Welcome to the latest STEM newsletter  for  Secondary Schools and FE Colleges Schools from your local STEM Ambassador Hub. We welcome our new STEM Ambassador Programme Coordinator, Hayley Pincott, who is working with us full time from November 1st. 

 

There are several new STEM engagement opportunities available for the forthcoming half term. We welcome requests for STEM Ambassadors to help with any enrichment opportunity - please contact us directly to discuss your individual needs.

 

STEM Ambassadors are still keen to offer as many enrichment opportunities as possible to learners. Please encourage colleagues to register with STEM Learning in order to receive the See Science newsletter in the future using the link: www.stem.org.uk/user/register

 

See Science have a facebook page where we will also be sharing lots of new ideas regularly - please like or follow the page.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if we can support the teaching of STEM subjects. 

 

With best wishes 
The See Science Team

The newsletter that's an essential source of information and inspiration for teachers and anyone with an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) engagement in Wales.

CONTENTS

News 
 

Local and National Events
 

Online Workshops and ongoing support
 

Competitions, Resources and CPD from STEM Learning
 
 


Are your colleagues registered with STEM Learning and receiveing the Hub newsletter. Please share this link to enable registration. 
A STEM Ambassador's involvement can engage and enthuse both students and teachers. If you are interested in asking a STEM Ambassador to assist you can make your request here. We’ve created brief guides to encourage both STEM Ambassadors and educators to use the self-service. 

 

LATEST STEM NEWS

Welcome to our new  STEM Ambassador Programme Coordinator 

Hi everyone, my name is Hayley Pincott and I’m the new STEM Ambassador  Programme Coordinator for the Welsh hub. I’m really excited about joining the team and can’t wait to help and support you in your roles as STEM Ambassadors.
 

I have been a STEM Ambassador for nearly 6 years as I really wanted to highlight the role of healthcare

scientists within the NHS, I felt these careers were often overlooked and therefore students were unaware of them as a viable career choice. I have previously worked in Biomedical Science labs within Pathology Departments in the NHS for around 20 years, in this time I was very lucky to have the opportunity to rotate and work within various disciplines from Biochemistry, Haematology, Blood Bank, Histology and a small amount of time in Microbiology.

Outside of work I have a family so my life is quite full on and busy so when I can find time to relax I grab it. I love to draw & sketch, I’m no Da Vinci but I really find it a great way to take time out, I also really enjoy reading especially anything written by Patricia Cornwell.

First LEGO League Challenge for yrs 5, 6 7  and 8 - Open for Registrations

Teams work to build and program an autonomous robot, research real-world problems and develop crucial life skills.
An amazing competition - register your learners today

Regional events for Wales will be on the following dates:

  • March 10th in Rhumney SE Wales
  • March 18th  Pembrokeshire
  • March 24th  Cymraeg for Welsh medium schools (possibly online)

See the competition website here 

Contact cerian.angharad@see-science.co.uk for more information on the above heats.

Read more 

Newtown Science Festival - I started a Science Festival in my hometown

Jamie Dumayne is a PhD student, Associate Lecturer at the Department of Physics in  Lancaster University .When he was a child in in mid-Wales he  always wished there would be local science events, and now that he's  a PhD student he had the opportunity to make this kind of thing real (and 100% free).

The Newtown Science Festival took  place at Newtown High School, Powys, Wales, on Saturday September 17.

It was being supported by Lancaster Physics which also sent the  department’s own mobile planetarium, LUniverse, accompanied by Dr Julie Wardlow.

Jamie, who attended a nearby school in Wales, said he wanted to encourage children from rural backgrounds into science.

“There was always the sense that you have to move to a big city which may put off people from rural areas from pursing science as a career.

“I had a teacher who started teaching an astronomy GCSE in his own time and I was part of a group that got to try it. But he taught in a way that showed it was possible to do astronomy in rural Wales without having to be in the big city and without fancy equipment.

“That’s why I’m bringing together a diverse group of exhibitors, to show children from rural backgrounds that it is possible for them to pursue careers in science. I’ve also tried to make as many of the activities as possible available in Welsh.”

The festival included  an exhibition room, with activities including an exhibit from Lancaster Physics using a cloud chamber to teach about background cosmic radiation.

Children had the  opportunity to build a keyboard using an Arduino electronics platform plus a demonstration of cameras to be used by ExoMars, the next European Space Agency rover to go to Mars.

Dr Wardlow said: “It’s a privilege to support Jamie’s dream of bringing the excitement of cutting-edge science to the people of Newton in a fun and accessible way. The whole LUniverse team is looking forward to showcasing the wonders of the night sky at the event, and to exploring the other activities and exhibits that Jamie has planned for the science festival.”

Therewas also  support from other universities including Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Chester, Wrexham Glyndwr and Swansea plus sponsorship from local businesses.

The event was  funded by the Royal Astronomical Society and Lancaster Physics department.
More information

We are delighted to announce our theme for the 2023 British Science Week activity packs and poster competition – ‘Connections’!

 

As we celebrate togetherness, after a period where isolation was a sad but necessary reality, ‘Connections’ is an apt theme for British Science Week 2023.

Nearly all innovations in science, technology, engineering and maths are built on connections between people; two (or more) heads are better than one, after all! But as well as exploring the importance and joy in connections between individual scientists, research groups and institutions, you could discover the different ways connections appear across all areas of science. Evolution, for example, shows us

the ways that animals, including humans,as well as well, plants and bacteria are all connected in a family tree stretching back millennia.

Perhaps you could explore the science and technology behind the internet, or delve into the ways technology has changed the world by connecting people internationally at the click at a button.

‘Connections’ as a theme offers a huge range of topics to delve into as part of your British Science Week 2023 activities.

The connection between human actions and climate change could be a fantastic topic to explore in our poster competition. Or how about how atoms connect to form chemical bonds which make up everything around us. What is water if not a connection between hydrogen and oxygen?

The human body is another topic that offers a plethora of opportunities to think about connections. Why not use how our organs are connected and work together as a brilliant topic for a school assembly, or create a poster which explores the human skeleton?

We can find examples of connections within all subjects and all around us, making it an excellent starting point for a celeb ration of science!

We’d love to find out what ‘Connections’ means to you and how you’d like to see that reflected in our events and activities, so please do get in touch and let us know what you think! To find out more go to https://www.britishscienceweek.org/
More information
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SAMHE (Schools’ Air quality Monitoring for Health and Education, pronounced ‘Sammy’) is an exciting new DfE supported project which will help us understand indoor air quality in UK schools. Schools will get a free high spec air quality monitor linked to a specially designed
interactive Web App. The App will enable pupils aged 5-18 and teachers to view and interact with the data from their monitor.

SAMHE is important because poor air quality can have impacts on pupils’ concentration levels and their health, affecting both attendance and attainment. It also gives pupils the opportunity to be citizen scientists and do hands-on experiments with their monitors. You could use SAMHE to help pupils learn about air quality and health, design experiments, improve their data skills, gain agency in controlling their environment, develop advocacy and responsibility… and much more!

We’re looking for schools who are willing to help us test the initial version of our Web App before we launch it more widely early in 2023. We want to know how well the Web App works for students and teachers, to ensure it meets schools’ needs. Could your school be one
of these ‘SAMHE pioneer schools’? If your school would be interested in getting involved, and is available to help with testing starting in November, please sign up now using our registration form here.

Local events

Welsh Chemistry Teacher Network Wednesday 7 December 4–5pm, online (via Teams)


Come along and chat all things Outreach in this month’s meeting.  We will be joined by a number of outeach providers from across Wales who will share with us the activities they provide and how to get involved.  Book here: https://edu.rsc.org/events

Explore our new career profiles (available in Welsh and English) and find out how Welsh scientists are making a difference to our world. Your learners can explore the profiles and see the fascinating careers that studying chemistry can lead to.
Job profiles of chemical scientists in Wales | RSC Education

Read more

Chemistry at Work - Friday January 27, Swansea University

 
Professor Simon Bott and his team at Swansea University Chemistry Department will once again host a face to face Chemistry at Work Day for year 9. Pupils will take part in 4 different hands-on workshops throughout the day where they have the opportunity to carry out practical chemistry activities in the department's state of the art labs.
Chemistry at Work days, funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, aim to provide pupils with a better understanding and awareness of the importance of chemistry in our everyday lives and to highlight the variety of chemical science careers.
Travel bursaries of £75 are available to eligible schools.
To book or for more information contact llinos.misra@see-science.co.uk

Read more

This is Me  - I'm a STEM Ambassador  

Join See Science on 14th December between 3.45pm and 4.30pm  on 14th December to find out:
Who are the STEM Ambassadors? How can we access them in school? How can I really easily see how they can fit into the curriculum? 
 

As a STEM Ambassador Hub, all the time teachers ask us, who are the STEM Ambassadors? What types of people do you have? How can we use them easily?
 

This short session will show you how! Come online with the team from See Science for a short session on how to utilise our STEM ambassador offers of short, 3 minute presentations and how they can contribute to the new Curriculum for Wales

To book a place go to https://STEMAmbassadorThisisMe.eventbrite.com

Read more

Igniting a passion for Education in STEM. Friday 18 November 11am - 12pm. Online

STEM Ambassador Jenny Haigh will present an introduction to free workshops supporting Areas of Learning in the new curriculum for Wales.

With her background as a Medical Anthropologist; Human Physiologist and in Healthcare vocations, Jenny delivers a wide range of engaging sessions.

Sessions also cover activties from her roles as a Civilian RAF instructor and musician.  Register here.

Read more

Quantum World: From research to teaching. Tuesday 8 November. School of Physics and Astronomy Cardiff University

This is a teachers/academia workshop at the school of physics and astronomy with the aim to deliver lectures on current research, lab tours, discussions on problems in communicating and teaching science in UK and ways to engage academics to contribute knowledge and tools to advance science teaching in local schools.

Details and registration here.

Read more

IOP Teachers Forum November 10th 

The IOP Wales Physics Teachers' Online Forum at 7pm is a fantastic opportunity to join up with other teachers of physics from across Wales and beyond to share ideas and resources. All teachers or school technicians (in fact anybody) with an interest in Physics teaching are welcome. Register here. Joining us will be Helen Francis, Janet Hopkins and Maurice Quinlan.

Read more

 BBC Maths Season

During this Maths season we are taking a closer look at the financial requirements of being one of the largest boradcasters in the world. This season, as well as our virtual zoom events for young people all over the UK, we are also re-introducing face to face, on site events at  BBC Cymru (Cardiff).
 Find out how those working in TV Programme Finance use Mathematics to inform the  decision makers to make critical decisions that have led to some of the BBC's most popular content ending up on air

The season will be a mixture of looking at the financial side things at the BBC including the roles and responsibilities associated.
As well as a practical look at some of the roles and the skills needed within areas of Data,  Data science, Data analysis, how we gather and use statistical information and the key role they each play in shaping content across the BBC.
Exploring Finance and Understanding Data
The sessions are aimed at 16–18-year-olds and students must be supervised at all times by a teacher,  whether at the BBC or on Zoom.us 

Pre session testing sessions for teachers and additional resources including laptops, calculators and whiteboards/ pens and paper etc. may be required
 
You can  register interest in the  Management and Financial Accounting- using Time Travel to make better decisions workshop or the TV Programme Finance workshop - where does the money come from .... and how exaclty is it spent  workshop taking place on 15th November in Cardiff. For more information contact stem@bbc.co.uk
 

Online events - National
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An inspiring, new, live streamed event for Primary and Secondary schools.

POP22 will feature live link-ups, talks full of inspiration and activities from innovators and experts working to tackle climate change.

When the programme is announced, you’ll be able to book for a session or two or join in for the whole day. Take part with your class or your whole school.

Running in parallel with COP27 events, join POP22 and be a part of the climate change programmes taking place around the planet.  Details here. 

Read more
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This is a unique opportunity for students to engage with speakers from leading organisations and gain an insight into the distinct career opportunities across the broad scope of the aviation and aerospace industries. 

Between the four Discovery Sessions running the 21st – 24th November, we will:

  • Introduce the UK, and worldwide aviation and aerospace industries.
  • Spotlight varied job roles across the industries.
  • Highlight opportunities to work in STEM, legal, logistical, financial, interpersonal, creative, and environmental roles
  • Identify routes and entry advice into early career pathways in aviation & aerospace.

Soaring to Success is the flagship outreach programme of the Air League: the UK’s leading aviation and aerospace charity. The programme is explicitly designed to introduce 14–to 17-year-old students with no former connection to aviation or aerospace industries to the wealth of employment options available and to provide a gateway to gaining meaningful and relevant industry experience. Register by November 4th. Details here.

Free workshops

Free Energy Quest Workshops

All state funded schools in the UK are eligible to receive at least 1 Energy Quest workshop and eligible schools can receive as many as 8! Funded by Shell, over the last six years EngineeringUK has developed Energy Quest into a well-received programme, reaching 215,000 young people through 3,150 sessions in 1,460 UK schools

Energy Quest is a free two-hour workshop aimed at KS3 pupils. Through an exciting narrative, students are challenged to save the day by utilising their practical engineering skills and find a solution to help a group of young people in danger. During the challenge, students encounter a range of engineers as they uncover the skills engineers possess and the way energy plays an important role in all our lives.

See Science will be delivering the workshops throughout this coming year. Schools who received sessions last year are eligible to book again for the new school year.

More information here or get in touch with Llinos at llinos.misra@see-science.co.uk to book your sessions.

Competitions 
BioArtAttack Competition

Get creative and submit an entry for our BioArtAttack competition!

Your entry can be anything from drawings and sculptures to models and collages of any scale. The piece of art created can be entered by an individual or as a group, including classes, lab groups or any group of biology enthusiasts.

Anything and everything creative is eligible for submission, just send us photos of your masterpieces.

Closing date is Friday 25 November. Details here.

Awards and funding opportunities 
Rolls-Royce Schools Prize for Science and Technology
Rolls-Royce recognises that teachers play a hugely influential role in inspiring the next generation, that’s why in 2004 we established our Schools Prize (formerly Science Prize) and we have continued to invest in our flagship programme ever since.
The Rolls-Royce Schools Prize is open to all schools in the UK and helps teachers increase science, mathematics and technology engagement in their schools and colleges. Our Schools Prize supports teacher CPD through our partnership with STEM Learning and Project ENTHUSE.
As a world leading global power group, we are committed to sustainable power solutions and our technology will play a fundamental role in enabling the transition to a low carbon global economy. All our finalist schools are supported by a Rolls-Royce mentor who provide an insight into the real life applications of STEM in our business. Since 2004, we have awarded over £1.6m of prize funds to over 600 schools who have taken part in our Schools Prize, helping to boost our strategic education outreach ambition to reach 25 million young people by 2030.
To enter you are invited to submit a Stage 1 application outlining an idea for a sustainable science, mathematics or technology project for development during the next academic year.  The proposed project could be a new idea or the progression of something you are already working on but should demonstrate innovation, creativity and ambition in STEM education. 
Closing date for Stage 1 applications is February 2023.  Details here.

Latest CPD from your Science Learning Partnership

Online courses for teachers

A range of free-to-access online courses for teachers at every stage of their career. You will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts and share ideas with thousands of other educators across the world. Download the calendar to see what courses are on offer and when they are available to join.

To find out more about the latest CPD from your Science Learning  Partnership click here

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