Dr Sai Pathmanathan releases children’s science experiment book ‘Utterly Jarvellous’
Dr Sai Pathmanathan (DPhil Biochemistry, 2000) is celebrating the release of her children’s science book, Utterly Jarvellous: 50 Primary Science Activities You Can Do In A Jar.
Written and developed by Sai, and published by Bloomsbury Education, Utterly Jarvellous is a jam-jar-packed science activity book for teachers and parents of Key Stage 2 children, containing more than 50 activities.
‘I was inspired to write this book having seen the amount of single-use plastics used in educational activities,’ says Sai. ‘While it was great to see so much repurposing, I couldn’t help but feel that much of it would inevitably end up in landfill.’
Sai adapted existing science activities and developed new ones, using a simple household object that everyone can find: a jar!
Along with a few little extras that anyone can find, such as paperclips, string and fruit peel (making these activities truly inclusive), Sai hopes that children everywhere can do science and be environmentally-friendly at the same time.
Science experiments in the book include stimulating a solar eclipse, building a wormery, making a lava lamp and watching a volcano erupt – all in a jar!
Sai worked as a neuroscientist before moving into science communication and education, covering all STEM subjects and all ages from nursery to postgraduate.
Her MA research looked at how young people learn accurate science from entertainment media.
Earlier this summer, we were delighted to welcome audiences to our inaugural Garden Play, with a series of sold-out performances of Shakespeare`s `As You Like It` set in our beautiful college grounds.
Our gardens became the Forest of Arden as students, staff, alumni and the wider Oxford community came together to enjoy open-air theatre in a truly unique setting. Even better, the production has received fantastic reviews from Oxford`s student press.
A huge thank you to everyone who performed in and supported this wonderful initiative.
These peaceful moments around college were captured by work experience student Izzie.
They celebrate the beauty of the college gardens and the simple joy of taking a closer look!
Thank you Izzie for sharing your perspective with us 🌸
Many congratulations to this year`s Nautilus Award winners! 🎉
These annual awards celebrate the exceptional contributions our students make to the Green Templeton College community.
Read all about the winners in our bio! ✨
As conservation work continues on the Radcliffe Observatory, we were delighted to climb to the very top of the impressive scaffold and enjoy a unique perspective on this iconic landmark.
Along the way, we uncovered some fascinating details—and a few cheeky surprises—carved into parts of the stonework. ✨
These hidden marks offer a glimpse into the stories, craftsmanship, and personalities that have become part of the building’s rich history. Stay tuned as we continue to share more behind-the-scenes moments from this remarkable conservation project.
Congratulations to all of the @gtcball2026 survivors 🪼🫧🪸🧜🌊✨
