UCT Science Week in Collaboration with Merck Curiosity Cube: Bringing Science to Life for Learners
The University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Science, together with the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, Biological Sciences, and Astronomy, hosted a vibrant Science Week in collaboration with Merck from Monday, 8 September to Saturday, 13 September 2025. The week-long event coincided with the 2025 debut of the Merck Curiosity Cube in Southern Africa. While other universities have hosted the Cube, UCT was the first to pair its visit with a full Science Week of demonstrations, making the experience especially unique for learners. This mobile science lab, designed to spark curiosity through interactive experiments, became the centrepiece of a programme that engaged learners from 14 primary schools (265 Grade 7 learners) and 11 high schools (230 Grade 8 learners) across the Western Cape with hands-on science demonstrations. For many learners, this was their first time visiting a university campus, making the experience even more inspiring and memorable.
The week was structured to reach a wide audience: Monday to Wednesday (8–10 September) welcomed Grade 7 learners, whose curriculum-linked demonstrations brought theory to life. Thursday and Friday (11–12 September) were dedicated to Grade 8 learners visiting the Merck Curiosity Cube at P15, while Saturday, 13 September, opened the Cube to the UCT community, where it was heartwarming to see staff bringing along their families. The Cube’s artificial intelligence (AI) theme was particularly exciting for learners, allowing them to explore how science and technology intersect in ways that shape the future.
Building on the Cube’s presence, the organising team worked across departments to deliver lab-based demonstrations linked to the school science curriculum. Learners experienced experiments that made science exciting, interactive, and accessible. A highlight for many was receiving a pair of safety glasses from Merck to take home—a keepsake that left learners thrilled and further encouraged their budding scientific curiosity.
“Merck has been a long-standing partner and supplier to our department, so collaborating on this initiative felt like a natural extension of our shared commitment to education. What struck me most was how passion truly brings purpose—especially when we can promote STEM to learners from all walks of life. Watching their eyes light up as they explored the Curiosity Cube felt like a small victory against the barriers that too often keep brilliant minds from pursuing STEM. It reminded me why we do this work—not for the accolades, but for those life-changing moments when a child sees their own potential.”
— Dr Samantha Douman
“I feel so grateful to have been part of the team coordinating this event. We wanted to maximise the learners’ visit to UCT and The Curiosity Cube, so we thought—let’s also plan a Science Week that incorporates demonstrations based on the school curriculum, designed to support under-resourced schools. The goal was to get students excited about science by making their classwork more hands-on and engaging. It was fantastic to see so many departments get involved and to watch postgraduate students and staff engaging directly with the learners. This was such a rewarding event—especially because the learners came from all backgrounds, including schools from informal settlements and farming areas.”
— Laa-iqa Rylands
Rylands added that the initiative began when Merck first approached the Chemistry Department. From there, the team worked closely with UCT Health & Safety and Traffic Services to ensure smooth operations. Special thanks were extended to Michael Langley, Keith Witbooi, Assoc. Prof. Clive Oliver (Head of Chemistry), and Dean of Science, Prof. Hoosain Suleman, for their invaluable support and guidance.
Liaison with Merck partners Rachel Hormeku, Adela Maradee, and Jennifa Mohale helped make the collaboration seamless. A special word of thanks also goes to Assoc. Prof. Mark Blumenthal (Physics), Claire Lawrence-Naidoo and Dr Dalielah Jappie (Chemistry), Assoc. Prof. Sarah Blyth and Dr Itumeleng Monageng (Astronomy), Andrea Plos (Biological Sciences), and all the dedicated staff and postgraduate student volunteers whose energy and commitment brought the demonstrations to life. The commitment observed from each department involved was phenomenal as they engaged with large numbers of learners for three dedicated days of the programme. Together, their collective effort ensured the event was both impactful and inspiring for learners. We hope that every learner left UCT having discovered something new and feeling even more inspired about the world of science.
Behind the scenes, coordination was a collective effort between Laa-iqa Rylands, Dr Samantha Douman, and Hishaamodien Hoosain, who worked closely together to liaise with partners, secure sponsorships, and manage logistics, communication, and faculty support.
“We are deeply grateful to our sponsors—Merck, H3D, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Department of Chemistry Outreach—for helping us remove barriers and ignite curiosity where it matters most.” (Merck sponsored transport, while H3D, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Department of Chemistry Outreach contributed towards the lunch packs for learners.)
The event was a true example of collaboration and vision. The combination of interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and academic-community partnership made for an inspiring and impactful celebration of science. The team hopes to welcome Merck and the Curiosity Cube back again next year to build on this success.
