Excite… Inspire… Celebrate!
Newcastle University, 4th July 2012
Can you spare just one day to help celebrate and reward the hard work of budding young scientists and engineers from across the North East?
The Big Bang North East is the regional heat for the National Science & Engineering Competition. It’s going to be an amazing day! Students will be educated and entertained through science, engineering, maths and technology enrichment activities provided by the Science Museum’s Punk Science, STEM Ambassadors, local companies, universities and charities. Amongst all the activities, students will be pitted against each other to win nominations to the Big Bang National Fair, and the prizes that are on offer.
We need your help! Judges help us select the winners and encourage the competitors to greater things. We’ll be awarding 10 nominations to the Big Bang National Fair in March 2013, along with a wide range of prizes.
Judges are only required to attend on the day, and you can’t fail to be inspired by the fantastic young people who are exhibiting their projects. If you, or your organisation, want to get more involved, find out about other ways here:
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)
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is committed to promoting enthusiasm and understanding of STEM subjects in young people and, as part of this commitment, offers funding to support local education projects.
The IET Education Fund is an annual fund, and will be accepting bids for funding from 1 January 2012 to 9 March 2012 for projects taking place 1 May 2012 to 30 April 2013. Awards of up to £5000 can be offered. Eligible projects must help to engage UK-based students aged 5-19 with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects, and projects must involve more than one educational establishment. For more information and an application pack, please go to http://www.theiet.org/fund
STEMNET and the Paralympic Torch Relay Team are challenging 11-14 year olds to create a spark to light the Paralympic Flame by the energy of human endeavour.
The Challenge is to design a spectacular human-powered invention for creating the spark which lights the Paralympic Flame. For the Challenge entries, pupils must produce a design for their device and present to a panel of judges. Pupils will need to provide enough evidence to convince the judges that their invention will work.
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
As you know, water is a basic requirement for all life, yet water resources are facing increasing demands and competition from users. The UN General Assembly assigned 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. Since 1995 World Water Day has been celebrated across the world, raising the issues related to water. In 2011 there were over 600 World Water Day events being held around the world, one of which was at Kenton School.
Water for the World
Over 100 people from 12 primary schools across Tyne and Wear turned up to support World Water Day and to gain a greater awareness of water scarcity issues. A range of entertaining workshops were on display to get stuck in to; from scientific experiments to mapping water scarcity on Google Maps to throwing cups of water at sixth formers – the latter being very popular! Many thanks are in order for the workshop deliverers including: the Environment Agency, Newcastle University, TDR, Kenton School, Sir Charles Parsons Primary School, WaterAid as well as SCENE Ambassadors from Newcastle College Sixth Form.
Are you an employer or IT professional who wants to use your skills and experience to help inspire the next generation? Get involved with IT education by signing up for e-skills UK’s IT Ambassadors scheme.
Why IT Ambassadors?
Fewer students than ever are choosing to study IT-related degrees at university and the sector is experiencing shortages as a result. IT Ambassadors aims to harness the enthusiasm of people who work in technology to inspire more students to take up rewarding careers in IT.
Who can get involved?
From games designers to business analysts, software developers to project managers, IT professionals at any stage of their careers can become IT Ambassadors.
What will I be doing?
You’ll be supporting IT education and careers activity in schools and colleges across the UK. Ways you can get involved include:
giving a careers talk in schools
hosting visits to your company for students
providing information about your company for a student careers website
providing work experience for students
How IT Ambassadors works
1. Find an activity
Businesses and individuals can explore the e-skills activity pages to find a suitable way to get involved with schools. If you’re an individual volunteer, you can find something that matches your interests, experience and availability. If you’re a company you can find a range of activities designed to suit a variety of business interests.
2. Get advice and guidance
A range of resources to help you engage with schools are available. Everything from templates to case studies and guides are available for download on the e-skills activity pages.
3. Connect with a school
The IT Ambassadors scheme is a partner of the STEM Ambassador programme. You can find a local school to work with through STEMNET’s network of schools. For Tyne and Wear schools contact stempoint@ncl-coll.ac.uk
If you’re planning to work on an individual basis with students in schools you’ll be eligible for a free CRB check as part of the STEM Ambassador programme.
Visit: www.e-skills.com/itambassadors
Start exploring our activity pages to find a way you can get involved with IT Ambassadors.
Can you help explain the concepts that students find hardest to learn?
“Often, the best teaching goes unnoticed and unrewarded. Britain’s Dream Teachers, created by Jamie Oliver and YouTube, aims to identify and celebrate inspiring teaching and help students get to grips with the toughest topics.”
YouTube has asked more than a thousand students and teachers as well as subject experts at Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding body, to come up with what they consider to be the toughest topics at GCSE and Standard Grade in Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and History.
The identified topics in Biology are: What is the role of DNA in cloning and evolution?; How does nerve transmission work?; Which enzymes catalyse what substrates and how do I remember them all?
In Chemistry: How are polymers structured?; How do I test for ions in a compound?; How do you balance a chemical equation?
In Physics: How is radioactivity used in everyday life?; What is electromagnetic induction and how does it work?; How do I calculate forces and momentum and what equations do I need?
Now the question is have you got the answers?
If you’ve got an effective way of teaching one of the toughest topics make a short video of your idea and post it up on YouTube so other teachers and students can learn from your approach. You could also win a £10,000 prize split between you and your school, and the winning teachers with a group of students will be invited to an award ceremony at Google’s UK headquarters.
Upload your video by midnight on 5th April when all entries will be judged by a panel of subject specialists including previous Teaching Award winners. The results will be announced on 13th April.
Event for STEM Ambassadors and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics school / college teachers
STEM Advisory Forum and STEMNET are pleased to invite you to the
STEM Forum Event
The Royal Society,
6-9 Carlton House Terrace,
London,
SW1Y 5AG
Tuesday 22 March 2011
4:30pm to 7:00pm
This event brings together school and college teachers with people who use Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in industry and business. There will be presentations on the school curriculum and on STEM in the economy. The main purpose of the event is to enable a sharing of information and views between education and the workplace.
STEM Ambassadors will have the opportunity to talk directly to those involved in STEM teaching at school/college and will be able to share examples of how they use STEM in their work.
Teachers will have the opportunity to share with those in industry and business the factors that influence what happens in lessons. Teachers will be able to use the examples of STEM in the workplace in their lessons.
A light buffet will be provided at 6.30pm.
To book your place at this exciting event, please click on the event registration link below:
The Big Bang North East 2011
New College Durham, 12 July 2011
Book Now!
Join us for a celebration of science, engineering and maths in the North East
- Enter pupil project work to win cash prizes and places at The Big Bang 2012
- Bring a group of pupils for a fun, exciting and inspirational day out
Enter the Competition
Do your pupils have science, engineering or maths project work they want to show off? The Big Bang North East includes the regional heats for Young Engineers for Britain, CREST awards and the National Science & Engineering Competition. There is over £1500 prize money up for grabs and the best 10 projects will win a place at the prestigious national fair, The Big Bang 2012.
Find out more and register here www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/northeast
Visit the fair
Bring a group of pupils for a fun, FREE, day out. Visit the fair for a full, or half, day and enjoy an exciting science show, hands-on workshops and inspirational talks from young people who have succeeded in STEM. Groups will also tour the competition stands – perhaps it will inspire them enter The Big Bang North East in 2012!
Find out more and book here www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/northeast
Volunteering programme helping IT employers to inspire students
IT Ambassadors aims to harness the enthusiasm of people who work in technology to inspire more students to take up rewarding careers in IT.
"We’re helping employers to provide meaningful support to schools by sharing our lessons learnt from the many activities that we have organised for schools. We provide companies with best practice materials such as template activities, presentations and hints and tips for volunteers that e-skills UK has acquired through years of experience."
Visit IT Ambassadors to make the most of the resources available. The scheme is also partner of STEM Ambassadors. Contact itambassadors@e-skills.com to be kept up-to-date with news and any opportunities in your area.
If you live in Newcastle, are over the age of 16 and would be interested in making short films about areas of scientific interest, a new volunteering opportunity has just become available. STEM Reporter Volunteers will be learning how to shoot and edit films and then making video reports on advancements taking place locally in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The reports will then be uploaded to the Newcastle Science City website. http://www.newcastlesciencecity.com The website already contains a great deal of information and the Community Engagement pages include an Events Diary where you can see what is going on each month. For example, the third week of March 2011 is designated as Science Week so there will be a range of events that STEM Reporters can choose to report on. Keep an eye on the website for updates. If you aren’t sure what is going on and need help to choose, the training planned for mid February will help you decide which topic or event you want to get involved in and which roles you will be most comfortable with eg writing scripts, operating equipment, front of camera reporting, editing and uploading etc.
Full training in all aspects of the roles will be provided by Swingbridge Media and all out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed by CSV.
You don’t have to have any prior experience of film-making but if you do, you will be more than welcome to join the team and share your skills with others. The hours are flexible and training times will be arranged to suit the majority.
If you would like to find out more, please contact Kath Patton at CSV on 0191 2326616 or email kpatton@csv.org.uk
Hookergate School, Rowland’s Gill, Tyne and Wear, NE39 2BX
Engineer ambassador who could help design and build a hover craft at STEM club
STEM day at Hill Top School (special school) 23rd June
The structure of the day could be five 45mins sessions and was hoping to include all the students, considering we are a Special school the abilities range from P levels to level 4, and was hoping to mix the groups.
The school day starts at 9.00 with an assembly so if the ambassadors could arrive around 9am to set up.
9am set up and introductions
9.45 first session
10.30 break
10.45 Second session
11.30 Third session
12.15 lunch
1.15 4th session
2.00 5th session
2.45 thank yous and good byes
The type of students we have include autistic, behavioural and general leaning difficulties. Each group would have a teacher plus support assistant to support the ambassadors and the size of each group would be around 15 to 20 students.
STEM day at Ryton Comprehensive School, Ryton, NE40 3AH 15th July- all day
Holding annual Year 10 careers event in school on Thursday 15th July. Have 213 students in Year 10. We break the year group down into 2 x groups of 106 approx. Half the year group take part in an event in the main hall in the morning, the other half attend a carousel of workshops/employers. 20-25 students in each group.
After lunch 12.00 – 1.00 the students swap. The ambassador(s) would therefore be needed in school for the whole day, probably to repeat their sessions twice or more. We would provide refreshments and lunch for him/her/them. Start 9.45- 10.45. 15 min break. 11-12pm. Lunch 12-1pm. 1-2pm and 2-3pm. finish (4 times do workshop)
Science and Engineering Careers at the Dryden Centre On Wednesday 7th July from 9am to 1pm.
For year 8 students
All schools in Gateshead. 10-15 students in each group- total of 180 students. 9 secondary schools and one special school. At the Dryden Centre, Gateshead. 3 or 4 stands. Workshop/practical- talk and activity. Money will be available to do workshops.
The areas of STEM they would like ambassadors from are:
Biotechnologies
Chemical Engineering
Construction
Motor Vehicle Technology
Environmental Futures
Electronic Communication and Computing
Engineering
Food Production
Health and Medical
Forensics
If possible they would like two people from the same company so that whilst one is doing the workshop with the students the other can chat to the teacher. However, this is not essential.
STEM Themed Mornings at St Thomas More High School in North Shields Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd of July 3 hours in the morning
For year 7 students. The idea is organise about 10 activities that can be one in the main hall of the school and for pupils to rotate around the different activities, spending about half an hour at each one for the duration of the morning, about 3 hours. I was wondering whether there might be some STEM ambassadors available to run a few activities.
Please let me know if you can do either date.
Big Bang North East Event on the 2nd of July at the Discovery Museum – schools throughout the North East invited.
The Big Bang North East is an event which gives students from schools across the North East the opportunity to show off their projects and hard work in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), compete for prizes, the opportunity to compete to go to the national event and be crowned Young Scientist or Young Engineer of the year, meet professionals from STEM, see displays from organisations and attend entertaining STEM workshops.
What we need are individuals/businesses for:
· Providing a workshop related to your business will broaden students knowledge of the career paths open to them through STEM study.
· Helping to judge student projects (guidance / assessment criteria will be provided).
· Provide industry input for the students’ projects (where could they go next, what could they explore differently next time?)
· Talking about careers in your field will give students a clearer picture of possible career routes and the benefits of studying and working in STEM.
· Industry displays: ranging from banners and representatives to brining along interesting and entertaining demonstrations of what has been or is in current development.
Do you think that this might be something you could be involved with? The website with more information and where you can register is www.thebigbangfair.co.uk and you can click to the North East. We expect lots of schools to be involved and are hoping the local media will come along too (I’ve been chatting to the BBC) so if you can be involved fantastic.
