FAQs

BIG SCIENCE! was created to engage curious young minds across New Zealand to undertake country-wide, collaborative research, highlighting the importance of scientific collaboration and the value of local communities in scientific activities.

BIG SCIENCE! empowers kids and young people to do real science from their own homes, turning New Zealand into a huge science lab!

Participants can take part in several scientific studies, such as measuring the curvature of the Earth, its rotation and tilt, exploring the solar system, measuring stars, exploring the nano-world, and more! They also have the opportunity to explore real research labs thanks to our online virtual tours.

Members construct their own ‘lab equipment’ using easily available materials and our especially designed kits that we will be mailing out, along with DIY instructions and videos.

Yes! Participants have the opportunity to interact with real scientists, ask them questions and discuss their findings with them.

BIG SCIENCE! was created for children and young people aged 11 to 15 years old, but we are happy to discuss this on a case-by-case basis if you are not in that age bracket and want to participate.

BIG SCIENCE! was created for children and young people aged 11 to 15 years old, so if your tamariki are in that age bracket, we suggest they each sign up individually, so they have their own accounts to interact with our scientists and with other participants in our forum. If they are younger than 11 years old, parents/educators can choose to use just one sign up for all of them. Just note they will probably need help from a grown-up to do the experiments.

Thanks to the 2022 Unlocking Curious Minds Fund from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, currently there is no cost for participants to join BIG SCIENCE!

No, you can participate in only one, or you can do them all if you want!

That is up to you! Some experiments may take longer than others but generally they are not too time consuming, unless you want to invest more time in them, which we find many participants do!

Just head on over to the Join BIG SCIENCE! page and sign up to create an account. After we personally review your registration we’ll send you an email with a link to get in and get started!

Dr Rodrigo Martinez Gazoni, a Physicist and Science Educator.

A little bit about him: Rodrigo was initially attracted to science by trying to understand how things worked. When he was a very young kid he would take apart his toys just to figure out what was behind the noise, light or movement they made. Putting the toys together was a completely different challenge!

Learn more about Rodrigo and the rest of the BIG SCIENCE! team here.

Please get in touch with BIG SCIENCE! via our Contact page. 

BIG SCIENCE! is proudly sponsored by

University of Canterbury
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

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