Ignition Newsletter Winter 2009

Funny Maths . . .

In the run up to Christmas (end of the school term and all) we're launching a light-hearted mathematical/graphical competition with Camouflaged Learning… Have a look at our website for further details. Anyone can enter - so please tell everyone you know.

Pac Man v's Maths!

STEM Fluency Lab 2009

2009's Lab has just finished, and what a great 5 days it was! With creative input from regional artists and scientists, 20 teachers from the East Midlands spent 5 days exploring creative teaching, overcoming barriers, both personal and professional, and learning some exciting new skills which they are all excited to take back to their classrooms. The animation class and rainbow candles particularly were a hit! With new collaborations formed, and shared ideas, there certainly was a feeling of enthusiasm and ongoing development from all involved.

Using animation to develop primary schemes of work.

Come Alive with Science

As National Science and Engineering Week gets ever closer, we are pleased to be able to report that all our Come Alive with Science schools have now been partnered up with their creative practitioners! We are now in the process of running workshops to aid the collaborations, and these workshops will run up until January. We have some fantastic schools, practitioners and ideas, waiting for the chance to run with their creativity! With an additional 10 schools on board this year, alongside the existing 17 schools from last year, it looks like this year's events will be even bigger, better and more explosive!

Thumbs up for this year's activities!

Creative Sparks

We are delighted to announce our latest Creative Spark. Hannah Johnston is from Syston in Leicestershire, previously a student at Wreake Valley College, she is now studying biochemistry at Oxford University. As part of her Creative Sparks award Hannah is looking to further develop some research she began as part of the Nuffield Bursary Scheme where she undertook a placement at AstraZeneca. Hannah is also a keen and dedicated swimmer and is looking at how she can creatively explore the science behind swimming. We are all really looking forward to seeing how Hannah’s Creative Sparks award develops over the next two years!

We are searching for new Creative Sparks aged between 14 and 21, either live, work or study in the East Midlands, demonstrate exceptional creativity in the STEM subjects and would act as role models for their peers and display skills of creative thinking and leadership. Do you know of such an individual that you would like to nominate? For information about our current Creative Sparks please visit the Ignition* website: http://www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition/creative-sparks/ , and for further details and a nomination form, please contact Sai on sai@ignitefutures.org.uk.

ASE comes to the East Midlands!!

For those of you who will be at the Association for Science Education conference from 7th-9th January 2010, do pop along to the session on Friday 8th: Science Opportunities in the East Midlands. Ignition* has the first slot, and we'll also be announcing a very exciting national competition, with a fabulous prize of a trip abroad. Want to be the first to know?? http://www.ase.org.uk/htm/conferences/annual_conference_2010/Searchsystem/search_courses.php?Search=ignition&Submit=Submit

Sci Art Fusions

We here at the Ignition* office are very proud to have this years Sci Art Fusions films projected for all of Nottingham to see! Selected clips have been complied, and are now being projected on the side of the Theatre Royal. Next time you are in the Cornerhouse, or passing, have a look and see if you can see clips of the fantastic films, on the big screen!

Happy Christmas!

From all of us here at Ignition*, we would like to wish all of our partners, schools and supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope you all have a fantastic festive period, and we shall look forward to more creativity and STEM opportunities in 2010! Keep an eye on the website, as we have some exciting things coming up in the New Year!

The Ignition* team