Ask a STEM Ambassador to visit your school

A STEM Ambassador's involvement can engage and enthuse both students and teachers. If you are interested in asking a STEM Ambassador to visit your school you can make your request here. We’ve created brief guides to encourage both STEM Ambassadors and educators to use the self-service. 

• Video guide for teachers and group leaders 

The  video guide outlines how to use the web platform  and  helps teachers and group leaders find the right STEM Ambassador for their activity.

Give us your Ambassador feedback

If an Ambassador has visited your school, or if you have met an Ambassador at an enrichment activity, we would be very grateful if you could fill in our teacher feedback form. Please encourage colleagues to respond.

The learners kept a CREST notebook as evidence of the hours and activities of the project. There have been regular meetings and interviews with Ms James and Dr Matthews to develop the studies and methods.
In the summer, we undertook fieldwork planned jointly by the learners. This was followed by group work according to the learners' priorities, and on returning to Year 9, they wrote brief reports on the work. ”

CRESTprojects are suitable for all ages and abilities. There are a wide range of free downloadable projects on the website or, as in this example, you can create your own project. Advice and expert input can be provided by inviting STEM Ambassadors to be part of the project.  Please contact Llinos, llinos.misra@see-science.co.uk

STEM@Christmas
 

See Science staff were feeling very festive at the end of last term after taking science activities to Christmas Fairs and Markets across South and West  Wales. We visited Cardigan, Usk, Bargoed and Caerphilly during November and December to demonstrate some festive STEM activites.

Families who visited our stands had the chance to look through diffraction glasses that turn ordinary Christmas lights to dazzling rainbow lights and to blow their minds with some festive optical illusions. However, the undoubted favourite activity was our amazing carrot piano! We used a Makey Makey kit to transform some carrots from Rudolph’s food supplies into musical piano keys – a great piece of kit that can be used with all kinds of fruit, veg and other objects. We were lucky enough to be supported by STEM Ambassadors at some of the venues who brought and demonstrated their own festive activities. Children and adults alike were amused and amazed by our Christmas Science!
 

As well as heading the See Science team, Cerian currently works in several other related capacities. She is Teaching and Learning and Gender Balance Coach at the Institute of Physics and Conference Organiser for the Institute of Physics in Wales. She has been involved with the Association for Science Education (ASE) for many years and has represented Wales as a Field Officer since 2004. In this capacity she organises a wide range of events for science teachers in Wales.

Cerian established the See Science consultancy with Liz Terry in 2010, with the mission to inspire and motivate young people, teachers and the wider public across the whole of Wales to engage with science, technology engineering and mathematics.

Cerian explains:
“I started See Science because I wanted young people to experience opportunities that seemed to be missing from their education. I was concerned about the skills crisis facing the UK in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The sector suffers from significant under-representation of various groups, notably women and people from minority ethnic groups. Our mission is to inspire all young people by providing new skills and experiences. We are also keen to raise the profile of STEM industries and provide positive images of STEM in the workplace.”

ASE Teachmeet 4.30pm - 6.30pm 14 January Bangor 

Lab 2 Trefenai, School of Education, Normal Site, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2PZ
Information and booking here.

ASE Techmeet 1.30pm - 3.30pm 21 January 2020 Newport

University of South Wales - Newport Campus, Kingsway , Newport NP20 1HG
Information and booking here.

ASE Teachmeet 4.30pm - 6.00pm 21 January 2020 Newport

University of South Wales - Newport Campus, Kingsway , Newport NP20 1HG ,
Information and booking here.

All welcome: students, teachers and NQTs. Members and non-members. Join the ASE , The Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Physics and share good practice and great science together. 

Cardiff Science Festival  15-18 February 2020

Cardiff Science Festival takes over Wales’ capital to inspire and educate. We showcase science, technology, engineering and maths, integrating them into the capital city of Wales. The four-day festival spreads throughout Cardiff’s libraries, cafes, bars and streets, with hidden events for your to discover.

Our aim is to celebrate science, technology, engineering and maths, and how they affect our every day lives. We bring science to you, with a range of events that are guaranteed to captivate and teach you something new.

Cardiff is a hub for science research and world-renowned science communicators. By following our map around the city, you can learn something new from the best researchers and communicators, right on your doorstep.

More information here.

UK Youth Rocketry Challenge 2020

Do you know a team of young people aged 11 - 18 who...

• Has a strong interest in design, maths, science, technology and engineering
• Thrives with team problem solving
• Would relish the opportunity to network with business and industry aviation leaders?

If so then the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge is for them.

The UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKRoC) is a great way to engage the next generation of engineers with practical experience of building and executing complex missions. This is an exciting way to learn more about maths and science, with the UK winners getting the chance to compete against teams from France, USA and Japan at the International Finals.

All details here. Closing date for registration is February 28.

Could your 2,000 words make a difference?

Are you passionate about caring for our planet?  Are you worried about climate change?  Do you wonder about the kind of world your generation will inherit?  If it were up to you, what would you like to change?

If you're aged between 15 and 18, and you’re interested in answering any of those questions, Eurostar has partnered with the Young People's Trust for the Environment (YPTE) to create ‘2,000 Words to Change the World’ a new competition that’s especially for you!

Your challenge is to write an essay (maximum 2,000 words) answering any ONE of the following questions:-

• Is it possible for development to truly be sustainable? Is industry without impact a myth?
• How can we live in a world without waste?
• In an increasingly globalized world, how can we travel more responsibly?
• Wherever we live on Earth, climate change is everyone’s problem.  How can we work together to limit global temperature increases?

Details here. Closing date January 21 2020.

CREST funding for underrepresented audiences 

Grants of up to £300 are now available to support schools and organisations in Wales to run CREST Awards with young people who do not typically engage in STEM.

Apply now for up to £300 to spend on support costs for running the Awards, such as CPD for school staff, supply teacher cover, CREST link schemes or a delivery partner, consumables or equipment.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 22 January 2020

STFC Wonder Match

Are you a community based organisation who is keen to support their members to engage with science and engineering?

Are you a scientist or engineer who has a hunger to share the wonder of your research with others?

This is your chance to collaborate and bid for up to £1,000 to help develop exciting engagement projects!

Wonder Match is the perfect opportunity for community organisations and researchers to meet together and develop ideas for engagement activities. Based on a highly effective approach, Wonder Match is a series of partnership-building events designed to support community organisations and researchers to work together to encourage diverse audiences to engage with science.

Details here