Tag Archives: Outreach

STEM Community Day at Loughborough, 16th March 2019

Every year as part of British science week Loughborough University opens its doors to the community to host a range of STEM based activities. This year there are several activities organised by my group and in coordination with the UG reps:

If you’re in the area drop by for a chance to get messy, learn something new, or just have some fun! I will be posting summaries of each activity over the next few weeks.

Science in the Park 2019 – Light Painting

I have added rough times for the images below. They are organised by group(s) for the two separate SD cards that were used. If you do not see your photo in the top, please make sure to scroll through to the bottom for the other SD card.

“I am a Physicist” Challenge

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The East Midlands Branch covers Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Loughborough, Northampton and Nottingham, with centres based in Derby, Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham. We organise a full programme of lectures, meetings and conferences in the East Midlands and work locally to promote physics, physics education and public understanding of physics.

The IOP East Midlands branch have recently launched the ‘I am a physicist’ Girlguiding badge and resource designed to introduce girls to the fascinating world of physics in a way that is accessible, fun and educational.

Currently being piloted in Nottinghamshire, the badge is open to all Girlguiding sections with age appropriate activities from the youngest Rainbow at 5 to the oldest Ranger at 18. We hope leaders will enjoy the activities too.

The challenge is in four sections:

  • Section 1: Experience
  • Section 2: Create
  • Section 3: Investigate
  • Section 4: Meet, visit, community

The pilot will run until the end of the year during which time workshops and events will be run to support leaders, such as a stand at Science in the Park at Wollaton Hall and Deer Park next weekend, or at County Day on 23 March. Look out in the Girlguiding Nottinghamshire diary for further dates.

http://www.girlguidingnottinghamshire.org.uk/resources/programme-ideas-badges/

http://www.iop.org/activity/branches/midlands/east-midlands/

https://en-gb.facebook.com/iopeastmidlands/

#Iamaphysicist

@physicsnews

@girlguidingnott

@IOPEastMidlands

@IOPMidlands

Double Rainbow

Can you see the double rainbow?

Ever noticed how the order of the colours changes for the second rainbow (red – yellow – green – blue – violet…)

Typically rainbows are formed when light is refracted (bent) through a raindrop.

A double rainbow forms when light is refracted twice in a raindrop, and occurs commonly when the sunlight is low in the sky. See here for more.

 

Useful Resources

I will be adding resources here as I find them – mostly Maths and Physics themed.

Online Mathematics Course

Loughborough’s Mathematics Education Centre runs a free, three-week MOOC – Getting a Grip on Mathematical Symbolism – designed for those students aspiring to become scientists or engineers but who lack mathematical confidence.

It will run again on the FutureLearn platform starting May 8th. Registration is open now:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/mathematical-symbolism

The course is designed for students who have some engineering or science knowledge gained through vocational qualifications or through workplace experience but who perhaps have not studied mathematics formally since leaving school. It will be appropriate for those who lack confidence but who need to establish a bedrock of knowledge in order to further their education.
This is a foundation, entry-level course and is not intended for those who already possess recent post-GCSE mathematics qualifications. It is highly recommended for those students going to university who have not studied maths beyond GCSE. Please share when appropriate.
 
Note that it is planned to run this course again shortly before the start of the new academic year in September.

Magnet Academy

Magnet Academy is an online resource provided by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory — the largest, most high-powered magnet lab in the world. It has a wide selection of useful tutorials about electromagnetism for ages 5 upwards.

Interactive Magnetic Tutorials

British Science Week

As part of British Science Week, Loughborough University hosts a ‘Community Day’ event where Loughborough locals are invited on campus to take part in various ‘science based’ activities.

This year it falls on 25th March I will be:

  • Coordinating an Electrodough workshop – for which we’re looking for student ambassadors.
  • Running a ‘Cold Science’ demonstration with liquid nitrogen.
  • Working with the East Midlands Institute of Physics to deliver several ‘busking’ activities –  for which I’m looking for student ambassadors.

If you’re interested in getting involved please let me know.