We offer a range of final year project types to undergraduate students in the department who are studying for degrees in Biomedical Sciences Biochemistry Biology and Forensic Biology. While laboratory-based projects remain the most popular we also offer projects involving non-laboratory based research training: literature-based dissertation projects computing-based projects and business plan projects for those who wish to gain valuable transferable skills in addition to experience of cutting-edge scientific research. Recognising the need for effective communication of science and seeing an opportunity to embed science communication activities and public engagement into the undergraduate curriculum we added 'science communication projects' to the portfolio in 2004 to provide students with a more challenging outlet for those with an interest enthusiasm and aptitude for communicating science to non-scientific audiences (Lloyd 2007; 2006). This has particular resonance today in a period of rapid scientific progress but declining interest in science among the general population. It is also congruent with a number of initiatives from Research Councils and charitable organisations to promote public engagement.
