roadshow

Thank you for visiting the Spectra Roadshow webpage!

The roadshow exhibited at a range of venues between March and June 2010 and to a variety of audiences from young children to adults. Over 50 undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff members helped with the various events, and although tiring work, a lot of fun was had too! To get a flavour of what the roadshow was like, watch the film for learning which was created by Thomas Hardye School.

What is Spectra? 

The Spectra roadshow activities covered a range of hands-on demos, games, experiments and challenges on the Spectrum of Science! The 6 activities were:

1. The spectra of musical instruments

2. Creating the northern lights

3. Acoustic sensation of electrical stimulation: cochlear implants

4. Turbulohmetry: the science of water turbulence

5. Tribology: shining a light on friction and wear

6. The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum

There are many examples and applications of spectra in everyday life - the most recognised being the rainbow. 'Spectra' simply refers to any signal that can be measured across a frequency or wavelength - light, sound, energy, mass. It is not just about mass spectrometers and complicated spectral analyses!

Roadshow Schedule 2010

13 March - Science and Engineering Day, Highfield Campus, Southampton

31 March - Queen Mary College, Basingstoke 

1 May – May Festival, Highfield Campus, Southampton

7 May - Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester 

15 May – Intech Science Park, Winchester

9-13 June - Spectra's final event: Cheltenham Science Festival Discover Zone

 

For more information about similar future outreach activities, please check the info and links on our Public Engagement homepage.  If you have a particular question, please email rdgc@soton.ac.uk and we will try and help you.

You can watch a short film about the 2009 Roadshow 'oceans on wheels' to learn a little about the previous year’s roadshow theme of ocean science.

The Spectra Roadshow was supported by the Skills Enhancement Fund.