HetSys Outreach
HetSys: Bringing Research to Life
At HetSys CDT, we are passionate about sharing our research and expertise beyond the University.
Whether supporting schools, engaging with the wider community, or collaborating with industry, our students and staff organise activities that help bring research to life and create real-world impact.
Explore some of our latest outreach initiatives, and activities, below.
If you would like to work with us on an Outreach Event, or volunteer to support in the future, then contact us at:
Primary Aspirations Science Fair
We recently welcomed local primary school students from the Coventry area to University of Warwick for an interactive outreach event designed to inspire curiosity and excitement around science, technology, and research.
The event gave young visitors the opportunity to engage directly with hands-on scientific activities and demonstrations, helping bring complex scientific ideas to life in fun, creative, and accessible ways.
Demonstrations included:
- Graphene and moiré patterns– discovering how tiny atomic structures can create fascinating visual effects and material properties
- Virtual Reality demonstrations– stepping into immersive environments to explore how medicines and antibiotics interact with viruses and infections
- Shape-memory metals and annealing– observing how metals can change structure, respond to heat, and even “remember” their original shape
Science Night 2026
As part of wider community engagement activities in Coventry, the HetSys team took part in Science Night 2026, giving visitors the opportunity to explore how computational modelling and materials science can help explain and solve real-world challenges.
Through a series of hands-on activities, attendees explored topics including:
- Annealing in metals– demonstrating how materials can change, strengthen, and respond to different conditions
- Graphene and moiré models– showcasing how tiny atomic-scale structures can produce fascinating patterns and unique material properties
The evening saw strong engagement from young people and families, with visitors asking thoughtful questions, taking part in activities, and learning more about how scientific research connects to the world around them.
The HetSys team was also delighted to welcome and showcase its activities to the Deputy Lord Mayor of Coventry, helping make the event a particularly memorable occasion for students and staff involved.
Resonate Festival Event
On the 30 May 2026, the University of Warwick campus will host the annual Resonate Festival, a free festival celebrating creativity, research, science, culture and community.
We’re delighted that the HetSys CDT will be part of this year’s Summer Science Zone, sharing interactive activities inspired by computational materials science and atomic-scale research.
Demonstrations will include FEM simulations interactions with Graphene models.
The Big Bang Fair 2026
HetSys students Arielle Fitkin (Cohort 4) and Swathi Mahashetti (Cohort 6) recently supported the University of Warwick's Chemistry outreach activities at the Big Bang Fair on the 11th June, engaging school students with hands-on demonstrations of materials science and renewable energy.
Their interactive activity introduced participants to metal patterning and its role in solar cell design. Students modelled vapour deposition by throwing Velcro ping-pong balls before designing miniature solar cells that could conduct electricity while using as little metal as possible.
The activity proved highly popular, with students enthusiastically taking on the engineering challenge and exploring the many science exhibits on offer from Warwick and other participating organisations. The event provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase how materials modelling and engineering research can contribute to the development of sustainable technologies.
HetSys Happenings: Outreach, Impact and Co-Creation
In June 2026, HetSys delivered its Outreach, Impact and Co-Creation workshop, bringing together eight doctoral researchers to explore how public engagement and science communication can enhance both research impact and career development.
The event featured expert speakers from across the University of Warwick, including Dr Phil Jemmett, Prof. Gabriele Sosso, Dr Oksana Trushkevych and Kate Laister-Smith, who shared practical insights into effective science communication, STEM outreach and inclusive public engagement.
Students also took part in an interactive workshop, where they developed ideas for future HetSys outreach activities, practised communicating their research to non-specialist audiences and explored opportunities to contribute to future outreach events and social media initiatives.