A group photo with the Singapore in-person attendees and the CARES speakers.
What started as a few question marks quickly turned into something much bigger than we expected.
Late last year, CARES was considering the idea of participating in Cambridge Festival, the University of Cambridge’s largest annual science festival. But we had our doubts; how would we take part from Singapore? Would a hybrid format work? And perhaps the biggest question of all… would people care?
With support from CARES’ Directors and the Cambridge Festival team, we decided to take that leap. On 18 March 2026, we successfully hosted our first-ever public engagement event for school students, “Cambridge in Singapore – Who CARES?”.
The hybrid session brought together over 150 attendees from 30 schools across Singapore and the UK, joining us in person in Singapore, Cambridge, and online.
Watch the programme here: https://youtu.be/cMaZ7TCXnTg
Top: Elizabeth MacRae (CARES’ COO) addressing the audience in Singapore at the start of the event. Bottom: A snapshot of the in-person attendees in Singapore.
Several in-person attendees watching the livestream in Cambridge.
The session opened with CARES’ Chief Operating Officer, Elizabeth MacRae, who shared her career journey from starting in research to leading a research centre today. She offered insights into life at the University of Cambridge as a staff and student, and more importantly, the story of how Cambridge crossed continents to set up a research presence in Singapore, and the unique CREATE ecosystem we share with other research partners.
Top: Elizabeth MacRae (CARES COO) sharing the motivations of why CARES was established. Bottom: An interactive Mentimeter quizzing audiences on their knowledge of the different CREATE research partners.
Our researchers then took the stage to share more about their work and personal journeys. The HYCOMBS Research Fellows (Dr Marc Le Boursicaud, Dr Tong Su & Dr Yong Ren Tan) introduced their research on cleaner combustion with a short video, alongside reflections on their paths through PhD and research careers. Dr Lek Hong Lim (Lex) followed with an overview of the SM3 programme and the broader chemical industry in Singapore, weaving in his own journey through Singapore’s education system.
HYCOMBS Research Fellows presenting at the event. Top left (Dr Marc Le Boursicaud), Top right (Dr Yong Ren Tan), Bottom right (Dr Tong Su).
Dr Lek Hong Lim (Lex) presenting.
The session concluded with a panel Q&A, where attendees engaged with all 5 speakers with questions ranging from technical aspects of the research to advice on pursuing careers in science and engineering.
Panel Q&A session with all 5 speakers.
From left to right: Dr Yong Ren Tan, Dr Marc Le Boursicaud, Dr Tong Su, Elizabeth MacRae and Dr Lek Hong Lim (Lex).
Attendees during dinner at the Singapore venue.
Even with the presentations ending, many weren’t quite ready to leave. In Singapore, students stayed on for dinner, continued chatting with our researchers, and snapped photos at the photobooth. We are grateful for the student’s enthusiasm to engage with our research and thoroughly impressed with the confidence many had with asking questions for their education and career.
Top: A collage of students interacting with each other and the CARES team. Bottom: Attendees using the photo booth.
The response in the room and online reinforced something we often believe but rarely get to witness: there is a strong appetite for science that is accessible and relatable.
As one participant shared, “Loved the interactive nature of the presentations – excellent overview of CARES’ work.” Others called for more events like this, highlighting how engaging formats and open conversations made science feel more approachable.
For CARES, this first step into the Cambridge Festival was not just about participation, but about purpose. It reaffirmed the role of outreach in bridging research and society and the importance of creating spaces where the next generation can see themselves in science.
And judging by the response… “Who CARES?” Quite a lot, actually 😉
