Open days offer public a glimpse inside the synchrotron

Over the course of two days, Diamond entertained hundreds of visitors with tours of the synchrotron. Guests lucky enough to reserve tickets before the event booked up were also treated to a science fair, which took place in the Diamond Atrium. A variety of different stalls were hosted by prominent organisations who regularly conduct experiments at Diamond; these included the Mary Rose Trust, the Medical Research Council, and Manchester and Oxford Universities.

 

Members of the public were able to play with Bright Sparks’ Van Der Graff generator and hold dinosaur bones supplied by the University of Manchester. Other highlights included Mark Basham’s Lego Beamline, a showcase of pioneering research into vaccine development, hosted by Pirbright and Oxford STRUBI, and the Mary Rose exhibit, which featured fabric from the ship’s sails and skin from the ship’s dog!

 

The open days also provided the perfect promotional venue for 13 year old baker and entrepreneur Jonny Mitchell. Jonny baked over 100 cakes and sweet snacks for the event, and raised over £225 for Viva, a charity which works with underprivileged children in third world countries.

 

Diamond’s summer open days were only possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of volunteers and the enduring natural curiosity of the public. The next open days will be in November; so keep an eye on the website for your chance to see inside Diamond.