The Mathematics for our Future Climate (MFC) Centre for Doctoral Training took part in Imperial College London’s Great Exhibition Road Festival, held on 6–7 June 2026 in South Kensington. The free festival brought together interactive science and arts activities for visitors of all ages, with the MFC CDT contributing to the Maths Exploratorium in the Maths tent.
Students from the University of Reading and the University of Southampton represented the MFC CDT, engaging visitors with hands-on activities that explored how mathematics helps us understand our changing climate.
Follow the flow: learning through play
A particular highlight was a board game designed by students at the University of Reading. The game was based on a PhD research project and introduced children to the connections between supply chains, weather forecasting, statistics and climate change.
The game proved to be a major hit with children, who enjoyed making decisions, responding to changing conditions and learning how weather and climate can affect the movement of goods. It offered a fun and accessible way to explore complex ideas, while showing how mathematical modelling can help us understand real-world challenges.
The game had previously debuted at the University’s Community Festival on 16 May, where it was enjoyed by visitors young and old. Its success continued at the Great Exhibition Road Festival, attracting families and encouraging conversations about climate, uncertainty and the role of mathematics in everyday life.
Exploring oceans, weather and climate
The MFC CDT display also featured a range of interactive activities and explanatory materials. Visitors could explore how mathematics helps scientists map ocean currents, predict the movement of floating objects and understand uncertainty in weather and climate systems.
The activities included:
- Follow the flow! — exploring how ocean currents move objects such as a floating rubber duck.
- Predict the duck! — considering how wind, temperature, ocean currents and uncertainty affect predictions.
- Storm in a cup! — using a spinning globe to demonstrate turbulence in oceans and the atmosphere.
Together, these activities showed how mathematical ideas connect to ocean circulation, weather forecasting and climate change—and how research can be communicated in an engaging way to audiences of all ages.
By combining play, discussion and real-world examples, the MFC CDT team helped visitors discover that mathematics is not only a subject studied in the classroom—it is also a powerful tool for understanding the world around us and planning for a more sustainable future.