Crowd-sourced Chemistry & Bill Bryson Prize drom Royal Society of Chemistry @RSC_Comms

Of Interest to schools:- ----------------------------- Global Experiment!

Our 2013 Global Experiment testing vitamin C content in fruit and vegetables has been a great success. The experiment has already been run over 10,000 times. Thousands of students, from Monterrey to Melbourne, uploaded their data during Chemistry Week, making this our most successful Global Experiment to date – and you can still take part! Watch our how-to video for more details.

Bill Bryson Prize 2014
		Where's the art in science? Where's the science in art? Students aged 5–18 are invited to submit creative answers to these questions in any format, from posters to puzzles to podcasts.
Winners will receive their prizes at a ceremony with Bill Bryson at the Houses of Parliament. The deadline for entries is 31st March 2014. Find out more and enter from January 2014.

Dr Who's 50th Google doodle!

Love todays Doodle (OK I'm a geek, but then you knew that when you visited this blog...)

Big Bang Fair School Science competition

Of interest to School Science teachers...?

The Big Bang Access All Areas

Don't miss out - there's still time to enter our competition!

Share science, technology, engineering or maths related facts with your class for a chance to win amazing QI prizes! (Including a signed pic of Stephen Fry and Alan Davies, tickets to see a live recording of the TV show - and many more!)

For more information and some facts to help get you started, check out: http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/interesting

interesting

www.thebigbangfair.co.uk

The Big Bang is the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths for young people in the UK. Everything we do is aimed at showing young people just how many exciting and rewarding 

Mission X Train Like An Astronaut - Free programme for Schools - Deadline for Registration December 1 2013

May be of interest to schools seeking science/health enrichment activities:

Registration for the Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut 2014 programme is
now open! Budding young astronauts aged 8 to 12 from across the UK are
invited to take part in this international challenge and undertake
activities focusing on fitness and nutrition.  More details on how to
register are on
www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/discover-and-learn/mission-x-in-the-uk

The <http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/discover-and-learn/mission-x-in-the-uk>
Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut programme developed by the partners of
the International Space Station (ISS) uses astronaut training to teach how
good diet and exercise play an important role in human performance in space
and on the Earth. The programme is free and the activities can be used by
individuals, schools or community groups and are accompanied by
<http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/discover-and-learn/mission-x-in-the-uk/
training-resources> student and educator guides.

The deadline for schools to sign up is 1 December 2013 and the international
challenge will start on 13 January 2014. Registration forms can be found on
the
<http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/discover-and-learn/mission-x-in-the-uk/
mission-x-2014> Mission X 2014 UK webpage.

13,000 UK students from over 115 British schools have already taken part in
Mission X challenges since the programme started in 2011. Students have had
the opportunity to take part in live link-ups with the International Space
Station; visit the European Space Agency (ESA)'s science and technology
facilities,  visit the European Space Agency (ESA)'s science and technology
facility (ESTEC); learn alongside astronauts, space scientists, fitness and
nutrition specialists; work alongside universities; link up with other
schools internationally; and find out about life in space. The programme is
supported by British ESA astronaut Tim Peake and his fellow ESA astronauts
Andre Kuipers and Paolo Nespoli. It has also received support from NASA
astronaut Piers Sellers and private astronauts Richard Garriott and Per
Wimmer.

Jeremy Curtis, Head of Education at the UK Space Agency noted:

"The UK Space Agency is enabling children to access astronaut training and
nutrition regimes and learn about the science behind them. The children
taking part will also learn about space and could be the space explorers of
the future."

Tim Peake commented:

"Being fit and healthy is a key requirement for future astronauts.
Spaceflight can be physically demanding and part of my job is to train hard
so that I'm always ready to go into space. It's much easier to exercise on
Earth than in microgravity! The real mission is to encourage kids today to
exercise and eat a healthy diet, and astronaut training exercises are an
exciting, fun way to do it."

Please share this with your schools and local organisations who might be
interested in taking part.

Heather MacRae

Mission X Programme Manager

T 0781 5768699

T 01279 817370

Check out the Mission X Websites on  http://www.trainlikeanastronaut.org
<http://www.trainlikeanastronaut.org/>  and
http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/discover-and-learn/mission-x-in-the-uk

Like Mission X on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trainastronaut

Follow Mission X on twitter @trainastronaut and tweet about Mission X using
#MXUK

Mathematics E&E Grants Scheme 2013/14

Mathematics E&E Grants Scheme 2013/14

The grants scheme, administered by the Royal Institution (Ri,www.rigb.org<http://www.rigb.org>) and generously supported by the Clothworkers' Foundation, is an exciting opportunity to have a mathematics enrichment and enhancement (E&E) activity at your school and help integrate E&E in school practice.

This may be of interest to schools wanting a maths enrichment activity:

We are offering grants of up to £500 for eligible state-funded schools or academies in the UK to have a mathematics activity from the STEM Directories (www.stemdirectories.org.uk<http://www.stemdirectories.org.uk>) in 2013/14.

Please ensure you check the eligibility criteria and guidance on making an application in the grant terms, available on the STEM Directories website.  The scheme is very popular and there are a limited number of grants available. If you need assistance with your application, check the grant terms first as we have outlined what you should include.

Round two is now open for applications and will close on Monday 2 December at 5pm.

For full terms, eligibility criteria, extensive support and to apply, visit the STEM Directories website: www.stemdirectories.org.uk<http://www.stemdirectories.org.uk>.

Samantha Durbin
Clothworkers' Associate in Mathematics (Secondary)

Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS
e. sdurbin@ri.ac.ukahooker@ri.ac.uk>
t. 020 7670 2915

www.rigb.org
www.richannel.org<http://www.richannel.org>

2014 International Schools Essay Competition: What does 'sustainable living' mean to you?

This is potentially of interest to school-teachers - perhaps they could do an essay on Food Security ?


2014 International Schools Essay Competition: What does 'sustainable living' mean to you?
We are pleased to announce that the theme of the 2014 International Schools Essay Competition and Debates is ... What does 'sustainable living' mean to you?

Schoolchildren around the world (age 7-17) are invited to enter the Primary and Secondary categories. Trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in each category, and one overall Grand Prize winner will receive an amazing free trip for up to three people. Learn more here ...

Online registration is now open and Teacher Champions have until 10th February 2014 to submit children's essays. Schools/teachers – register here

Schools will be notified in early April 2014 and invited to attend the International Schools Debates at the Living Rainforest (UK) on 7-10 July 2014.

The 2013 International Schools Essay Competition (Who is responsible ... are we ready to take responsibility for the future of our planet? ) received 831 entries from 65 countries. Schools from 15 countries attended International Schools Debates in the UK and Seychelles, and the Grand Prize was awarded to Cho Su bin of Jeju, South Korea.

Please help us spread the word to schools!
Further info:
Karl Hansen (Director)
The Living Rainforest | Trust for Sustainable Living, Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire, RG18 0TN, UK
T: +44-(0)-1635 202444
F: +44-(0)-1635 202440
W: www.livingrainforest.org

Free event at JIC Norwich : become fascinated with Fungi for #ukfungusday2013

Looking forward to tomorrow (Oct 13th) at John Innes Centre (Near the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital).
We've a free family-friendly event (and not just for families) where you can be fascinated by fungi as it is UK Fungus Day.
Fungi range from the familiar Mushrooms & Toadstools to the moulds we dread to find on our bread to the yeasts that are used to make bread and beer.

The event will have several activities (arts & crafts, story telling, fungal foray (looking at woodland fungi with an expert), how the toadstool got its spots, mushroom growers, mushroom recipe tastings, beer tastings, fungi in medicine & disease, fungi used in food production (affecting taste, flavour & texture) and more...).
Come along to JIC on Sunday 13th to have a Fun-gi day!

ESERO-UK engaging Primary schools (age 9-11) about science using space theme

ESERO-UK primary school offer: Enrich the teaching and learning of science using space

21. 09. 13

During the academic year starting September 2013 the UK Space Education Office (ESERO-UK) will be working with pupils aged 9-11 in UK state funded primary schools in order to increase:

• enjoyment and engagement in science lessons and extra-curricular science activities
• confidence in learning science and working scientifically
• knowledge of career opportunities available to pupils who study STEM subjects.
• pupil attainment
• teacher confidence in teaching space topics

The ESERO team of space ambassadors will help schools take part in a range of space activities (see examples on the flyer) all designed to inspire pupils to engage with science. The project is free to schools but the school will be expected to take part in an evaluation study to measure the impact of the work.

How to apply:
Places are limited, to register your interest complete the form at:www.surveymonkey.com/s/ESEROprimary 

Closing date for applications:
14 October 2013

Find out more information in the flyer below.

Related Documents

• ESERO-UK primary project flyer

Science Slam comes to the UK in October 2013

Another event that may interest members of the public & early researchers near London, Cambridge or Oxford.

Locations & Dates:
- London: 15^th October 2013 in "The Proud Camden" 
- Cambridge: 17^th October 2013 in "The Fountian Inn" 
- Oxford: 22^nd October 2013 in "The Old Fire Station"

Science Slam is a competition for young scientists, combining science
communication and science entertainment. Organised by policult, Science
Slam has run in Germany, Russia, the USA, and now comes to the UK!These
will be the first Science Slams EVER in England. The first Science Slam
in the UK was earlier this year in Glasgow.

Each participant presents their own scientific work in an entertaining
and understandable way, in a maximum time of 10 minutes!The format is
flexible; Science Slammers can give a traditional presentation, but can
also sing, dance or act. The winner is decided by audience applause!

Early career scientists with an undergrad or postgrad qualification and
postdocs are now eligible to sign up for Science Slam.Free training is
available for all participants.

Doors will open at 7pm, the Slam will start at 8pm, and finish around
10:30pm.
Tickets are available at the box office as well as via
www.wegottickets.com (London and Oxford)
or via www.ticketabc.com (Cambridge).
£7 per person (£5 for students in London).

Open to everyone, but most suitable for adults from 18+.

For more information visit our website:
http://www.scienceslam.net/greatbritain
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/after-hours/science-uncovered/index.html

For example videos of Science Slams in english, visit our Youtubechannel: www.youtube.com/user/scienceslamenglish
scienceslamenglish>

Or join us on Facebook:
Facebook.com/scienceslamuk
Facebook.com/scienceslamlondon
Facebook.com/scienceslamcambridge
Facebook.com/scienceslamoxford

In case you have questions, please contact mueller@policult.de

http://www.scienceslam.net
http://www.facebook.com/scienceslamberlin

Meet the Hornets at Richmond Park

Meet the Hornets - Richmond Park September 2013

Despite their impressive size and fearsome reputations hornets are of necessity rather elusive creatures. Richmond Park has a small but persistent population of these, the largest British social wasps. This
'event' is an opportunity to see some hornets close-up (without getting stung!), to visit their colonies and to learn something about their behaviour, their relationships with other animals and their place in
the ecology of the park.  Other social wasps will be available too and so hopefully will be some of the  insect species associated with their nests.

Date, Time & Location: Pembroke Lodge Information Centre: Saturday 21st September 10:
30

This could be - but isn't! - an all-day event.  For those planning to make a day of it, the Red Deer rut should be under way in the park. Alternatively the Royal Ballet School will be open as a part of the main Open House event.

See also:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1IgtVVaHE7ayrPSmq8ojuJj18wbHclDe
and
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5072C26223212A8C

Young Rewired State - event for young coders in Hackney area

This may be of interest to teenage computing enthusiasts in Hackney area:
Young Rewired State if holding drop-in sessions for young coders. Please promote this to anyone you think might be interested.

When? - every Tuesday 3.30-5.30pm starting on 10th September

Where? - Shoredtich Works' event space at 33 Hoxton Square, N1

Who? - any developer or designer under 18

What? - come along to meet other coders, learn new skills, work on personal projects or help Hackney build digital solutions to local issues, all with the support of mentors.

Bring your laptop, tablet, raspberry pi, arduino or anything else you want to work on.

For more information and to sign up look here https://youngrewiredstate.org/yrs-hyperlocal/yrs-hackney

Or email  kathryn@youngrewiredstate.org

Rosalind Franklin is a Google Doodle!

The X-ray crystallographer who helped determine the Structure of DNA but who sadly died and thereby missed out on the Nobel Prize (only awarded to living scientists). Perhaps she should also be a candidate for a British bank-note, eh Bank of England?
You can read more about her in this Grllscientist blog article

European Antibiotic Awareness Day Competition 2013

Have you got an innovative approach to teaching? Would you like to share this with others?

If so, then why not take part in the e-Bug competition to support European Antibiotic Awareness Day?

To enter, send us a video recording, YouTube link or written lesson plan with photos of how you inform your students about antibiotics, to e-bug@phe.gov.uk>.

There are great prizes on offer for the winning teacher and for their school, so get your thinking caps on as the deadline for entries is July 26th.

Visit  http://www.e-bug.eu/games_home.aspx?cc=eng&ss=1&t=e-Bug%20Games for more information.

Claire

Claire Joyner

e-bug Project Assistant

Public Health England | Primary Care Unit | Microbiology Department | Gloucester Royal Hospital | Great Western Road | Gloucester | GL1 3NN

e-mail:  claire.joyner@phe.gov.uk

Tel:         0300 422 5067

www.gov.uk/phe>   Follow us on Twitter@PHE_uk

Free school places at Science Museum Live show

Free tickets for schools to Science Museum Live show

The Science Museum is offering 300 free places for schools to the brand new theatre production, The Energy Show. See bubbles set alight to create fireballs, liquid nitrogen exploding underwater and hydrogen rockets fired into the audience. It’s the perfect end-of-term trip for KS2 and KS3. Free tickets are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis (up to 60 places per school). To book your school visit call 020 7942 4750. The show is also running across the summer holidays for a great family day out.

Tell me more

Free online astronomy course

This may be of use to people with an interest in astronomy:-

In an exciting initiative, Curtin University invites you and your students to join us in our first free online study subject.

Titled Discovering the Universe through Science and Technology, the subject focuses on astronomy and will explore topics such as the evolution of the universe, the future of astronomy and the role technology plays in new discoveries.

The subject can be used as a unique teaching tool to get your students excited about science. Students will benefit from innovative features such as the use of a night sky simulation, and learn from scientists involved in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, a multibillion-dollar development that will build the most powerful radio telescope in history.

Discovering the Universe through Science and Technology will be delivered through the Open Universities Australia platform Open2Study and runs for four weeks from 1 July. Enrolments are now open.

The subject requires two to four hours of study per week, and a basic understanding of mathematics is desirable. Students who successfully complete the subject will receive a certificate of achievement they can use to demonstrate their interest in and passion for science.

To enrol or to find out further details about the subject and its modules, go here https://www.open2study.com/subjects/astronomy-discovering-the-universe-through-science-and-technology

OU/RCN competition£5000 course fees for nursing/healthcare CPD

If you're training for a career in Nursing/healthcae - hi competition may be worh entering...

Win Open University modules worth up to £5,000 to support your professional development in nursing and healthcare
http://www.open.ac.uk/platform/news-and-features/win-open-university-modules-worth-%C2%A35000-support-your-professional-development-in-n?LKCAMPAIGN=pf1306&MEDIA=pf1306stu_gen_103
Working in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing, the OU is offering an opportunity for nurses and healthcare support staff to win sponsorship for OU study up to the value of £5,000. 

Funding will enable the competition winner to study part-time towards an OU qualification in nursing or healthcare or individual modules for continuing professional development.

Who can enter?Anyone who is a registered nurse or member of healthcare support staff working in the UK can enter:

• Healthcare support workers/healthcare assistants
• Registered nurses
• Senior practitioners, healthcare leaders and managers

What's the prize?
The prize is 120 credits of fully funded undergraduate or postgraduate study with the OU in England (equivalent to one year’s full-time study) and will fund more than 120 credits of study if the winner is based in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales. The winner can study their chosen course part-time, flexibly over two years – studying with the OU means you won’t have to give up your current role or take significant time out of work.

Find out full details and how to enter.  Closing date for entries is Friday 5th July 2013

Middle of Scotland Science Festival May 4th/5th 2013

If you are science lovers and in Scotland on May 5th & 6th - you may find this useful/interesting.

Middle of Scotland Science Festival

MoSSFest

Crianlarich May 4 & 5

A new science festival in Crianlarich from the British Science Association, West Scotland

Events for all ages

All events are Free!

Crianlarich Village Hall,

Sat & Sun 10am-4pm

Science Fun

Hands-on science | the Energy Show |Cosmic Way Roadshow |Sungazing

Films|Planetarium shows and much more.

Crianlarich Parish Church| Sat & Sun10-4pm

Art meets Science Exhibitions and Film

Chips with Flair | Cosmic Way exhibition | Who has STEM Cells? | Unity Principle

Film:Torque- Energy and Wind Turbines explored in Music and Dance (Sun 12.45)

Station Tea Rooms| Sat & Sun10-4pm

CTR Wilson and The Cosmic Way

Find out more about Scotland’s only Nobel Prize winner in Physics

..try some Cosmic Snacks too!

Crianlarich Hotel|Sat 5 - 10pm

An evening of entertaining Science

Star Wars IV - a new hope, a special film screening and Science of Star Wars Talk, 5pm

Fun Quiz with a Science theme, 8pm

Crianlarich Youth Hostel|Sat from 10pm

Watching the Night Sky

Stargazing with University of Glasgow Astronomers

Check the website and twitter for latest information

@mossfest       tinyurl.com/bsa-wsbranch

MoSSfest  (Middle of Scotland Science Festival)

Crianlarich

Saturday/Sunday, 4/5 May 2013

@mossfest

tinyurl.com<http://tinyurl.com/bsa-wosbranch/news>/<http://tinyurl.com/bsa-wosbranch/news>bsa-wsbranch/news<http://tinyurl.com/bsa-wosbranch/news>

http://www.gla.ac.uk/cosmicway/

The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401

Happy 306th Birthday Euler!

Leonhard Euler was a pioneering Swiss mathematician and physicist. He made important discoveries in fields as diverse as infinitesimal calculus and graph theory.
And very prevalent in the MT365 OU course....

Next Society of Biology Flying Ant Survey

This may be of Interest.....

Help needed with the flying ant survey

We need people to sign up to receive a sample tube to collect flying ants - please follow this link to submit your address. Thank you very much for your help!

Flying Ant Survey – spread the word! societyofbiologyblog.org

The weekend's sunshine made it almost possible to imagine the summer flying ant season, so we're gearing up for a second flying ant survey. If you're able to help us collect samples, please fill in this form...

Film-making course at BBC Voices @bbcnorfolk

I attended an Introduction to film-making course at BBC Voices (Norwich Forum) today.

After some tuition we were let loose on Norwich armed only with video camera, tripod & clipboard.

We then were shown how to use the Pinnacle video-editing software to edit our raw video down to a short (< 3 minutes) film. My first film is shown above. I'm quite pleased given that I hadn't done this sort of thing before.
I intend to make a video version of my presentations used in my Food Security activity that I've been delivering to schools. This will enable me to make the activity available over the web to any school that wants to use it.
Also, my boss has an idea that involves a whiteboard animation that should be quite challenging...

M Sc Bursaries in Science Communication

Centre for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, University of Manchester Two £5000 student tuition bursaries available for MSc study in Science Communication, 2013-2014

CHSTM is offering two £5000 taught masters (MSc) student bursary awards for suitably qualified candidates accepted for our full-time or part-time postgraduate taught MSc programme whose intentions are to subsequently pursue a PhD. The awards, which are tenable from September 2013, will cover the entire tuition fee for UK or European Union students, or partial support for students paying the higher international rate, who are equally eligible to apply. They do not include a stipend or support for accommodation.

CHSTM is one of the world's leading centres for history of science, technology and medicine and their relations with society, with a growing focus on science communication. Our innovative MSc programme aims to provide a comprehensive historical introduction to nineteenth- and twentieth-century science, technology and medicine in their wider social, economic, cultural and political contexts, including science communication and the relationship between science and the public. It also offers systematic training in historical approaches to a wide variety of scientific, technical and medical knowledge and practices. We have a lively postgraduate community of Masters and PhD students, and a large and successful group of postdoctoral researchers. Our study facilities are excellent, and we have an outstanding track record of progression from Masters to PhD, and from doctoral to postdoctoral study. We pride ourselves on the interdisciplinary nature of our programmes, and cater for students with a science background as well as those arriving with a humanities or social science undergraduate degree. We offer a range of MScs including the History of Science, Technology and Medicine; Medical Humanities; and Science Communication. Our Research Methods in History of Science, Technology and Medicine degree is an approved pathway to apply for ESRC-sponsored PhD study.

The deadline for applications is 8 April. Application forms and further particulars for the bursary awards and for graduate study are obtainable from Dr David Kirby, MSc Director, Centre for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, david.kirby@manchester.ac.uk; tel +44-161-275-5837

For more information about our MSc programme, visit the Centre’s Web site:

http://www.chstm.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/