Ignition* Newsletter Autumn 2010
As the Autumn Term gets under way, so do lots of exciting Ignition* STEM activities . . .
STEM Fluency Lab
We still have a few places left on the last STEM Fluency Lab! If you would like to be a part of this creative, immersive five day residential held in Rutland, working with creative practitioners and other East Midlands based teachers please complete the Wufoo form ASAP! We are particularly hoping to increase the representation of Maths teachers, so if you are a Maths teacher (or know of someone who is and may be interested), express your interest using the form (http://ignition.wufoo.com/forms/stem-fluency-labs-expressions-of-interest/). The final STEM Fluency Lab will be held from Friday 26th November (pm) until Tuesday 30th November at Barnsdale Hall Hotel, following Whitwell’s unfortunate closing, and we will be offering a £250 contribution towards cover to your school, and an ex-gratia payment of £250 plus travel expenses to each participant. Have a look at our website for more information on the STEM Fluency Lab. http://www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition/stem-fluency-labs/
Come Alive with Science
Although not until the Spring Term, we are starting to look forward to Come Alive with Science 2011. We will be welcoming in 10 new secondary schools to the CAWS family, along with new Creative and STEM practitioners (artists and scientists) to join our existing 27 schools from the last two years. You may also like to take a look at the CAWS section of the website where we have added lots of examples of activities that took place during CAWs 2010 in March - www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition/come-alive-with-science/ Please contact Sarah (sarah@ignitefutures.org.uk) for more information, or if you would like to get involved. Deadline for expressing interest, 30th September 2010.
Creative Sparks
As expected, our Creative Spark family is growing at a speedy rate! Along with our existing Sparks, we have welcomed six more into the fold: Brian Fury, who is using his award to look into renewable energies and creative writing inspired by ancient science; Hugo Wilson, an engineering enthusiast who has built his own car; Josiah Ford, a graphic designer with a passion for sustainability; James Winfield who was formerly a Prime Minister’s Global Fellow (PMGF) and is now studying Mechanical Engineering with Renewable Energies at Edinburgh University; Jake Birch, a fashion photographer and materials expert; and Sophie Jones, another former PMGF, and now our newest recruit, studying Engineering at Loughborough University.
Lab 13
We can now announce our final three Lab 13s! It has been a very difficult task, but three schools have been awarded a Lab 13, and development of the Labs will start in the Autumn term. Congratulations to Kingsbrook Business and Enterprise School in Northamptonshire, Irchester Community Primary School in Northamptonshire and Bowbridge Primary School in Newark.
Sci Art Fusions
As filming continues as a result of collaborations of the Sci Art Fusions strand, we are now organising our second Sci Art Fusions Premiere. Last year we held a great event at the Broadway Cinema in Nottingham, and after the success of last year, we have decided to do it again! We will be showing all three of our Sci Art Fusion films, plus some additional films, including the East Midlands winner of the Planet SciCast competition, on 3rd November at the Broadway.
Survival Rivals
The winning team of the Survival Rivals competition will be announced at this year's British Science Festival, and their winning film will be available to view on the Survival Rivals website. The team will head off to the Galapagos Islands in late October. Runner up teams, including our very own East Midlands school, Lady Manners in Bakewell, will receive a fantastic workshop and kit from Science TV.
Top 15 ingenious inventions of the last decade
Our very own ‘Sparklet’, Sam Houghton featured on the Today programme on Radio 4, discussing some of the greatest inventions of the last decade with the library's inventor-in-residence, Mark Sheahan. Sam’s double-headed brush is included in the exhibition at British Library. The programme can be heard by clicking the following link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8971000/8971327.stm
START: The Summit
Our fantastic intern, Hasmita, is facilitating break-out sessions at IBM Start event at Lancaster House. She will be based at the Start Young section, which focuses on how young people can get involved in sustainability. For further information about the summit, click http://www.startuk.org/events/the-summit.aspx.
