the educator mag May 24 (1) - Flipbook - Page 18
The magic of
chance
encounters
Picture this: you are strolling through the bustling
exhibitor halls of Bett UK 2024, surrounded by the
latest innovations in educational technology. As you
navigate the crowd, engrossed in conversation with
colleagues or scanning the stands for new tech,
something magic happens! Maybe it’s a spontaneous
meeting with an old friend, a scheduled connection
with an exhibitor or an encounter with a thought-leader
that leaves you feeling inspired. In-person networking
at Bett has a unique way of shaping our experiences,
sparking connections and igniting new possibilities. In
this series of blogs, we’ll delve into the stories of Bett
UK 2024 and how, as a community, we are making
education #BetterTogether
One such encounter happened on Day Two of Bett
2024 with Sheraz Gul - Head of Drug Screening &
Compound Repurposing at Fraunhofer Institute for
Translational Medicine & Pharmacology. Before arriving
at the ExCeL, Sheraz hadn’t registered to attend Bett
2024 - in fact, he had never even heard of it. Originally
at the ExCeL for the festival of Genomics & Biodata,
he spoke to us about why he ended up getting a ticket
right there and then - what a fantastic twist of fate!
“The wide range of innovative EdTech
visible in the halls, plus the vast
international audience of all ages
caught my attention.”
As someone immersed in the medical field, Sheraz is
well acquainted with academia and is always interested
in pushing the boundaries of technology within
education. Seeing the pivotal role technology plays in
Sheraz Gul
Head of Drug Screening & Compound
Repurposing at Fraunhofer Institute for
Translational Medicine & Pharmacology.
shaping education for future scientists, he emphasised
the immense power of equipping young minds for the
challenges of the real world, and how events like Bett
are fundamental in making this happen.
“Bettering the use of technology
within education will lead to
more high-tech discoveries and
advancements for the future of
medicine. The EdTech on display at
Bett 2024 was really exciting as I
could see real-life examples of tools
and skills that could be transferred
into the teaching of STEM subjects.”
During his short but fruitful time at the show, Sheraz
got a chance to explore the extensive array of
exhibitors showcasing their cutting-edge technologies.
Particularly drawn to Esports at Bett, he witnessed
the significance of experiential learning, observing
students deeply engaged with the technology in real
time. As anyone who’s ever attended Bett knows,
there’s always time for fun and where better to
find it than in the exhibitor hall? Sheraz grabbed
the opportunity to get hands-on with tech when he
spotted the Formula 1 simulation machine and had to
have a go!
Having attended various conferences, both virtually
and in person, Sheraz was pleasantly surprised at
the huge turnout and in particular, the international
audience in attendance.
