From Popcorn Machines to Carbon Capture: Year 12 students dive into Chemical Engineering

From a popcorn machine to carbon capture: Year 12 students dive into Chemical Engineering

31 July 2026

Over a period of one week, twelve national secondary school students took part in a Department of Chemical Engineering Summer School, combining hands on practical work, research-led teaching and opportunities to engage with staff and current undergraduates.

Giving young people the chance to spend time in our laboratories, meet current students and experience university life can make a real difference in helping them see themselves pursuing a degree in engineering. Dr Anna Hankin Departmental Outreach Coordinator and Summer School organiser

A series of interactive demonstrations highlighted the creativity and breadth of the discipline. Students explored the engineering principles behind a newly developed popcorn machine and investigated the fluid dynamics governing the operation of a chocolate fountain. They also toured the Department’s Carbon Capture Pilot Plant and attended a sample lecture on the thermodynamics of carbon capture and its role in enabling a more sustainable future.

Departmental Outreach Coordinator and organiser of the Summer School, , said: "Programmes like this are about opening doors. Giving young people the chance to spend time in our laboratories, meet current students and experience university life can make a real difference in helping them see themselves pursuing a degree in engineering. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity, enthusiasm and willingness to embrace new challenges throughout the week and we were delighted to host them."

Participants visited several of the Department’s world-class research facilities, including the DIGIBAT laboratory, where they learned how automation and high-throughput experimentation are accelerating the discovery of next-generation battery materials. Extensive practical sessions in the Undergraduate Laboratories provided experience in reactive distillation, gas chromatography, biodiesel production, water purification and carbon capture processes.

"I loved it!...getting time in the lab was a great experience." Anonymous Participating student from a local school, Year 12

One of the 12 students from a local school added: "I loved it! I have left with a much better impression of the staff and student body and the chemical engineering department. Getting time in the lab was a great experience and all the lectures and activities were really interesting and insightful."

The Summer School concluded with a team presentation challenge, inviting students to reflect on how the programme had shaped their understanding of chemical engineering and the contribution chemical engineers make to addressing global issues. The presentations demonstrated the insight, creativity and enthusiasm developed over the course of the week.

This Summer School reflects the Department's commitment to ensuring that talented young people from all backgrounds can see themselves studying chemical engineering. Professor Omar Matar Head of Department, Chemical Engineering

Professor Omar Matar, Head of Department, Chemical Engineering, said: "This Summer School reflects the Department's commitment to ensuring that talented young people from all backgrounds can see themselves studying chemical engineering. By experiencing our laboratories, meeting our students and staff, and engaging with real engineering challenges, participants have gained an authentic insight into what it means to be a chemical engineer. We hope this experience inspires them to pursue STEM subjects with confidence."

This inaugural Summer School forms part of the Department’s broader commitment to widening participation and inspiring talented young people to pursue careers in chemical engineering. The Department has also supported 51�Թ��'s Year 12 Work Experience Programme and Year 12 Sutton Trust Summer School since 2024.

By combining practical experience with exposure to cutting-edge research, all programmes offer students an authentic insight into the discipline.