Dear Ambassadors

I bring news with mixed emotions. This is my last week as STEM Ambassador Coordinator for Wales. After 11 years it was a difficult decision but the right one at this time.

The experience of working with you as Ambassador Coordinator has been inspiring. The Programme depends on the skills and dedication of your support. Your impact makes a difference.

Now I am moving to a new role at Age Cymru, recruiting, training and mobilising their voluntary network to support Care Home communities across Wales.  Many are young professionals across a wide employment sector.

The STEM Ambassador platform is a great innovation to enable STEM Ambassadors to access a full spectrum service. 

I am on LinkedIN and happy to maintain contact with any who would like to connect in future!

My best wishes and sincere thanks

Sian 

CONTENTS

News
 

STEM Ambassador opportunities
 
 

LATEST STEM NEWS


Wales STEM Awards 

Wales STEM Ambassadors and Teachers were accredited with the first regional STEM Inspiration Awards this Spring.
Hosted at Techniquest Cardiff,  STEM teachers and STEM Ambassadors were accredited as follows

Outstanding Existing STEM Ambassador

Winner Rosie Lawrence
Rosie is the key contact for STEM Ambassadors Wales at Raytheon. She has made a significant contribution to schools outreach both in North East Wales and across the border in Cheshire schools.


Highly Commended Dr Sarah Jane Potts

SARAH-JANE has shown consistent and accredited performance as a STEM Ambassador. having achieved a PhD and a lecturer post, she delivers a vast range of STEM activities ranging from primary – secondary and public audiences. 


Inspirational STEM Employer
Winner DVLA

The STEM Ambassador DVLA team coordinates a magnificent and hard to follow track record of STEM outreach. 40 STEM Ambassadors participating in events from Science Festivals, small and large scale school events, Code Club extensions and most significantly created the Code Challenge Competition for Wales.

Highly commended
Blue Gem Wind
 
Blue Gem Wind and their lead STEM Ambassador David Jones, has innovated a quality programme of STEM outreach. 
From small rural primary schools to Pembrokeshire FE College Blue Gem Wind is an exemplary illustration of a small company making a major impact in STEM education.

Newport Wafer Fab
Newport Wafer Fab is one of the major employers in the semiconductor sector in Wales. Working largely with secondary schools they have brough a perspective and raised aspirations of students including the highly acclaimed Wales Valleys Project reaching secondary students in marginalised and disadvantaged communities.


Outstanding Contribution to Widening Participation, Diversity and Inclusion in STEM

Winner Technocamps
Technocamps sets a very high standard for addressing the known imbalance in gender and backgrounds in the world of Computer Science and IT careers, the Teachnocamps team established a professional approach to engaging their Ambassadors and programme delivery in this field.  

Highly commended 


Siemens Energy and Siemens AG
Ciara Doyle 
One of the highest impact and sustainable STEM engagements is delivered through Siemens group. Under the projects of Greenpower Trust the valuable role of STEM Ambassador Ciara Doyle and her colleagues cannot be overstated. 

DECA is an important contributor most notably making an impact to widening opportunities in careers through Apprenticeships in Engineering and Aerospace 
 

National Numeracy Day with STEM Ambassadors

This year STEM Ambassadors supported National Numeracy Day with a series of videos relating Maths as applied to their working lives.
From a fun and engaging activity for primary pupils to current topics on Maths for Secondary schools, these videos aim to illustrate the ever important role that maths plays in everyday lives. Influence that is often hidden from view.

Speakers
Dr Brais Lopez Parades Data Scientist IQVIA 
How Maths is used in Pharmaceutical trials
https://youtu.be/kmFLR_B1_qE


Robert Bowen Graduate Engineer Babcock International Group plc
Maths in Marine Defence
 https://youtu.be/jtldiayu56Q


Dr Claudia Medrano Tutor and Maths Researcher
The Art of Pi for Primary pupils
 https://youtu.be/9qDm_5l_KPI


Dr David Willock Reader in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Cardiff University 
Chemistry and Maths
https://youtu.be/oOFgKJKwAs0
 
Read more
 

John Morlais Jones 

We pay tribute to the sad loss of our senior Ambassador John Morlais Jones in April.
Through the IET and STEM initiatives he supported schools for over 40 years. Enabling projects such as the Living History in Swansea film, IET workshops, challenges and much more. John even ran a local challenge for pupils to recreate how Stonehenge Engineering was achieved! In later years John attended teacher and STEM Ambassador meetings, mock interviews and more overcoming mobility issues.
Enthusiastic at every occasion, he was dedicated to the betterment of young people’s equality of opportunity.
His son Mark sent the news and commented

 “Dad was good at keeping up with all forms of technology and was a dab hand at computing, creating the certificates for various schools' projects, helping to create the website of his School Activities and in later years the use of an Amazon Alexa Show to keep in touch using voice dialling.” Mark Jones 


 
 

Greenpower Goblin Racing at Miskin 

Greenpower Goblins Race Again!


Renishaw Miskin site welcomed the return of  Greenpower Racing competition.

After a two year postponement due to the pandemic, the event was organised as seamlessly and successfully as ever!

Greenpower Education Trust provides some of the most impactful STEM projects, pupils experience the outcomes of learning Sustainable Engineering; Team work; manual dexterity; creativity in design engineering and of course the sheer fun of building and driving their own electric car!

First time entry from Woodlands Primary Cwmbran won an award for Greenest Bodywork, supported by  STEM Ambassador mentor Igor, who supervised and advised the completion of the project.

Congratulations to every school entry

Ranked 

First: Horfield C of E Primary with Sunbeam

Second: Cwmlai Primary Jurassic Kart

Third: Woodlands Primary 

Fourth: Cwmlai Primary team 2 Usain Bolt


To find out how you can help the racing teams see: https://www.greenpower.co.uk/volunteering 
 

STEM Ambassador opportunities
 

Across Wales
 



Have a Go at Engineering: support for Chocolate Welding workshops
The Have a Go at Engineering Team will run these chocolate welding workshops. They provide all resources.Information and training provided prior to the session.

Dates / locations
Pontypridd High School 4th October 10am – 11am

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/d3af9396-f2ca-4f96-b689-bcaf4056f2ec        


Ammanford Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, SA18 2NW 12th October time TBC 
https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/35a795b8-ccc0-4795-9493-23e9d70e0940

Llandudno Ysgol Y Gogarth LL30 1YE  17th October 9.30am – 10.30am 
https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/6d109ee3-651e-43e4-b744-34411f411ce3

Cardiff Mary Immaculate High, CF5 5QZ 24th October time TBC 
https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/dd872313-b78c-4343-9378-8ae11a3eec1c

Bangor Ysgol Friars, LL57 2LN 16th October 9.10am – 10.50am 
https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/332e9c04-7f74-471d-8289-c025e49f81e0

Merthyr Tydfil Cyfarthfa High School, CF47 0LS 25th November time TBC 

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/328a9093-1b08-4bf3-b5c0-313bc5bbe5ea
 
 
 

South Wales 
 
What Next? Careers event for Additional Learning Needs pupils
16th November 9am – 2pm
Pontypool Leisure Centre
Pontypool,
NP4 8AT 

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/2fcb003e-8321-4289-8233-dac821331c9a 


The event is aimed at pupils with additional learning needs from schools in Gwent. The event will
  • Raise awareness of post school options;
  • Provide pupils with the opportunity to experience practical, vocational tasters;  
  • Allow young people to see a wide range of community based organisations.
  • Helps students to gain confidence talking with employers
 


Mining and the Green Revolution presentation Q&A
16th November 
Cowbridge Comprehensive School
Cowbridge
CF71 7EN 

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/e79e4665-8de6-47b7-812e-c8db1a5a0e0c

Teacher Jamie Taylor would like to chair/host a mock debate with his students about a potential (FAKE) new mine development in South Wales. 
 


Monmouth Science Initiative 
Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm dates to suit Ambassadors
Monmouth School,
Monmouth,
NP25 3XP 
https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/abff691e-56eb-4269-a507-2414b3434a05


Teacher Daniel Jones runs a weekly initiative for Year 12 taking Physics and other Sciences beyond A-Level.
For example ‘finding the Higgs Boson using CERN data’, asteroid lightcurve simulations, building a radio from scratch. 
 
STEM based curriculum 2022-2023
Usk Primary School
USK
NP5 1SE

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/3a80ec83-f825-4dbb-8481-484b111e3119
​​​​​​​

The school is delivering a curriculum that is STEM based: Grand Designs project (Nov-Dec) STEM in Wales project (Feb) Crest Award project (Jan) REAL Science project 'Real places, Real people, Real purpose' (Mar) Making a Difference project (Apr-May) Be Healthy, Be Happy project (Jun-Jul) Digital Citizen project (Feb) 


If you think you could be involved with any of these, please get in touch. We are looking for people to enthuse and engage our learners, show them that a career in STEM is possible for them and most of all show them that STEM is meaningful and enjoyable. We are trying to pack our curriculum with visitors and visits to make science and technology come alive. If practical and hands on then all the better. Direct contact: Alice Dougal dougala1@hwbcymru.net
 
All things bright and beautiful
Blaenavon Community Campus,
Middle Coed Cae Road,
Blaenavon,
NP4 9AW 

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/6f7ff984-0acc-4564-b89d-d9fd9fdde99e

We are covering the topic All things bright and beautiful and will be learning about light. We would ideally want someone who can talk/show the children how a light circuit works so that they can eventually make their own light up Christmas decoration .
 
 
 

North Wales 
 

Have a Go at Engineering: support for Chocolate Welding workshops
The Have a Go at Engineering Team will run these chocolate welding workshops. They provide all resources.Information and training provided prior to the session.

Dates / locations
 
 


“What Next” Careers Event for additional learning needs students 28th September

Ysgol Gogarth,
Nant Y Gamar Road,
Llandudno,
LL30 1YE  

https://www.stem.org.uk/platform/activity/8fda0ec0-7466-46b5-a112-28931c8dbbaf  

This event is attended by pupils aged 14yr – 19yr with additional learning needs.Refreshments provided 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Aim of the event is 
To provide pupils with the opportunity to experience practical, vocational tasters 
and raise awareness of a variety of the opportunities available after leaving school 　　　　　　

Some recommendations 　
 • Practical dexterity challenges • Tower building • VR • Tactile engaging activity • Sensory activities