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The National Big Bang Fair

Congratulations are in order for 10 projects from schools in the North East who competed in the regional Big Bang fair in July. They are going forward to compete in the National Science and Engineering competition at the Big Bang fair held at London’s ExceL on 10^th – 12^th March 2011. Shows including ‘Brainiac Live’, ‘Bang Goes the Theory’ and activities like ‘Amoeba to Zebra’, ‘The Ever Wondered Why Roadshow’, ‘Grow Your Own Body Parts’ and ‘Hydraulics for Frolics’ will be taking place at the event.

For more information on The Big Bang fair, to register your attendance and book tickets please visit www.thebigbangfair.co.uk.  

Congratulations and the best of luck to the following schools and their projects:

STEM Outreach would also like to congratulate and wish the best of luck to Corylus Learning’s Colin Wilkinson and Sarah McLusky at Sparks Education who will be co-ordinating the Big Bang North East at New College Durham on 12^th July 2011. For more information on next year’s regional Big Bang fair feel free to contact Colin at colin@coryluslearning.com or Sarah at sarah@sparkseducation.co.uk or visit www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/northeast/

The Big Bang 2011 – NSEC

Do you teach some young scientists or engineers who deserve recognition? If they are 11-18 with a great project or invention…enter the National Science & Engineering Competition today. There is over £50,000 of prizes, including cash awards and trips abroad – plus the prestige of winning a high profile competition for your school or college and the teachers involved.

The lucky finalists will be invited to showcase their work to around 24,000 students, teachers, journalists and VIPs visiting The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair in London in March 2011. Here your students can mix and compete with the country’s best – and gather tips and advice from working scientists and engineers from all fields in business and research. With plenty of individual and team prizes up for grabs, there are lots of opportunities for all students, and the two winning individuals in the senior category will be crowned the UK Young Scientist of the Year and UK Young Engineer of the Year.

Go to www.nationalsciencecompetition.org

Closing date: 31 October 2010.

EDT – Schemes for schools

The Engineering Development Trust (EDT) run a number of schemes across the UK to encourage young people to consider courses and careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). They have developed their widening participation programme where they have set up activity days to encourage pupils who are under-represented in STEM (girls, ethnic minorities and those that would be first in their family to consider higher education) to consider courses and careers in these areas and are working with a number of schools and universities in delivering these days.

First Edition is one of EDT’s widening participation programmes that aims to encourage pupils from under represented groups with a current focus on those who will be first in family to consider higher education. The days are designed to encourage creativity and innovation through hands on practical activities focused on team working and problem solving and it is intended to be the first step to a range of STEM-related educational options.

EDT also run the following schemes:

Go4Set links Year 8/9 and S2 pupils to local companies and universities through a 10 week STEM project

Engineering Education Scheme provides Year 12 and S5 students with a real scientific, engineering and technological challenge to solve over a 6 month period

Headstart offers science, technology and engineering experience courses at university for Year 12 and S5

The Year in Industry provides career development work placements for Pre-University and Undergraduate students.

To find out more about EDT, please visit EDT’s website at www.etrust.org.uk

A First Edition event will be taking place at Northumbria University on the 17th November from 10:00 to 15:00 for Year 10. If you are interested in along please contact EDT by email or call 01707 871 504

For more information about EDT schemes, please visit:

www.go4set.org.uk

www.thescheme.org.uk

www.headstartcourses.org.uk (or for girls only courses visit www.insightcourses.org.uk)

www.yini.org.uk

www.industrialtrust.org.uk

Business/Education projects help inform ‘A’ Level choices

In anticipation of the release of the 2010 ‘A’ level results, a leading educational charity, the EDT, has said that good information needs to be provided at an early stage to encourage students into careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Dr Gordon Mizner, Chief Executive of the EDT says, “Students normally make their choice of ‘A’ level subjects before GSCE results at the age of 15 or 16 and often have made choices even before this stage. They base these decisions on what they see of life around them. The problem is that in the media, and on television in particular, they see lots of examples of people with careers in the arts, entertainment, drama and the media, but far too few examples of people with exciting careers in science, engineering or technology. They need to have greater input on the possibilities of STEM careers before they make these important decisions.”

Dr Mizner pointed out that programmes providing industry/education links to engage students in projects and experiences enabled them to see STEM subjects being used in a commercial environment.

He says, “Of the students on our ‘Go4SET’ programme for 12 -14 year olds, 68% said that the experience made them more likely to study science and maths subjects at school (31% have an unchanged opinion). Greater participation in this type of scheme can provide the significant shift in attitudes towards STEM subjects that the recent Dyson Report identified as being vital to prevent skills shortages in the very industries to which we are looking to provide the engine for UK growth in coming years.”