STEM Workshops in Manchester

Manchester's contribution to STEM is nothing short of world-changing, from splitting the atom to building the first modern computer. In 1803, John Dalton, working in Manchester, first outlined the atomic theory he published in full in 1808, laying the foundations of modern chemistry and physics. At the University of Manchester, Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden carried out the gold-foil experiment in 1909 under Ernest Rutherford's direction; Rutherford published the nuclear interpretation in 1911. In 1948, the university's computing pioneers ran the first program on the Manchester Baby, the world's first electronic stored-program computer.

John Dalton, who lived and worked in Manchester for most of his adult life, is the father of atomic theory. Ernest Rutherford, who led the physics department at the University of Manchester from 1907 to 1919, is known as the father of nuclear physics. Alan Turing worked at the University of Manchester from 1948 until his death in 1954, contributing to the development of the Manchester Mark 1 computer and pioneering work in artificial intelligence. Beatrice 'Tilly' Shilling, who studied electrical engineering at the University of Manchester from 1929, invented the RAE restrictor that prevented Spitfire and Hurricane engines from cutting out in dives during the Second World War. Sir Andre Geim and Sir Konstantin Novoselov were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for their isolation of graphene at the university in 2004.

Manchester today is a major UK hub for technology and science. MediaCityUK at Salford Quays is home to major BBC and ITV operations alongside a cluster of digital and technology companies, while the wider tech ecosystem includes companies such as Booking.com, AutoTrader and The Hut Group. The University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre are facilities translating graphene research into commercial applications. Manchester Science Park hosts more than 150 science and technology businesses.

Young people in Manchester have access to an increasingly diverse range of STEM career pathways across digital technology, advanced materials, media technology, and healthcare sciences. The city's growing tech sector offers roles in software engineering, data science, cloud computing, and digital marketing, with employers providing apprenticeships and graduate schemes. The advanced materials sector, anchored by graphene research, is creating roles in materials science, nanotechnology, and manufacturing engineering. Health Innovation Manchester is driving expanding careers in biomedical science, clinical technology, and health data analytics.