Sixth Form Engineering Club explores materials science at the University of Cambridge

Members of the Sixth Form Engineering Club spent an afternoon at the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering, completing a genuine first-year undergraduate materials science laboratory experiment. The visit gave pupils valuable insight into university-level engineering while deepening their understanding.

Using testing equipment more than 100 years old, pupils investigated the properties of mild steel by stretching samples to destruction. They compared the behaviour of steel at room temperature with samples cooled to around -200°C in liquid nitrogen, observing first-hand how temperature can dramatically affect a material’s properties and behaviour.

The practical session gave pupils the opportunity to explore an A level topic in much greater depth while experiencing university-level laboratory work in a world-leading engineering department. Through the experiment, they developed their understanding of materials science and gained insight into both the theory and practical applications of engineering.

We are extremely grateful to the Department of Engineering for hosting the visit and providing pupils with the opportunity to take part in such a valuable and enriching experience.