12 March 2021

Organised by the charity VICTA, a virtual science fair run for British Science Week 2021 featured videos of four RCPath members.

Four College members, working in a range of specialties, recorded video interviews with VICTA’s Head of Activities & Strategic Programmes, Luke Wakefield, for the charity’s first ever virtual science fair. In addition to the interviews Dr Esther Youd, histopathologist and RCPath Assistant Registrar, also worked with science-based artist Dr Lizzie Burns, to produce a video that featured some of the College’s Heart of Healthcare activities. 

VICTA is a national charity that provides support to children and young adults from 0 to 29 who are blind or partially sighted and their families. VICTA’s support, advice, grants and activities enable young people and their families to build skills, develop confidence and help each other toward a more positive future.

Luke came up with the VICTA Virtual Science Fair to help the young people supported by the charity to explore the incredible careers in the STEM world. Having delivered a successful online festival during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Luke realised British Week 2021 would be a good opportunity to develop a science-related online programme aimed at young people with visual impairments. Recorded content was found to be more accessible to the young people than live online events. 

The videos have been shared with VICTA members via their Virtual Science Fair 'Amazing Futures' page, and their 'Science Origami' page, throughout British Science Week 2021, which comes to a close on Sunday 14 March. You can see each of the videos (linked from the VICTA YouTube channel) below. 

Folding an origami beating heart with Dr Lizzie Burns and Dr Esther Youd

Folding an origami beating heart with Dr Lizzie Burns and Dr Esther Youd

Science-based artist, Dr Lizzie Burns demonstrates the beating heart origami fold while asking Dr Esther Youd about the science of the heart and its cells.
Interview with Dr Florentina Sava, Clinical Scientist in Genomics

Interview with Dr Florentina Sava, Clinical Scientist in Genomics

Dr Florentina Sava talks to VICTA about her role as a Clinical Scientist in Genomics, analysing the genomics of patients with different conditions.

Interview with Dr Nicola Heard, Consultant in Medical Microbiology

Interview with Dr Nicola Heard, Consultant in Medical Microbiology

Dr Nicola Hardman describes how her inquisitiveness for solving medical puzzles led her to the specialism of becoming a medical microbiologist.

Interview with Dr Funmi Oyesanya, Haematology Specialty Registrar

Interview with Dr Funmi Oyesanya, Haematology Specialty Registrar

Dr Funmi Oyesanya is a Haematology doctor currently working at Barts Hospital with patients with haematological cancers. She talks us through the many aspects of this specialism from working with patients, to looking at cells and carrying out procedures

Huge thanks to those members who gave up their time to record the interviews, and thank you to Luke and all at VICTA for the opportunity to spread the word about pathology and career opportunities – we hope some of the young people who have accessed the videos are inspired to consider a career in pathology! Thanks too to Dr Lizzie Burns for linking up VICTA with the College.

Plans are already afoot for another VICTA science fair in 2022 and the College public engagement team is keen to get RCPath members involved again next year. 

Author(s)

Penny Fletcher.jpg

Penny Fletcher

  • Public Engagement and Fundraising Manager