01 March 2004
Chalking up success for science
Hundreds of local school children will see science brought to life
in the classroom when Porton Down defence scientists join them for National
Science Week in March. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(Dstl) will be running a series of interactive science, technology and
engineering workshops, bringing together a partnership of local businesses,
industry and agencies to support and enhance pupils' learning experience.
Young people from nine schools will take an active part in sharing their
expertise over three days. With declining numbers of young people taking
up science and technology in the later stages of education, National
Science Week gives young people a chance to meet real scientists and
gain a better understanding of the wide range of exciting career options
available to them.
On 10 and 11 March Dstl is running a varied programme of events at
Highbury First School and Fisherton Manor in Highbury Avenue, Salisbury.
Students aged between four and eleven years old will gain hands-on experience
in experiments to demonstrate everything from design and build to friction
and force. In the 'Human Electricity' workshop they can measure their
heart rate and muscle activity with skin patches that transmit data
remotely to computers. 'Night Vision Goggles' will reveal how their
vision can be dramatically improved in a darkened room and the performance
of air boats will be tested with the help of the Museum of Army Flying
at Wallop.
At the same location during the evening of 10 March, parents and siblings
will have a chance to try their hand at science with a series of design
and construction challenges, competitions and quizzes, designed to make
the learning of science exciting and fun for all the family. The evening
is sponsored by Wiltshire Local Education Authority's Family Learning
Department following the success of a similar event at St. Mark's Junior
School last year.
Dstl will also be staging a Science Day on Friday 12 March at Upper
Avon School in Durrington near Salisbury for six local primary schools.
Activities include creating 'Balloon Buggies' to inspire pupils' design
skills and test performance with a series of 'road trials'; 'Marble
Mazes' to demonstrate friction and 'Beating the Bugs' where children
will take swabs from their hands to measure the number of bacteria using
Dstl's rapid-testing technology. SETPOINT Hampshire and SETPOINT Wessex
will be joining the teams to help pupils with 3D computer-aided design
and manufacture.
Throughout the year Dstl is an active participant in the Science and
Engineering Ambassadors programme (SEA) which is funded by the Department
of Trade and Industry and The Engineering Technology Board. Volunteers
from Dstl, which employs some of the country's most creative and talented
scientists, work with young people in schools to promote the importance
of science and help stimulate their interest and enjoyment of the subject.
Alison Bridewell, Dstl's Education Liaison Manager says: "We've had
an incredible response to our Science Ambassadors activities. The students
gain a much better understanding of the richness of today's science
and technologies and the career options they offer. They have the chance
to meet 'real people doing real jobs' and ask them the questions that
matter. For our staff, it's our aim to break down some of the many misconceptions
pupils have of what we do. It's extremely rewarding to help inspire
young people and see how switched on to science they often become after
our sessions. National Science Week gives us an excellent opportunity
to raise the profile of science to schools in the area, focus children's
minds and foster their curiosity for science."
Looking forward to the forthcoming science activities, Liz Chaplin
commented: "Staff, pupils and parents of Highbury First School and Fisherton
Manor Middle School are looking forward to working with scientists from
a range of different fields. Headteachers Anne Munns and Liz Chaplin
are thrilled to have the opportunity to make science exciting and fun
and for the children to experience science in the real world."
End
For more information, please call:
Sue Ellison
Public Relations Manager
slellison@dstl.gov.uk
01980 613933
07776 497701
Shirley Boards
Press Officer
sboards@dstl.gov.uk
01252 455995
07766 134768
Notes to Editors:
Dstl
Dstl (the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) is the centre of
scientific excellence for the Ministry of Defence, housing one of the
largest groups of scientists and engineers in public service in the
country. Its 3,000 strong workforce, at sites all over the UK, includes
some of the nation's most talented and creative scientists with the
brief to ensure that the UK Armed Forces and Government are supported
in-house by world class scientific advice. Dstl delivers defence research,
specialist technical services and the ability to track global technological
developments. Its capabilities compare with the best in the world, supporting
defence policy making and operations and procurement decisions. For
more information visit: www.dstl.gov.uk.
The Science and Engineering Ambassadors programme (SEAs)
The programme aims to stimulate the enthusiasm and interest of school
age young people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) by providing vetted volunteers from business, industry, education
and voluntary agencies to work with young people in schools. Dstl has
been involved in bringing science to the classroom for several years
and has worked with the SEA programme for nearly two years.
SEAs is a joint Department of Trade and Industry and Department for
Education and Skills initiative coordinated by SETNET (Science, Engineering,
Technology and Mathematics Network) through 53 local SETPOINTs working
throughout the UK. Dstl will be working in partnership with both SETPOINT
Wessex and SETPOINT Hampshire at this event.
National Science Week
National Science Week aims to promote to young people an appreciation
and understanding of the role that science, engineering and technology
plays in our lives as well as showing them the vast range of careers
available to them in science. Usually staged in March, National Science
Week is coordinated by the British Association for the Advancement of
Science (BA) and is supported by the Office of Science and Technology.
For further information/ programme of events - www.the-ba.net/nsw
or Press Officer Craig Brierley 020 7973 3078.
Schools taking part at Upper Avon School, Durrington - Friday
12 March
(Start 0930 Finish 1400)
Bulford Kiwi Primary School
Bulford Church of England School
Figheldean School
Durrington Junior School
Larkhill School
Netheravon School
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