Pupils given a taste of university life
Children from Glossopdale Community College and St Luke's Primary School were able to get a taste of life in the world of Materials Science when they visited The University as part of an outreach day.
The visit comes in the run up to National Science and Engineering Week 2011, which will see several events, designed to promote the study of science, happening within the School.
Dr Nick Stevens, a lecturer in Corrosion and Protection, lead the day’s events with help from Max Rowe, an outreach co-ordinator for the school, and Stephen Pool, an artist who works with students to make core subjects more accessible.
Children from both year six and year nine attended the event, and the year nine students will be completing a project that follows on from what they learnt on the day, before presenting it to the year six pupils who will be joining them at Glossopdale later in the year.
The programme of events was designed to give the students a flavour of the many applications of materials science, and to inspire them to continue their education at university.
The day kicked off with an accelerated corrosion experiment and a demonstration of the nickel platting of copper pennies. The pupils, under the guidance of Nick and James Smith, a post-doctoral research assistant, conducted an experiment demonstrating the electro-less plating of copper onto mild steel.
The pupils then moved on to other activities, including taking a 3D journey through a jet engine and looking at artificial hip replacements, before going back to view the results of their corrosion experiment.
Jake Leyland, 14, from Glossopdale Community College, said: "I enjoy experiments. I learn more by doing things rather than being sat down."
Ben Lane, 13, mirrored Jake's sentiment, saying: "Days like this are fun; they make me want to go to university."
The aim of this visit, and of Ignition's Come Alive with Science programme, is to champion a creative approach to learning in subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and maths.
Alice Littlehailes, Headteacher at St Luke's Primary School in Glossop said: "All science can fit into the curriculum but the real reason to bring them here today is to inspire them and raise the profile of science, and show them what an exciting subject it can be."
The days visit will be followed up when Nick and Stephen revisit Glossopdale Community College to continue the work with year nine pupils.
For more infomation about National Science and Engineering Week 2011 visit : www.britishscienceassociation.org