Registration is now open for 2013 and there are many ways to get involved with The Big Bang...

1) Bring your school or college group along to an event near you

Are you looking to inspire your students or children about science, technology, engineering and maths? Look no further than The Big Bang Near Me…

Over 20,000 11-18 year old students and their teachers came to the Big Bang Near Me in 2012 and saw over 500 different, exciting interactive stands and hands-on activities at their local event.

Students might discover the forensic science used at a crime scene or find out about the biology of the body during exercise in an action-packed sports science show. They can meet inspirational scientists and engineers working in robotics, the environment, weather, design technology and more and quiz them about their job. There are idea-sparking careers workshops and lots of people from local companies who want to talk to students about what they do and tell them about opportunities in their local area.

There are Near Me Fairs happening across the 12 regions of the UK and you can find your nearest fair using our interactive map.

Find out more about why you should bring a school group to a The Big Bang Near Me event.

2) Bring a student project or a STEM Club project…

Do your students have a burning idea for a science project? Maybe you’re really proud of something they’ve been working on in school?

In 2012, students demonstrated more than 3,000 amazing ideas at The Big Bang Near Me. How about a pedal-powered freezer that can be used to deliver ice cream to African countries? Or maybe (check out the video below) an all-terrain walking-stick adaptor that stops a stick getting stuck in the mud? Students can come along, tell people about their project, get feedback from scientists and engineers and meet other budding young inventors.

We were also inspired by the infectious enthusiasm of the 150 STEM clubs who came along to tell us what they’ve been creating outside the classroom.

If you don’t currently run a STEM club at your school and would like to set one up, click here to find out how.

3) Enter your project for awards and prizes

If you’re feeling competitive, you can enter your project for one of many prizes on offer at The Big Bang Near Me. 400 awards were won across Great Britain in 2012 and we host the Young Engineer for Britain Excellence Awards, the CREST Awards, STEM Club prizes and a host of other awards depending on which Near Me Fair you’re visiting.

The fairs also host the regional heats of the National Science + Engineering Competition. Up to ten projects from each Near Me Fair can progress to the final, held at our annual national event in March - The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair. We celebrate the achievements of students at Near Me fairs as well as the essential contribution of the parents, teachers and guardians who make it all possible.

Find out more about the National Science + Engineering Competition.

4) Run your own Big Bang event at your school or college

We are widening the reach of Near Me with “The Big Bang @” events. These give schools and community groups the opportunity to run a fun event on a smaller scale. Please contact Sarah Young for further information: sdevonport@engineeringuk.com.

That’s all you need to know for now, so why not get started? After all, it all began with a Big Bang...