TECHWORKS

The Festival returns to Oxford's knowledge quarter in Cowley — ARC Oxford — discover cutting-edge science and meet friendly experts! Explore hands-on activities and the latest in technology and research.

Please help IF Oxford keep track of venue capacity by booking your approximate arrival time. You can arrive at any time during your hour-long arrival slot, then stay for as long as you like.

Event format: HANDS-ON INTERACTIVE ZONE

Age: 7–12 yrs, Teenage, Adult

Typical visit time: 1.5–2 hours

Event duration: 6 hours

Event start: 11am, last entry 4pm

Ticketing: Pay What You Decide (PWYD)

Location: ARC Oxford on Cascade Way (off Garsington Road), Oxford, OX4 2SU

Parking: on-site parking available

Activities include:

Finding Diamonds Everywhere: discover diamonds in everyday life, from mobile phones and car parts to advanced sensors and quantum computing. Slice through ice and glass while talking to scientists developing diamond technology.

The Potential of Potentials: discover how heat, chemistry and motion can all be turned into electricity, and get hands-on with experimental devices that reveal the hidden physics of energy conversion.

Air Pollution and Brain Health: see amazing images, and piece together puzzles to see how tiny particles in the air may reach and affect the brain. Meet researchers uncovering potential links to dementia.

Cutting Edge Science: try your hand at the skills behind knee surgery and discover how medical trials really work, as you explore cutting-edge research into joints, muscles, bones and the immune system.

A Journey of Aromas Through Time: discover how natural and artificial aromas have shaped food and culture through history, from ancient traditions to modern sweets, and explore the chemistry behind fragrances such as vanilla, bergamot, violet and fruity esters and the memories they evoke.

Robotic Racing (11am-4pm): watch robotic dogs go head to head in live races as they compete for the chequered flag. Meet the robotics engineers behind these incredible machines and explore the latest in robotics technology.

IF Oxford uses Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing, which means you can choose to pay whatever you want — or can afford. You can make your donation during booking, at the event, or afterwards. Please note that there is a free ticket option for this event.

To make a PWYD booking, book 1 PWYD ticket for the group, then add extra FREE tickets for the rest of your party. This means there is only one donation for the whole group — you choose what to pay within the PWYD booking. This process is needed because Eventbrite treats a single PWYD ticket as the donation for the whole group — the PWYD ticket covers the donation (one ticket), and FREE tickets cover the rest of your party.

We suggest a donation of £7.50 per person. If even half of IF Oxford's visitors gave that, the charity could plan next year's community science and ideas Festival…