In the lab, neurobiologists are studying the brain to understand psychiatric diseases, pharmacologists are investigating the function of unknown proteins in the body, molecular biologists are exploring why and how our cells age in the hope of helping people live healthier lives for longer, and cancer researchers are examining whether diet influences the outcome of cancer treatment.

In hospitals, health researchers are examining scientific evidence to determine which treatments doctors should recommend for different health conditions, doctors and data scientists are working together to improve emergency departments, and nurses are improving the health of Indigenous communities.

Biomedical engineers are developing wearable sensors to monitor health conditions, testing whether new tissue can be grown in microgravity, and combining mechanical technology with AI to create smart prostheses. And textile scientists have designed an innovative new sanitary pad to improve the menstrual health and dignity of women and girls in low-income countries.

And scientific advances are not only improving human health. From environmental scientists who are using plants to clean contaminated land and ecologists who are using mathematical models to monitor wildlife populations, to microbiologists who are preventing the spread of livestock diseases and geographers who are using remote sensing technologies to make agriculture more sustainable, scientists around the world are using their knowledge and discoveries to protect the health of the planet.

This World Health Day, what questions do you have about how science can improve the health of people and the planet? Visit futurumcareers.com/articles and scroll to the bottom of each article to ask your questions!

The STEM Discovery Campaign is your opportunity to showcase your successes, inspire others and amplify the impact of your practice. It helps you share your educational achievements inside and outside the classroom with thousands of educators around the world, using the Scientix^® portal or the STEM Discovery Campaign App.

And in the spirit of celebration and championing success, more than 20 Scientix® Awards will once again recognise the contributions of exceptional educators who pinned their activities on the map and contributed to making STEM education better for their students and fellow educators.

This year, the STEM Discovery Campaign is co-organised with NBS Academy, a project co-funded by the European Union that puts solutions inspired by nature at the heart of teacher training.

The project aims to set up an international Community of Practice on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) education for both teachers and teacher training providers. With its resources for educators and teacher trainers, NBS Academy makes it easier than ever before to introduce environmental education into everyday teaching, helping students and teachers develop crucial skills and competencies for tomorrow. By co-organising the STEM Discovery Campaign in 2026, NBS Academy helps celebrate education for sustainability by exploring the power of NBS in teaching and learning. Make sure to visit the NBS Academy resource hub to discover hundreds of resources to upskill with environmental knowledge.

Join the STEM Discovery Campaign and celebrate your place in the thriving STEM education community. Explore the STEM Discovery Campaign page for more information.

• Dr Ann Weaver is a biostatistician who is statistically analysing data about wild bottlenose dolphins to understand their behaviour and culture.
• Professor Astrid Linder is a road safety expert who has developed the world’s first female crash test dummy to ensure that new vehicles are designed to protect female drivers and passengers as well as male ones.
• Professor Barbara Zeeb is an environmental scientist who is using plants to remove salts from contaminated soils.
• Dr Beth Stevens and Dr Cherish Taylor are neurobiologists who are investigating how problems with brain development during adolescence can cause schizophrenia.
• Dr Catherine Patocka and Dr Jessalyn Holodinsky, an emergency department doctor and data scientist respectively, are creating a system to optimise patient care in emergency departments.
• Professor Elena Suvorova is a cell biologist who is studying how the Toxoplasma gondii parasite reproduces at a cellular level.
• Dr Émilie Saulnier-Talbot and Dr Hilary Corlett, a biogeographer and geologist respectively, are collecting seafloor sediments from the Canadian Arctic to understand how carbon is transferred from the lad to the sea.
• Dr Holly Graham is a nurse who is supporting Indigenous nurses and empowering healthcare professionals to address racism.
• Dr Jill Maron is a neonatal paediatrician who is developing tests that use saliva to diagnose health conditions in newborn babies.
• Dr Katherine Cook is a translational cancer researcher who is analysing faecal samples to understand how the gut microbiome impacts the outcomes of cancer treatments.
• Kathryn Vaughan and Gillian Power are conservation ecology students who are developing mathematical models to help manage wildlife populations.
• Professor Lali Medina-Kauwe is a biomedical scientist who has created a new protein that can deliver drugs into the brain to fight cancer.
• Dr Marilyn Lightstone is a mechanical engineer who is investigating how to make buildings more energy efficient.
• Professor Natalie Trevaskis is a pharmaceutical scientist who is developing new drugs that are delivered to the body by the lymphatic system rather than the bloodstream.
• Toni Scullion is a computer science teacher who has started a girls’ coding club to enthuse girls about computer science.

Visit the Futurum website to read more articles about how women are contributing to advancements in STEM and sign up for our newsletter at futurumcareers.com/sign-up.

Connecting with role models

Meet real-life engineers and scientists with the Big Bang at School Blueprint! Support students to no longer see STEM as an abstract concept and start seeing it as an exciting future. Get expert support from our team to integrate STEM Ambassadors, local employers and diverse role models into your STEM event. Every school that signs up receives tailored regional information, templates and resources to reach out to speakers and visitors to share their story. Students will hear first-hand about diversity in the STEM sector – from people who work in fashion, sport, cutting-edge tech or solving issues such as climate change. Challenge stereotypes and show students that whoever they are, there is a place for them in STEM.

Navigating career pathways

There’s lots of different routes into a STEM career. T Levels, traditional university degrees, apprenticeships, and vocational qualifications all lead to an exciting career in STEM. Running a STEM event supports your class to learn more about these routes in a fun and motivating way. By using resources from EUK Education, teachers can guide students through pathways, using role models along the way.

Meeting school targets

As well as inspiring students, the Big Bang at School Blueprint is a useful tool to meet school goals – setting you apart. It directly contributes to meeting targets such as new Provider Access Legislation and Gatsby Benchmarks. By bringing speakers into school, students will experience vital encounters with employers and experiences of workplaces.

The Big Bang at School Blueprint isn’t just about a single day of fun. It supports teachers to start student journeys into rewarding, inspiring careers.

Are you ready to inspire your students? Apply for the Big Bang at School Blueprint by 13 February.

This guest blog was written by Charlie Cantwell, Marketing and Communications Manager at EngineeringUK. The Big Bang at School Blueprint is hosted by EUK Education. Learn more about their programmes, resources and competitions: futurumcareers.com/inspiring-students-to-consider-careers-in-engineering

Not to blow our own trumpet, but we’re a great team! And celebrating together as a group of wonderful colleagues was a fantastic end to the year. As we begin 2026, we look back on all we achieved in 2025…

We published:

• 100 sets of educational articles and activity sheets
• Six issues of our magazine, featuring 13 change makers – individuals and organisations who are striving to make a difference in their communities and in the wider world
• A bonus EQUS issue, celebrating excellence in quantum research

We also:

• Created numerous additional educational resources including animations (which bring the research stories to life), careers PowerPoints (which highlight the researcher’s careers advice for students) and podcasts (in which researchers talk candidly about their personal experiences, share inspiring stories of their career journeys and provide practical advice for students)
• Translated articles and activity sheets into French, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese and Swahili, allowing our educational resources to be accessed by students around the world and to be used as resources for teaching foreign languages

Our resources were used by students and teachers around the world:

• Over 28,000 downloads from our website
• Over 8,400 downloads from TES
• Over 74,000 views of our animations and podcasts on YouTube

We can’t wait to see what 2026 will bring!

Futurum articles summarise research projects being conducted around the world today, so it’s not surprising that they cover a huge range of topics – and prompt a huge range of discussion and learning opportunities for the students who read them. In addition, our activity sheets include ‘talking points’ (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy) to encourage the sharing of ideas, reflection and evaluation.

But the conversation doesn’t stop there. Each article page on the Futurum website features a comment box, allowing readers to submit observations, opinions and questions for the researchers to read.

We love the engagement our comment boxes demonstrate. From thanking researchers for a fascinating read (“Thank you, Dr Wekerle, for sharing such an insightful post!”) to requesting scientific information (“…how can the substances and sources be identified?”), readers’ comments show how stimulating our articles are and how interested and engaged Futurum readers are.

Our readers comment, query and consult with the researchers they meet through Futurum, and it’s a wonderful thing to see…

How do atmospheric radiation models help us understand climate change?

The CCAC Makerspace: helping students’ innovative ideas become reality

Boosting employment prospects for neurodiverse people through video game development

So, the next time you read a Futurum article, do be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and find the comment box. As Dr Clément Canonne, a theoretical computer scientist at The University of Sydney advises:

Keep asking questions, keep commenting!

How do fish hear?

How do immune cells ‘evolve’ to protect us?

How is AI improving smart biomedical devices?

Electrical engineering

Electrical engineers maintain the electrical systems that power modern society. “The impacts of electrical engineers are visible in every aspect of our modern lives, from access to electric power, modern medicine and the internet, to shuttling us to the farthest reaches of the universe,” says Dr Anamika Dubey. Growing up in India, Anamika experienced frequent power cuts, which inspired her to become an electrical engineer so she could improve power distribution systems.

Electronics engineering

Electronics engineers create the electronic devices that are so essential for everyday life. “Electronics engineers are needed in a wide range of areas,” says Dr Radu Sporea. “You could find yourself working in robotics, nanotechnology or sustainable energy generation, or contributing to efficient transportation, smart cities or personalised medicine.” Radu has invented a method to print flexible electronic circuits, with applications from wearable healthcare devices that can monitor a patient’s blood flow to ‘next generation paper’ that can be used to create digital augmented books.

Civil engineering

Civil engineers build physical structures, like bridges, roads and buildings. “Natural hazards engineering is a major interest of mine,” says Dr Alice Alipour, who is protecting tall buildings from hurricanes by designing facades that change shape to adapt to the wind. “By studying the impacts of natural hazards on the built environment, we can modify the design of buildings and structures to improve the resilience of communities exposed to these hazards.”

Software and computer engineering

Software and computer engineers write the code and computer programs that are essential for so many aspects of everyday life and society. This means career opportunities are limitless! “I have worked on software development for health, manufacturing, local government, education and games,” says Professor John Grundy, who ensures that apps are accessible for people with different needs. “You can get involved in lots of different disciplines, meet a wide variety of people and build software solutions that make a big difference in people’s lives.”

Biomedical engineering

Biomedical engineering involves applying engineering methods and technologies to solve healthcare challenges. “Developing smart biomedical microsystems starts with creativity and imagination,” says Professor Benoit Gosselin. “My background in electrical engineering gives me the tools and scientific understanding to convert ideas into real working devices. I love solving complex challenges with innovative solutions that can truly make a difference.” Benoit and his team are using AI to create smart prostheses and solutions for chronic pain.

Aerospace engineering

Aerospace engineers are responsible for designing, developing and testing all aspects of an aircraft (aeronautical engineers) or spacecraft (astronautical engineers). “I was fascinated with how things worked when I was young,” says Dr Alessadnro Pontillo. “I was always inspecting toys’ circuits and gears and reusing electronics in other projects that got more complicated and advanced as I learnt more. Although my projects failed most of the time, I learnt a lot through this process, and it was a great training for my imagination!” Now, Alessandro is testing the performance of aircraft wings in a new wind tunnel.

Materials engineering

Materials engineers develop and test new materials, which have an endless range of applications. “Everything in life is made of a material,” says PhD student Dina Fouad, who is studying the materials used to make bone replacements. “Understanding materials is key to understanding the world. It is integrated in design, manufacturing, research, innovation, development – everything. Working in materials science and engineering means there’s the possibility of being the inventor of the next big thing!”

Environmental engineering

Environmental engineers combine knowledge and techniques from across science and engineering to address environmental challenges. “Climate change mitigation and adaptation, pollution control and waste management, and sustainable resource management all demand technical expertise and innovative thinking,” says Professor Barbara Zeeb, who is using plants to clean contaminated lands. “Environmental engineering is an exciting area to pursue as you will get to make a real difference in the world. What could be more satisfying than restoring a contaminated site to one that is safe and aesthetically improved?”

Chemical engineering

Chemical engineers manipulate chemical systems. “As a chemical engineer, a lot of time is spent on preparing the automated systems which run each set of experiments,” says Professor Alexei Lapkin, who is using AI to design new chemical products. “The raw materials have to be prepared, and all the sub-systems checked. Whilst the experiment is running, we may need to check that it is progressing smoothly. If it isn’t, we have to figure out why. Apart from running the experiments, there is the analysis of results.”

Bioengineering

Bioengineering involves manipulating biological systems. “Biological engineers are engineering life,” explains Professor Jeffrey Catchmark, who is engineering plant polymers to create sustainable alternatives to plastics. “In some cases, this means genetically engineering a microbe or plant and, in others, can mean engineering a food production process, a sustainable wastewater system, or a robotic limb that connects to a person’s brain. I believe biological engineers may have more impact on the technology that shapes humanity and our environment than any other discipline.”

Nanotechnology engineering

Nanotechnology engineers manipulate individual atoms and molecules to create new materials with useful nanoscale properties. “The field of nanotechnology is immense, with many diverse applications across scientific fields with broad societal impacts,” says Professor Jean-Pierre Leburton. “It is at the forefront of modern technology, and the field will undoubtedly continue to expand in its applications in the future.” Jean-Pierre is studying how nanopores can detect DNA and generate electricity.

Quantum engineering

Quantum engineering involves applying the theories of quantum mechanics to create new quantum technologies, such as quantum computers. “Quantum engineering blends physics, electronics and computer science to unlock the mysteries of the quantum world, where things behave in ways we don’t yet fully understand but offer incredible potential,” says PhD student Suyash Pati Tripathi, who is studying how the transistors in smartphones can be used as quantum dots. “Not only is quantum engineering intellectually stimulating, but it’s a field where curiosity and creativity are essential. As a quantum engineer, you’ll be part of a select group shaping the future of technology and innovation. As well as helping to solve global challenges, you will redefine what’s possible.”

Industrial engineering

Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on optimising complex systems or processes. “While engineers make things, industrial engineers make things better,” says Dr Noreen Kamal, who is creating a registry to improve the quality of care for rural stroke victims. “We’re big picture thinkers, viewing everything as an interconnected system.”

Control engineering

Control engineers are responsible for the design and implementation of crucial components in larger engineering systems. “Control engineering is everywhere around us,” says Professor Iven Mareels. “For example, our mobile phones use just enough power to make a call, but as little as possible to avoid draining the battery.” Iven is developing control systems for agricultural water distribution systems.

Blast engineering

“I would be lying if I said I don’t enjoy blowing things up!” says Professor Genevive Langon, a professor of blast and impact engineering, who studies the impacts of explosions with the aim of saving lives in warzones. “I enjoy the challenge of unpicking what happens during an explosive event, and how to use this information to prevent damage and injury in the real world.”

Humanitarian engineering

Dr Davis Chacon-Hurtado uses a human rights-based approach to engineering to improve sanitation and public transport in Peru. “This approach enhances the ability of engineers to enact socially and environmentally responsive technological solutions that advance human dignity,” he explains.

Diversity, equality and inclusivity in engineering

“I think that sometimes students can become intimidated by engineering,” says Markita Riley, Outreach and Student Programs Manager for the Society of Women Engineers. “I want them to know that it’s not as complex as they might originally think. I want students to know there are plenty of engineers out there who are just like them and they can carve out their own pathway to success in any industry.”

Engineering your future

As these engineers have shown, the possibilities in engineering are vast. Whatever your interests, you are sure to find an engineering career that can incorporate them. So, what could you achieve as an engineer?

Find more resources at futurumcareers.com/articles and sign up to receive our newsletter at futurumcareers.com/sign-up.

The approach Sophie and Toby are taking introduces key learning outcomes such as:

• Understanding biological and chemical processes (e.g., photosynthesis, oxidation)
• Experimenting with materials and environmental conditions
• Developing coding or electronics skills for real-world application
• Expressing ideas through process-based or installation art
• Practising patience, critical observation and creative thinking

“Combining art and science in the classroom builds interdisciplinary skills and encourages students to see the world through a more connected lens,” says Sophie.

“From design to programming, from learning about photosynthesis to the weather, projects like this show how STEM and SHAPE can really support each other,” says Toby.

The message

Sophie and Toby are keen to emphasise that there is no such thing as a ‘science mind’ or an ‘arty person’ – that being open to new ideas and change allows us to enjoy learning and to discover things we might never have expected of our ourselves. “Allow yourself to work with different people in different contexts,” advises Sophie. “And be comfortable not knowing what the outcomes of what you do will be!”

“Allow mistakes and never forget to play and learn,” adds Toby. “All the best things happen when you do!”

Keep up to date with the project: Instagram: tbsc_project_2025

Do you have a question for Sophie and Toby?
Write it in the comments box below and Sophie and Toby will get back to you. (Remember, researchers are very busy people, so you may have to wait a few days.)

Whatever subject you teach, we are sure to have resources for you! Here is a selection of our subject-specific resources published over the past year.

Maths

Mathematics education – Dr Jennifer Holm is a mathematics educator who hopes to transform the way the subject is taught to reduce the negative image many students have of maths. In this teacher CPD article, Jennifer shares advice for maths teachers and introduces her teacher training modules that emphasise a conceptual understanding of mathematical procedures.

Probability – Dr Marylin Lightstone is a mechanical engineer who is reducing energy emissions by improving the heating systems used in buildings. Students will play a probability-based game to determine the most efficient set-up for heating homes.

Biostatistics – Dr Ann Weaver is a biostatistician studying the behaviour of wild dolphins. Reading about her work will introduce students to how statistics are used in real-world ecology research.

English

Comprehension – All our articles can be used for comprehension reading exercises. Each article is accompanied by an activity sheet that contains talking points to encourage students to reflect on what they have read.

Journalism – After learning about Professor Yi Huang’s climatology research, students will take on the role of a journalist to report on an extreme weather event and explain the link between greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather.

Essay writing – As a quantum physicist, Stefan Zeppetzauer is investigating the concept of time and building a quantum clock to explore the limits of timekeeping. After reading about his work, students will write an essay titled ‘How could science be taught differently?’ to discuss science teaching methods they have experienced and how they envision the future of science education.

Biology

Proteins – Professor Lali Medina-Kauwe is a biomedical scientist who has created a new protein to fight brain tumours by combining sections of other proteins. After learning about her innovative work, students will construct their own models of Lali’s protein.

Plant breeding and genetics – Professor Peter Pauls is a bean breeder who is using his knowledge of plant genetics to breed better bean varieties. Students will learn how biologists contribute to plant breeding programmes and then conduct their own experiments to evaluate characteristics of different types of beans.

Neuroscience – Professor Allan Johnson and Associate Professor Len White are pushing the boundaries of neuroscience by imaging mouse brains to the highest-ever level of detail. Students will use their stunning mouse brain images to create their own TikTok-style videos to educate others about the wonders of neuroscience and the intricacies of the brain.

Genomics – Professor David Langlais is exploring how the epigenome impacts the immune system. Students will learn about the principles of genomics and genomics research methods.

Cell biology – As a cell biologist, Professor Kari Naylor is investigating how processes in our cells’ mitochondria impact our health. Students will learn about mitochondrial dynamics and how Kari is studying amoeba to learn more about human health and disease.

Chemistry

Carbohydrate chemistry – Professor Charles Gauthier and Oscar Gamboa are creating carbohydrate molecules in the lab and exploring their potential uses in biomedicine. Students will learn about the chemistry of carbohydrates, how they can be synthesised, and why they are important in vaccines and antibiotics.

Carbon cycle – As a biogeochemist, Dr Sara Knox is studying how human disturbances in wetland environments impact the global carbon cycle. Students will learn about the role wetlands play in storing and emitting greenhouse gases.

Metals and composite materials – Professor Zhengyi Jiang is a materials and manufacturing engineer who is developing new composite materials and improving metal manufacturing processes. Students will learn about different metal manufacturing techniques and the real-world applications of composite materials.

Water chemistry – Dr Kelly Munkittrick, an aquatic toxicologist, and Dr Maricor Arlos, an environmental engineer, are studying the effects of pollution on freshwater ecosystems. Students will learn about how micropollutants are monitored and then conduct their own experiment to explore how pollutants impact the health of aquatic plants.

Physics

Space – Dr William Campbell and Emma Paterson are using quantum technologies to detect gravitational waves and dark matter. Students will learn about these mysterious phenomena in the Universe and then explain them in an accessible way to a non-scientific audience.

Nanoscience – Professor Jean-Pierre Leburton is studying how tiny holes called nanopores can detect DNA and generate electricity. Students will learn about the range of applications that this aspect of nanoscience brings to society.

Geography

Climate change – Dr Paul Treitz is conducting fieldwork and using remote sensing techniques to investigate what vegetation in the Arctic can tell us about the effects of climate change. Students will learn how climate change is impacting Arctic environments and then play geography-related games.

Geology – As a sedimentologist, Dr Robert Rainbird is examining ancient sedimentary rocks to look for evidence of when the Earth’s atmosphere became oxygen-rich. Students will learn how geologists date rocks and use their characteristics to deduce how, when and where they formed.

Environmental science – Professor Barbara Zeeb is studying how plants can clean up polluted land, for example by removing salts that contaminate roadsides. Students will learn about the impacts of pollutants on ecosystems then take on the role of an environmental consultant to develop a plant-based remediation plan for solving a contamination scenario.

Earthquakes – As a seismologist, Dr Fiona Darbyshire is using seismic waves to understand how continents formed. Students will learn how seismic waves travel through the Earth, how they are measured, and how this allows seismologists to build pictures of the Earth’s interior.

Development – A team of researchers is investigating the social, economic and political impacts of electricity access in Kenya. Students will learn about the success of Kenya’s green energy transition, the challenges many Kenyans face in accessing electricity, and the benefits that electricity brings to individuals and communities.

History

Historical sources – Professor Cecilia Morgan is reading letters held in museum archives to learn what life was like for British settlers in 19^th century Canada. Students will discover what these historical sources reveal about past societies and then evaluate what a future historian could learn from their modern forms of communication about life today.

African American women’s history – Dr Laila Haidarali is investigating the role that beauty practices played in shaping the public image of Black women during the 20^th century. Students will learn about the history of African American women in the fashion and modelling industry.

Modern foreign languages

Comprehension – Many of our research articles and activity sheet have been translated into other languages, including Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Swahili, Mandarin and Arabic. This makes them ideal resources for language lessons and means they are accessible for speakers of other languages.

Multilingual pedagogies – As an applied linguist, Dr Sandra Zappa-Hollman is investigating how teachers view multilingual students and how prepared these teachers feel to implement multilingual pedagogical practices. In this teacher CPD article, Sandra shares advice for teachers of multilingual students and explains the importance of using multilingual approaches in your classroom.

Arts

Art – Dr Christina Smylitopoulos is teaching arts-based methods to scientists to help them understand how their biases might impact what they see when they collect data. Students will examine pieces of abstract art and explore how their impressions of the artwork are influenced by their personal experiences.

Music and dance – Dr Craig Jennex is investigating the role of music and dance in LGBTQ2+ liberation. Students will learn about the history of LGBTQ2+ dance and explore how music creates community connections.

Drama – Drama teacher Anne Dunkerley shares the importance of the arts for students and society and explains how she uses drama to teach SHAPE (social sciences, humanities and the arts for people and the economy/environment)-based activities on topics such as ‘shoes’, ‘sugar’ and ‘trains’.

Photography – Dr Karla McManus is a visual arts researcher who is studying the history of bird photography and its role in shaping ecological knowledge and conservation efforts. Students will explore the power of visual arts by creating their own artistic exhibition to raise awareness of an environmental or social issue.

Fashion – As a feminist scholar, Dr Ilya Parkins is investigating the role that clothing plays in LGBTQ+ and feminist weddings. Students will learn about how some people feel excluded from the wedding fashion industry and interview people who are/have been married about their experiences of choosing wedding clothes.

Citizenship

Politics – As a political scientist, Professor Jared Wesley is helping people with opposing political views to find common ground. After learning about the dangers of polarisation and the importance of ‘listening to understand, not to argue’, students will have respectful discussions with people who hold different opinions on topics such as ‘Are dogs better than cats?’.

Human rights law – As a human rights lawyer, Dr Jennifer Orange is using data science to investigate gender disparities in school sports. Students will learn about their human rights and then conduct a survey to investigate opportunities for sports participation in their school.

Careers – All our articles contain information and advice about careers in the researcher’s specific field of study.

Computer science and technology

Coding – As a software developer, Professor Angelos Barmpoutis encourages his students to use computer coding to create digital education resources for schools. Students will play the educational games designed by Angelos’ students then evaluate them from the perspective of a software developer.

Quantum computing – Dr Salini Karuvade is using her skills as a theoretical quantum physicist to investigate how to improve quantum computers. Students will learn the basics of quantum computing and then play video games that explain quantum concepts.

Transistors – Professor Sorin Voinigescu is a quantum engineer who is investigating whether the transistors in our smartphones can advance the field of quantum computing. Students will learn about quantum engineering methods and applications.

Mental health and well-being

Mindfulness – Niina Haas and Dr Paula Gardiner are developing an innovative platform to help patients manage chronic pain through mindfulness and peer support. Students will explore the history of mindfulness and its place in modern medical treatment.

Teacher CPD

Museum visits – Professor Anik Meunier is investigating how museum visits can improve educational outcomes for students. In this teacher CPD article, Anik explains how you can incorporate museum education into your teaching and encourages teachers of all subjects to make the most of museums as educational resources.

Classroom management – Many students struggle with attention difficulties, yet teachers are not commonly taught how to manage these issues. In this teacher CPD article, Dr Agatha Lenartowicz and Dr Jennie Grammer discuss how they are combining neuroscience and education research to investigate student focus and attention in classrooms.

Alternative grading – Most teachers rely on point-based assessments to evaluate their students, but Dr Karla Rivera Caceres is investigating how alternative grading methods can boost student engagement. In this teacher CPD article, Karla encourages you to try alternative grading methods and provides advice for how you can implement these in any subject.

Need more inspiration?

If you want more classroom activities for different subjects, check out these ideas from last year: futurumcareers.com/classroom-resources-for-the-new-school-year-3

Get active by designing a 15-minute workout routine, protect your brain health by creating a brain-boosting schedule full of activities such as healthy eating, mindfulness and social interaction, and create an interactive activity to promote health awareness.

Creative writing

Practice your journalism skills by reporting on an extreme weather event or an example of misinformation, and write spooky stories inspired by ruined buildings.

Creative and expressive arts

Create your own TikTok-style videos to educate and inspire people about the brain, curate a visual arts exhibition to raise awareness of an environmental or social issue, analyse artwork to examine how your own personal experiences influence what you see, and explore the power of music and dance for creating connection and community. Build a 3D model of ocean currents, use objects found around the house to construct a model of a protein,  and draw a cartoon strip to summarise how proteins support cell structures.

Games and gaming

Play computer games with the eyes of a software developer, design your own educational game about African elites, take part in fun debates about light-hearted topics (are dogs better than cats?!), and play a game to explore the tradeoffs between cost and efficiency with heat pumps.

Languages

Practice your foreign language skills and draw your own language portrait.

Find last year’s collection of summer holiday activities at futurumcareers.com/summer-holiday-activities-for-teens

For more free educational activities that can be done at home, covering topics from economics to Earth science, history to healthcare, visit futurumcareers.com/articles.