Applications are open for UK Secondary Schools to apply for **free** LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3’s

Secondary Schools - Free Lego Mindstorms #TomorrowsEngineers - need I say more? 

*Applications are open for UK Secondary Schools to apply for free LEGO

MINDSTORMS Education EV3’s

<https://education.lego.com/en-gb/lesi/middle-school/mindstorms-education-ev3/instant-success-with-ev3>

and a Space Challenge <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFGw16G6ESs>

Resources.*

*For more information and to apply before Thursday 5 November click here

<http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/EEP-Robotics-Challenge/>. We’re

also looking for STEM Ambassadors/Volunteers/Supporters. Please get in

touch.*

*_Tomorrow’s Engineers Week_**__*

*Are you running any type of STEM event in a school between 2-6 November

– or would you like to?*

Your event could be:

• A hands-on activity

• An interactive discussion

• A live online Q&A

• Or something different!

We have lots of tools, templates and ready-made activities

<http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/teweek/toolkit/> to help you!

There’s also an interactive map

<http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/teweektoolkit/Activity_map/>,

where you can add your engineering activity and benefit from our

*#TEWeek15 *campaign promotion.

*Find out more about how to get involved:

**www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/teweek*

<http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/teweek>**

*_Tomorrow’s Engineers Careers in Engineering_*

*Tomorrow’s Engineers is more than a one stop shop for information and

resources about the amazing careers available in engineering. *

We work with The Institution of Engineering and Technology, The

Institution of Mechanical Engineers, The Institution of Civil

Engineers and The Institute of Physics to develop a programme of careers

resources that provide clear, consistent guidance for young people aged

between 9 - 16 and their teachers.

Resources are designed to enthuse and encourage young people and

teachers to seek out additional information about engineering from the

Tomorrow’s Engineers website. Materials are adaptable to suit both

younger and older students, cover regional variations and promote both

traditional and non-traditional routes. Over 730,000 young people and

19,000 teachers used Tomorrow's Engineers careers resources in 2014.

*Get your free careers

materials:*www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/Careers_resources/

<http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/Careers_resources/>

CANSat competition

ESA wishes to foster and support a broad range of CanSat activities across its Member States, in order to give European students their first experience of a real space-related project. 

ESERO-UK organises an annual UK CanSat Competition, the winner of which goes on to compete in the European CanSat Competition.

A CanSat is a simulation of a real satellite, integrated within the volume and shape of a soft drink can. The challenge for the students is to fit all the major subsystems found in a satellite, such as power, sensors and a communication system, into this minimal volume. The CanSat is then launched to an altitude of a few hundred metres by a rocket or dropped from a platform or captive balloon and its mission begins: to carry out a scientific experiment and achieve a safe landing.

CanSats offer a unique opportunity for students to have a first practical experience of a real space project. They are responsible for all aspects: selecting the mission objectives, designing the CanSat, integrating the components, testing, preparing for launch and then analysing the data.

Competition overview

The UK CanSat Competition consists of four phases:

1. Call for proposals and team selection
2. Teachers’ introductory workshop
3. CanSat construction and test activities
4. Competition launch campaign

More here

London event
Pop-Up Screens <http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/> is a mobile cinema that
does a lot of open-air cinema screenings in Summer and other events in
indoor locations at less warm times of the year. They are doing a series
of five films in May which lend themselves to a bit of science
commentary. All take place at Chelsea Town Hall on Fri, Sat or Sun 15-17 May,
1pm or 6.30pm, details below.

  * Alien with science commentary
    <http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/movies/alien-with-science-commentary/> -
    6.30pm, 15 May
  * Apollo 13 with science commentary
    <http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/movies/apollo-13-science-commentary/>
    - 1pm, 16 May
  * Back to the Future 2 with science commentary
    <http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/movies/back-to-the-future-2/> -
    6.30pm, 16 May
  * Shaun of the Dead with science commentary
    <http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/movies/shaun-dead-science-commentary/> -
    1pm, 17 May
  * Good Will Hunting with science commentary
    <http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/movies/good-will-hunting-maths-commentary/>
    - 6.30pm, 17 May

May be interest to teachers of year 12 physics students:-

I want to share with you the Weizmann UK Safe Cracking Physics Tournament, where teams of Year 12 students from across the UK have the opportunity to compete in a safe making and breaking competition.

Teams design and build safes which have locking mechanisms based on the principles of physics. They then put their safes to the test in a tournament of 'safe cracking'. They get to be creative, challenge their knowledge, see physics in action and have loads of fun!

I am still in awe of the brilliant ideas the teams had at the last tournament and can't wait to see the next lot of safes. You can see more by watching the following videos, which include safes which can only be opened by using potatoes, making a cup of tea or 'playing' table football! The videos are here: http://bit.ly/1scnPEP

Teams who win the UK tournament will receive a travel grant to cover flights and accommodation to enable them to represent the UK at the International Tournament at the Weizmann Institute of Science where they compete against teams from across the world.

Please can you forward this information to school students and teachers who you think may be interested in participating? Registration for the competition closes at the end of September 2014, and the UK tournament will be held on Sunday 8 February 2015.

Let me know if you have any questions about the competition.

Thank you,

Lydia Wood
Science Projects Coordinator
T. +44 (0)20 7424 6866
lydia@weizmann.org.uk
www.weizmann.org.uk

Registered charity no: 232666

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

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

#scienceclub episode 2

OK, a quick review of the second episode. Please forgive any omissions as I didn't take notes and had my two young sons creating their own brand of mayhem in the room...

The show was themed on Einstein (The real one not the Yahoo Serious one). A brief animation of his work and the History of Physics was shown. We were brought into a conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili (Whose excellent Shock and Awe series on electricity is being repeated at the moment - recommended viewing) about 'nothing' or rather what does space consist of (so ideas like dark matter & dark energy and vacuum energy featured). The findings about how the universe is expanding even more rapidly that previously thought heading towards  a theoretical 'Big Rip'.
Experiments included measuring the speed of light using micro-waved cheese on toast and Mark M. did some fridge dis-assembly(!).
The funding of big science (e.g. applied physics) got a similar treatment to last episodes piece on the Human Genome project (i.e. can we afford to fund it, what practical use is it etc) and included a disappointing sound-bite from Sir David King implying that we should fund more practical science rather than 'Big Science'.
Finally, a consideration of the fate of Albert's brain after he died and what made it different from 'normal' brains occurred.
All in all, a good episode, but in my own personal view,not quite as good as the first episode (but then I'm a biologist :-)).
Next episode will have the theme of life, death & extinction (sounds cheerful!).

4th-10th October is World Space Week

Those interested in space and European efforts especially may find this of Interest:

 

4th-10th October is World Space Week. The UK Space Agency are holding a series of 'Tweet the Expert' one hour twitter Q&As each day from 15.00-16.00. Twitter followers are invited to tweet a range of space experts, including European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake, who will be answering questions on their areas of expertise each day.

Please join us on twitter (@spacegovuk) for the event where ever you are and feel free to pass round details to anyone you think might be interested.

During the live period, simply tweet your question to @spacegovuk and the @ of the expert you want to ask, e.g. “@spacegovuk @astro_timpeake What is your daily routine? #wsw2012”.

Or send us your questions now either via twitter @spacegovuk, facebook or email steven.watson@ukspaceagency.bis.gsi.gov.uk and we will put them to our experts via twitter. Again, please make sure you indicate who you want to ask.

The hashtag for the event will be #wsw2012.

You can find more information on our website here: http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/news-and-events/2012/Sep/tweet-the-expert-world-space-week-4th-10th-october-2012  

I hope you can join us!

Best wishes,

Madeleine

Madeleine Russell | Projects and Events Officer | UK Space Agency | Department for Business, Innovation & Skills | madeleine.russell@ukspaceagency.bis.gsi.gov.uk | http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency | http://twitter.com/spacegovuk | http://www.youtube.com/user/spacegovuk

The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and is at the heart of the UK efforts to explore and benefit from space.

Thursday 4th October - Space Science - Prof Matt Griffin @ Principal Investigator for the Herschel-SPIRE instrument

Friday 5th October - The ESA Astronaut Corps - Tim Peake @astro_timpeake European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut

Saturday 6th October - Space Exploration - Ralph Cordey @RalphCordey Head of Robotic Exploration Business Development

Monday 8th October - Space Security and Near Earth Objects - Richard Crowther @spacegovuk Chief Engineer at the UK Space Agency

Tuesday 9th October - Space Careers - Emma Lord @spacegovuk Director of Policy and Operations at the UK Space Agency

Free program (Windows/Mac/Linux) - Virtual Moon Atlas

For those interested in the Moon and planning telescopic examination of it, a free program is available form Virtual Moon Atlas

Name That Asteroid! (OSIRIS-REx Competition)

NASA / Goddard / University of Arizona

 If you are a parent or teacher of a child (under 18) who is into
Space Science - this compo might very well hit the spot:
OSIRIS-REx is going to fly to an asteroid and bring back some pieces. Right now, the asteroid's name is 1999 RQ36, but we think students can do better!  The Planetary Society, MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, and the University of Arizona are asking students around the world to suggest better names for the asteroid.
Enter by December 2, 2012 to have a chance to name a piece of the solar system!
The contest is open to kids under the age of 18.  To enter, parents or teachers must fill out an online entry form with the proposed name and a short explanation of why that name is a good choice. 
Asteroids can't be named just anything, of course.  The International Astronomical Union governs the naming of big and small objects in the solar system, and they have guidelines on how to name near-Earth objects like 1999 RQ36.

http://planetary.org/get-involved/contests/osirisrex/ 

National STEM Centre Short course: Particle Physics A-level

This free course might be of interest to Physics teachers:

YHC12262 : Particle Physics A Level on 19 Oct 2012 10.30am

At:
National STEM Centre
University of York
York
YO10 5DD

apply

Cost £0.00 Free course

About the Course

Following the success of the Astronomy Day last year we are offering a second exciting FREE event for teachers of A level Physics to refresh and update their subject knowledge and raise awareness of new approaches to teaching this key topic.

Registration and refreshments start from 10am.

The day is to be led by Dr Christina Lazzeroni, Reader in Physics, School of Physics and Astronomy, Birmingham University, with contributions from staff from the National STEM Centre (ESERO), Science Learning Centre Yorkshire and the Humber and the University of York.

The event will focus on the key learning requirements of the AQA A Level Physics Specification (section 3.1 of Unit 1).

The event is open to teachers in schools, sixth form colleges and FE colleges on a first-come, first-served basis.

There are no costs to participants.

All refreshments are provided.

For further information contact: ken.fielding@northlindsey.ac.uk

This event is co-sponsored by the LSIS STEM Support Project, the Institute of Physics and the European Space Education Resource Office.

Solvay Conference photo colourised.

A magnificent moment if the history of Science (from the fifth Solvay Conference in 1927)
29 icons of science in one photo

Institute of Physics' Public Engagement Grant Scheme 2013 Round 1

For attention of STEM Outreach practitioners/Teachers:

Do you have a fantastic idea for making physics accessible? Do you want to reach a wider audience? Do you need some support to make your outreach activity happen?

The first round of the 2013 Public Engagement Grant from the Institute of Physics is now open for applications. The grants are worth up to £1500 and aim to support physics-based outreach activities in the UK and Ireland throughout 2013. Activities should provide engaging experiences of physics to public audiences.

More information about the grant scheme, including application forms, guidelines and summaries of past projects, is available online at http://www.iop.org/about/grants/outreach/page_38843.html or by emailing physics.society@iop.org.

Closing date: 22 October 2012.

Rik Sargent

Outreach Officer

Institute of Physics

76 Portland Place

London

W1B 1NT

E-mail: rik.sargent@iop,org

Direct tel: +44 (0) 020 7470 4845

www.iop.org

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

The 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition - Telegraph

Awesome photo gallery from this competition - more at URL (below)

The 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition - Telegraph

Institute of Physics STEM Club activity pack

The IOP has this 126 page publication for download or you can request a printed copy.
IFR is mentioned under the Tallest Jelly Competition that we run (And as a previous judge I can say that it really gets a lot of creativity (& scientific thinking)  from the engaged pupils).

Physics Activity Pack For STEM Clubs

The Institute produces an activity pack containing physics-based ideas, resources and activities for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) clubs.

• Download the activity pack (PDF, 10 MB)

Email education@iop.org to order a free copy.
Setting up a STEM club
If you are thinking of starting a starting up a STEM club, visit the British Science Association website.

We're NASA & we know it...

It only had to be a matter of (space)time...

I like the way they've latched onto the whole "@MohawkGuyNASA"

meme. A fun way of celebrating the successful landing of the #MSL and a possible cross-curriculum teaching opportunity?

What if?

Randall Munroe (creator of XKCD) has another web-site called "What if..."which " Answers your hypothetical questions with physics, every Tuesday"

Everybody Out

Is there enough energy to move the entire current human population off-planet?

—Adam

There are a bunch of science fiction movies where, because of pollution, overpopulation, or nuclear war, humanity abandons Earth.
But lifting people into space is hard. Barring a massive reduction in the population, is launching the whole human race into space physically possible? Let’s not even worry about where we’re headed—we’ll assume we don’t have to find a new home, but we can’t stay here.

Recommended...!

Build your own Mars Science Lab in LEGO!

OK seriously cool science project for schools or just plain interested pupils - 
One of the Curiosity engineers has published details on building a LEGO replica of the #MSL
An act of pure genius!

See the LEGO web-site for more details.

Free Earth Observation data from European Space Agency

This might be a starting point for a interesting school project...

How to get Earth observation data

How do you go about obtaining ESA Earth observation data products for your own use? The answer depends on the type of Earth observation data needed.

Free dataset

Most of the ESA Earth observation datasets are available on the Internet free of charge. Access is granted after user registration through the Earth Observation Principal Investigator Portal, which also provides the detailed content of the free datasets.