Here’s a quick run-down of National Science and Engineering Week events open to the public and schools in the North East. Click on the links to view full descriptions of the events
National Science & Engineering Week: Events and activities for everyone, 9–18 March 2012
In 2012, National Science & Engineering Week explores “our world in motion.”
National Science & Engineering Week shines the spotlight each March on how science, technology, engineering and maths relate to our everyday lives and helps to inspire the next generation of scientists with fun and participative activities.
With over 4,500 events and activities attended by 1.7 million people in 2011 and generating over £1m in press coverage, this is the UK’s widest grassroots celebration of all things science and engineering. You can join the celebration by attending an event or taking part in our national activities.
Armstrong the Electrical Wizard
Date(s): 14th March 2012 (11:00) to 14th March 2012 (13:00)
Date(s): 14th March 2010 (14:00) to 14th March 2010 (16:00)
Free Regional STEM Careers Guidance Event for Post 16 Students Date: Wednesday 15th March 2012, 10am – 2pm Venue: University of Sunderland, Dale Building, Sciences Complex, City Campus, Sunderland
Held within National Science and Engineering Week the STEM @ Sunderland Event is a hands on showcase event highlighting STEM careers and building the links between education and industry. Aimed at year 12 students with an interest in STEM careers and those who are considering university progression the event is open to schools and colleges from across the north east region. Delivered as a joint venture between The University of Sunderland, STEM Outreach at Newcastle College and RTC North Ltd; students will engage in employer led workshops across the four STEM disciplines. Participating companies include:
Proctor and Gamble
BT
3M
EDF energy
Thorne Lighting
NHS careers
NHS Pathology labs
SABIC
Siemans
Additional activities will be provided by ICE and Go Motorsports with a series of stimulating and exhilarating activities also offered by the University of Sunderland including Real Man Simulation (Sim Man) and Xsens MVN Biomech Suit.
Held at the Sciences Complex, City Campus, University of Sunderland; groups students will have access to regional and national employers, advice on STEM careers and university progression routes including funding advice and an insight into STEM opportunities.
Information for teachers
Open to 10 x year 12 students (per institution) interested in STEM careers and university progression
Interactive sessions delivered by companies and STEM ambassadors and supported by university students
Opportunity to meet and talk to current STEM employers encouraging education and industrial links for the school / college and employer contact, information and advice for the student
Access to University information and advice throughout the day
All students will receive 6 x 30 minutes taster workshops with sessions allocated to schools in advance
It is anticipated that 18 schools from across the region will take receive a place therefore allocation given on a first come first served basis
Unfortunately lunch is NOT provided therefore packed lunches must be brought by individuals
Registration
For further information and to register your school for this event please contact STEM Outreach at ambassadors@ncl-coll.ac.uk
After some fantastic placements last summer we are now looking for project hosts for Summer 2012. Could you host one of the region’s bright, enthusiastic and capable young scientists and engineers?
Nuffield Bursaries offer aspiring young scientists the opportunity to explore their chosen field of science, technology, engineering or maths during a 4 to 6 week summer placement. North East placements are offered by leading local and national businesses, scientific industrial research institutes and all of our excellent local universities.
Supporting teaching and learning in colleges
Are you interested in becoming an ementor?
Aims
Ementoring is a flexible way to volunteer and an opportunity for you and your mentee to develop new skills. By sharing your experiences, you can support other people to grow in confidence and explore options for their future. All you need to be a mentor is a willingness to help other people and an online connection. Because ementoring is done online, you can do it at a time and place that suits you.
Who are we looking for?
Mentors can be from all levels, working in an engineering related profession or with an engineering background, and from a variety of ethnic/cultural backgrounds and social classes. Ideally you would have progressed up through the further education route or have knowledge of the further education sector. You will need to be enthusiastic, passionate about Engineering, want to help other people and have a willingness to share your experiences and insights to help encourage young people in further education to remain committed to a career in engineering. It will be helpful, but not essential, if you were an existing STEM Ambassador and have previous experience of working with young people.
What is involved?
Once you have registered and completed your training, the Bright Links engineering team will match you with up to four mentees who will be students in further education colleges who are studying engineering courses at Level 2, Level 3 and possibly Level 4. They will be looking for advice and support around study skills, apprenticeships, engineering careers, applying to university and much more. You will communicate with your mentees through the safe and secure Bright Links ementoring website, which will have its own engineering section dedicated to this Engineering Further Education ementoring project. To be effective you need to be willing to spend between 30 minutes and 1 hour a week supporting your mentees.
Next Steps
Become a mentor: If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a mentor, apply to the Bright Links engineering programme today at www.brightlinksengineering.org
£80 per week available to students studying A Level or other higher academic or vocational STEM qualifications in the North East!
Nuffield Foundation offer up to 1000 bursaries a year, for students to work alongside practising scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. Projects take place during the summer holidays, giving students an insight into the world of scientific research and development.
Placements are available across the North East, in universities, research institutions and other organisations.
Take a look at projects available for Summer 2011 here:
Inventing The Future: CAS Northumbria University Sixth Form Conference
A one day taster session giving an insight into the fascinating innovations in Computer Science for Sixth Form and FE students and Maths and IT/Computing teachers.
Northumbria University,
Rutherford Hall,
Ellison Building,
City Campus,
Newcastle
Friday 18th March 2011
10am – 3pm
Northumbria University School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences (CEIS) and Computing At School (CAS) bring you an exciting day, which showcases future and emerging computing technology. Activities will include:
“Being Human in the Digital Age” – Abi Sellen, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research
Northumbria University School of CEIS – why apply here?
Showcasing cutting-edge computer technology research
Industry speaker – computing in the real world
Information Security – Siraj Shaikh, Coventry University
Although the day is aimed at students, teachers can benefit from the presentations as CPD.
Wednesday 15th December 2010 at 19:00 (refreshments from 18:30)
Presented by R L Warrender - Senior Lecturer, University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland Cluster Computer (USCC) is an example of what can be built using commodity components for the creation of a high performance computer cluster. Built just over three years ago, the USCC uses 160 Intel ‘Woodcrest’ Cores running in 40 compute nodes and can be booted into either Windows or Linux operating systems.
The talk will focus on three key areas:
a) The system architecture and construction – size really matters!
b) Examples of recent uses being made of the system – how effective is the USCC?
c) The development of teaching resources for use by staff and students interested in applications to be run on the USCC.
In addition to the talk, attendees will also get the chance to visit the facility and see a variety of visual applications running on the cluster.
The talk will be given by R L Warrender, who is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computing at the University of Sunderland. As well as teaching within the Computing Department, he is also studying for his Professional Doctorate developing a Framework for Efficient Cluster Computing Services in a Collaborative University Environment.
The tour of the USCC facility and demonstration will be given by Professor John Tindle who designed the USCC system.
SCENE – Sustainable Communities and Environments North East
We would like to invite you to the SCENE launch conference on Thursday 18th November 2010 at the Assembly Rooms, Newcastle.
SCENE is a brand new venture from Newcastle College as part of their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. The four key strands of SCENE are corporate social responsibility, carbon reduction, sustainable development and community cohesion. SCENE works with schools and communities in the North East to raise awareness of and educate about climate change and sustainable development issues both regionally and globally.
The conference is suitable for teachers, sixth form students, community groups and any interested businesses. Please forward to any colleagues who might be interested.
The agenda for the day is as follows:
08.00 Arrivals / Teas and Coffees
09.00 Lynda Evans – Welcome and introduction to SCENE
09.15 Speaker – Ann Finlayson, SEEd Director
10.00 Workshop 1
11.00 Break
11.30 Workshop 2
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Workshop 3
14.30 Speaker – Adrian Hilton – Climate North East
15.15 Thank you and Close
Please contact Lizzie Lunn at elizabeth.lunn@ncl-coll.ac.uk or on 0191 200 4453 to register your attendance or if you have any queries.
For more information on SCENE and to register please visit www.scenelink.org
Organisation
Workshop Name
Description
Climate Change Schools Project
CCSP’s Adaptation Challenge (AC)
Newcastle College has just become a Climate Change Lead School. This workshop will discuss how Newcastle College could lead on an AC project in Newcastle. Examples of other wonderful projects taking place by the Lead Schools around the region to give ideas.
ActionAid
Power Down
ActionAid provides award-winning resources, lesson ideas, participatory and visual materials, information on assemblies and workshops from ActionAid’s network of teachers, to inspire, amaze and explore.
Sustaine
Brighter Futures Together toolkit
Participants will have the opportunity to hear more about the Brighter Futures Together toolkit, learn more about sustainability and explore how they can begin to take action to improve their own local neighbourhoods.
The Great Debate
The Great Debate ‘taster’ workshop
A two-session workshop introducing sixth form students to the world of debate, showcasing the work of The Great Debate and RCE North East. The aim is to encourage young people to engage in serious discussion of contemporary issues.Students will be given a topic to research prior to attending the workshop.
Team Kenya
Climate Change Connections
Ecotourism In Kenya
Tourism Concern
Exploration of the human and environmental costs of unsustainable tourism.
This workshop will explore the human and environmental costs of unsustainable tourism, through the stories and photos presented in Tourism Concern’s exhibition ‘Demonstration Tsunami’ documenting what has happened to India’s coastal communities in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.
Newcastle City Council and North East Skills
Enviro Schools and Schools Against Waste
Workshop about how the Newcastle City Councils Enviro Schools Programme engages with schools on sustainability issues and what the Schools Against Waste programme is, how schools can access this free resource and why we have develop it.
Energy Saving Trust
Carbon Reduction
Practical ways to tackle Carbon Reduction.
SCENE, Newcastle College
SCENE Ambassadors
SCENE Ambassadors are sixth form students who create a resource related to the SCENE strands (e.g. climate change) and deliver it in primary schools.
Fundraising Skills UK Ltd
Fundraising
Introduction to fundraising and factors in fundraising success.
OPAL
Learning to lead environmental surveys
A workshop on environmental surveys.
John Muir Award
Environmental Award
The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme which encourages people of all backgrounds to connect, enjoy and care for wild places
Come and find us at the Assembly Rooms (Newcastle) Ltd, Fenkle Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5XU
Pearson Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting resource that promotes STEM in schools.
The ‘F1 in Schools Curriculum Resource’ enables students to follow the steps that a professional team would take in preparing to race a car.
It prepares students for the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge, a multi-disciplinary contest in which teams of students use computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacture (CAM) software to design, analyse, manufacture, test and then race miniature balsa wood racing cars powered by compressed gas.
Intended to develop students’ interest in, and knowledge of, engineering and design, the ‘F1 in Schools Curriculum Resource’ enables schools to run a cross-curricular project. It is an excellent way to move STEM work from after-school clubs to timetabled classroom activities, and thereby give STEM more prominence in school life.
The resource is provided online, and an annual subscription costs just £295+VAT per school. Discounts are available if several schools purchase together; please contact us for further details. You can also encourage schools in your area to subscribe by sending them the following link to an information site, which is at: http://www.parsonpublishing.co.uk/fscr/
To view a brief demonstration of the ‘F1 in Schools Curriculum Resource’ (Bloodhound SSC), enter the user name ‘demo’ and the password ‘password’ at: http://fscr.pearson.co.uk
This edition of the ‘F1 in Schools Curriculum Resource’ is for the 9-14 age group and Bloodhound SSC level of the challenge; subsequent editions for the F1 Class level will be available shortly.
To express your interest in editions for the 11-14 or 15-19 age group at the F1 Class level of the challenge, or for any other queries about the ‘F1 in Schools Curriculum Resource’, please email fscr@pearson.co.uk or call 01223 350555.
The Make a Mint Challenge is a stimulating, two stage competition open to young people aged 14 – 19 from across Newcastle. The competition encourages young people to develop key business skills, gain an innovative approach to problem solving and generate real business solutions for a future world. Each Challenge invites young people to consider the next generation of innovative products and how they meet the needs of a future marketplace.
The Challenge is in 2 stages:
Gateway Stage 22nd September – 20th October 2010
Individuals are challenged to generate ideas, designs and applications for new products meeting the brief provided. Ideas must be exciting, innovative and eye-catching. Entrants work individually and submit entries online.
Challenge Final 16th November 2010
A design and build teamwork stage held at the Spark in the Park Festival at St James Park on 16th November 2010. The Challenge Final includes business rigour, planning, teamwork and budgeting. The overall winner will be the team that best meets the Final Challenge brief in an innovative and practical way.
To enter the Make a Mint Challenge, students must register their details and complete the online Gateway Challenge no later than Wednesday 20th October 2010.
The Challenge is run in conjunction with Newcastle City Council and the Make your Mark campaign and offers the opportunity to take part in a business ideas competition that celebrates and stimulates enterprise skills and talents. The challenge is free to enter and offers the opportunity for individuals to win prizes for themselves and recognition for their schools /youth groups.
Please click on the link below to find out more about the challenge or alternatively download a information pack.
The School of Marine Science and Technology at Newcastle University is holding a Marine Science conference on Wednesday 15th December 2010 and wondered if you would be interested in bringing along your A-level Biology students to participate in the event. The conference has been organised by a committee of final year Marine Science undergraduates with speakers from a range of universities in the north. The day will be run in the style of a scientific conference with poster sessions and information stands.
The theme of the event is ‘easing transition’ and the conference is a novel opportunity for A-level students hoping to go to University to study a science-based subject to gain experience of how oral and poster presentations play an important role in assessment and to hear more about life at University from students themselves.
The day will start at 9:30 am with registration and refreshments, with the talks beginning at 10:00 am and lasting until around 3:00 pm. All refreshments and food will be provided and each participant will receive a conference bag. After the afternoon break there will be a chance for pupils to ask current Newcastle students about university life, studying at Newcastle, the marine science programmes etc in a question and answer panel. The day will finish no later than 4:15 pm.
For further information or to book your place at the event please contact Sara Marsham (sara.marsham@ncl.ac.uk or 0191 222 3056)
Over the summer we have run our “Splashdown” summer schools.
This year, we ran two week long schools, one for Key Stage 2 and one for Key stage 3 pupils.
Children come for 5 days and get involved in science explorations of the natural environment. We focus strongly on marine habitats, but also investigate rivers, woodland and sand dune habitats. Pupils can use our microscope, aquarium and science facilities to plan their own projects, and in past years, these have been submitted for Crest awards. The week is very enjoyable with plenty of opportunities for fun, and to make new friends.
There is a fee involved and registration forms for next year’s summer school will be downloadable from our website, certainly from February 2011 onwards. There are some places offered for free and schools can contact us to find out more information regarding these.
We are planning our “Inspiring Oceans” careers event for 1st December. This will be a repeat of last year’s great success where lots of companies from science, technology and marine related organisations come along to offer advice, and hands-on activities to school groups. There will be bookable interactive activities, careers talks, and lots of prizes to be won. This event is free of charge, but booking is essential. It is aimed at pupils of 14-15 years and older.
We are also holding a “Marine Science conference” on Wednesday 15th December 2010 open to A-level Biology students. The conference has been organised by a committee of final year Marine Science undergraduates with speakers from a range of universities in the north. The day will be run in the style of a scientific conference with poster sessions and information stands.
WE are advertising our “X-factor” competition, which is spelt “ECS factor” – Environmental Consultancy Solutions. Teams (up to 4 pupils) can register to participate, and will role-play as a team of scientists working to solve a particular problem. They should identify a topic of their own choosing related to the marine environment.
This could be:
· a study of a given species or habitat,
· it could be a threat to marine diversity,
· or a problem related to food harvesting from the oceans,
· it could also be a technology or engineering problem related to the marine environment,
· perhaps something to do with renewable energy
· the topics are limitless as long as they are related to marine issues.
The pupils should research this topic and come up with solutions to the problem.
Guidelines can be sent out on competition submission criteria.
Winning teams (submission deadline is in early March 2011) will get a day out at sea on the University’s new research vessel to conduct scientific surveys of marine habitats with a team of professional marine biologists.
We also offer a comprehensive programme of activities for schools on STEM activities. Schools can book challenging and well structured days throughout the year. These can be fieldcourse or lab-class based. We accommodate all age groups.
At Centre for Life there are opportunities for students of all ages, from reception class to sixth form, to discover more about science through exciting, hands-on activities. We offer a programme of over 90 curriculum-linked science workshops, available on demand throughout the year and covering topics from electricity to Ancient Egyptian mummification. For more information see our website www.life.org.uk/education and if we don’t have what you’re looking for just contact education@life.org.uk or call (0191) 243 8211.
We have some exciting opportunities for sixth-formers coming up this term. A-level Biology classes can take part in our new, cutting edge PCR workshop, ‘A Question of Taste’ and for those interested in medicine, we are running our popular Mini Medical School, a six-week evening course featuring local university experts starting on 7th October (details at www.life.org.uk/life-science-centre).
For those wanting to do some science in their spare time, our Science Club for 6-14 year olds involves hands-on experiments and things to make around a different theme each month (details at www.life.org.uk – search for Science Club). New for this year are our weekend Science Sessions for teenagers (13 and above). No membership is required to attend the sessions, anyone interested can join the Facebook group (Newcastle ScienceSessions) or sign up to the mailing list on sciencesessions@life.org.uk and book into sessions that they’d like to attend. Topics for science sessions are decided collaboratively between Life staff and the participants and have included DNA Fingerprinting, make your own robot and (very) Energetic Chemistry.
