Virtual Lab Tour at UCL

Year 12 Chemistry students were taken on a tour of an undergraduate lab by Dr Stephen Hilton, Associate Professor at UCL School of Pharmacy. Dr Hilton created a virtual version of his lab that can be experienced from anywhere in the world. Today, as part of Alleyn’s Science Fortnight, our students donned their headsets, plugged in their headphones and were greeted by Dr Hilton in the lobby of his lab.

During the tour, students ‘walked through’ the spaces and interacted with the various lab equipment in front of them, including a high-performance liquid chromatography column. They heard from Dr Hilton about his research in gene therapy vaccines, his views on the benefit of VR in education and the future of chemistry labs and technology. Students were also able to ask questions.

The hour-long virtual experience enthralled the students, “It’s a great way to interact with people safely and easily, especially during Covid”, said Horatia. Fellow student Emily was excited about what it could mean for her and her peers going to university in the coming years. “You can see that this technology is something that might be a part of my university education, it was like experiencing my future right now”.