July

2016


Welcome to the July issue of the Sparxx monthly newsletter!

The summer holidays have arrived and here in Britain the sun is shining?! This month the newsletter has a physics theme inspired by the passion our Sparxx of the Month, Lauren Kan, has for the subject. We highlight the importance of illustrating the value of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the  Blog  and the Career Wall shows where studying science and maths could take you.

'Ask an Engineer Webinar' is the  Video of the Month  providing an insight into engineering careers and the experiences of young female engineers . The Organisation of the Month - Physics Girl - is a resource for fun physics videos and other physics materials including experiments you can try at home.

In the Did You Know section we have a 3D printed zoetrope which  exemplifies the beauty of CRESTA (creativity, science, technology and the arts), Lise Meitner whose contributions to the discovery of nuclear fission were overlooked and the astronomer who brought us the amazing images from the Hubble Telescope. 

In our News this month the winners of Tomorrow's Engineers EEP Robotics Challenge, the EDT 'Year In Industry' North West regional finals, a New Strategy for Engineers Without Borders and the Sainsbury Panel Report on Technical Education. For our Educators there are International Space Challenge teaching resources, Global Goals materials from Practical Action and Chemistry Week 2016 grants.

Looking for something to do over the summer? Check out the summer  physics fun with Marvin and Milo in  the DIY section, play the Plotr Careers Game and design a rollercoaster in the Fun Stuff  section. In the  Book Review  
section you'll find a link to the best bo
oks for communicating science to young people shortlisted for the Young People's Book  Prize 2016. 
Don't forget the
Competitions and Events sections!
Lauren Kan - Sparxx of the Month
SparxxoftheMonthSparxx of the Month

Lauren Kan
 
Our July Sparxx of the Month is the very determined Lauren Kan whose passion for physics has no limits and whose experiences have led her to pursue her novel business idea XperienceGo! 

Lauren is determined to get in to the physics foundation course at Loughborough University. Her self-motivation and stubbornness help her overcome the obstacles in her way.

Read the full interview here.

"My advice is to take every opportunity and find out all you can .

CompetitionsCompetitions

If you haven't already entered, check out our Competitions  page to find out more about these exciting challenges closing soon.
Still plenty of time to enter...
  • National Science + Engineering Competition
The National Science + Engineering Competition is open to all 11-18 year olds living in the UK and in full-time education.

DEADLINE: Monday 31st October 2016

  • TEENTECH City of Tomorrow
To take part in the TeenTech City of Tomorrow working to the brief of 'smarter, kinder, safer' young people, individually or in small teams, have to design and construct architectural models of buildings to sit on the footprint of an A4 card - but buildings can go out as well as up. Together they will develop ideas for the connected city, addressing issues of how we will live, work and play in the future. Materials used to build project models should be recycled or cost no more than £10 if bought specially. Once young people have constructed their buildings they are invited to enter them into the annual City of Tomorrow competition.
 
The City of Tomorrow 2016 competition is for young people aged 7 to 14.
 
DEADLINE: All building designs uploaded before October 31st will be considered for the 2016 TeenTech Civic Hackathon & Final. Entries submitted after this date will be considered for the 2017 final.

The deadline for these competitions will be here before you know it, so get a headstart and check out our Competitions page.
  • Win a Lego Windstorm Education EV3
'As technology advances we are able to improve the quality of our life in many ways. We may soon see driverless cars on our roads but our own homes can even now become connected homes which allow us to interface with them via our smart phones. In that new world, how would you like to be connected with your home, and how may being connected with your home improve the quality of life for your family?'

This competition is for individuals or  groups (only ONE entry per school) aged 14-18. Winners will be announced on the department's website and winners will be informed individually by the 31st January 2017. Entries to be sent by email to the Head of Department at david.howard@rhul.ac.uk either as an attachment, a YouTube link or a cloud storage link.

DEADLINE: The closing date for entries is 31st December 2016.
  • Artful Physics
Entries are now open for Artful Physics, an exciting creative science competition for children from age 9-18, challenging them to create an artistic piece that engages young people in physics and astronomy that could inspire future scientists. 

DEADLINE: 16th December 2016
  • Design For A Better World
Design for a better world offers an exciting new global design challenge and competition for students aged 11-14 years.

DEADLINE: 16th December 2016
DidyouknowDid you know?
 
3D printed zoetrope creates dancing ballerina illusion 

Akinori Goto's Light Wheel
Akinori Goto's Light Wheel
Japanese media artist Akinori Goto won both the Runner-up Grand Prix and the Audience Award during the 2016 Spiral Independent Creators Festival in Tokyo with his captivating 3D printed zoetrope. By applying modern design techniques to the concept of the zoetrope, a device that gives still images the illusion of movement, when his spinning 3D print is illuminated a life-like ballerina is  revealed .  

Watch the ballerina video  and a video about the process


Lise Meitner, a physicist who conducted research into nuclear physics and radioactivity, was one of the first to discover nuclear fission.

Lise Meitner with Otto Hahn
As a child, Meitner excelled in science and mathematics, and in a n era when girls left school at the age of fourteen, she was fortunate that her parents employed tutors insisting that their daughters receive the same education as their sons. 

She went on to study physics at the University of Vienna under Ludwig Boltzmann and became the second woman to obtain a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Vienna. There she met Max Planck and moved to Berlin to work as an unpaid research scientist under his mentorship. For several years she was not permitted access to the laboratories and worked in a cupboard.

In Berlin she was introduced to the radio-chemist Otto Hahn who became her research partner studying radioactivity. Together they discovered a new element protactinium.  The team gained international prestige and over the years was nominated many times for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Prize in Physics.  Meitner was appointed physics professor and initiated research on uranium that would ultimately lead to her co-discovery of nuclear fission. 

When World War II began she had to flee Germany, but continued to keep in contact with Hahn who carried on researching uranium. Hahn was getting troubling results from the experiments; every time they stuck a neutron onto the uranium something strange occurred and they ended up with a strange 'bursting' and something lighter. He wrote up the findings and submitted them for publication without crediting Meitner's contributions. It was Meitner who realised that the neutron was in fact splitting the uranium into two smaller atoms and calculated the tremendous amount energy that would be released. In 1944 Otto Hahn received The Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his discovery of the fission of heavy nuclei" and Lise Meitner's contributions were overlooked. 

Read more about Lise Meitner or listen to the podcast here.


The first photos taken by the Hubble Telescope were blurred and not the astonishing clear images of space that are received today. Sandra M Faber was the astronomer who led the team that diagnosed the telescope's optical flaw and solved the problem. 

BlogBlog

Illustrating the value of STEM

This month's blog looks at the importance of illustrating the value of STEM. We live in a rapidly changing world shaped by STEM, yet o nly a minority of young people in developed nations view studying STEM as leading to an interesting career. It is vital that young people are informed about the benefits studying STEM can provide and the breadth of careers available.

                  
Some of the NWED2016 'Draw an Engineer' competition entries have been used to illustrate the blog.

EventsEvents

July

Engineering Open House Day
Fri Jul 29th 

Engineering Open House Day sees the IET joining forces with iconic venues and organisations across the country to give children and their parents an insight into what it's like to be an engineer. Designed to be an educational, fun day out to encourage parents to support their children in choosing careers in engineering and technology, by providing them with a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at some of the UK's
most celebrated innovative engineering and technology organisations.

Engineers Without Borders UK is offering two opportunities on the day for young people to explore how engineers have shaped the world around us and made human lives better at our office in London. If you have a child and would like to find out more and sign up, please visit the website: 

Current

Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Genius
Wed Feb 10th - Sun Sep 4th

Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Genius is the internationally-acclaimed, must-see exhibition of 2016. It's your chance to investigate both the facts and the misconceptions that surround this great genius of the Renaissance: Was he the period's only designer of machines? Did all of his designs get fully constructed?
 
The Engineering Season at the V&A
Wed May 18th - Sun Nov 6th  

The Engineering Season at the V&A (18 May - 6 November 2016) will celebrate the 'unsung heroes' of design that create and shape the built world. The exciting line-up includes a major retrospective of the engineering legend Ove Arup, a display highlighting the global impact of contemporary British engineers, a garden pavilion woven by a robot, and a packed events programme exploring some of the most advanced engineering taking place in the world today.


Above and Beyond
Fri May 27th - Mon Aug 29th

Experience what space flight is really like and glimpse into its future in our new family-friendly, interactive exhibition Above and Beyond, now open at the National Maritime Museum.  Above and Beyond  is recommended for ages 7+.
 

Utopia 2016
Fri Jul 1st - Sun Oct 2nd

A 3 month-long art/science exhibition and series of talks taking place at Somerset House, all about Utopia. This includes a series of projects about the work happening in the health schools at King's, from genetics to cancer to nursing.


MOUTHY: INTO THE ORIFICE
Fri Jul 1st - Thu Nov 24th

From human spit crystals and the science of snogging to hacked prosthetics that allow your facial movements to control digital games, MOUTHY will be a season packed full of surprising experiences that invite you to get involved and connect with your mouth in new ways... 

Calendar of activities across King's College London Guy's campus and other surprising locations around London Bridge -  https://london.sciencegallery.com/mouthy/
August

Inside Diamond - Public Open Days
Wed Aug 17th 

The open day will feature stalls and activities, a short introduction to Diamond and a tour of the machine. We expect the visit will last around two and a half hours - so please wear comfy shoes! There are several sessions per day, so please select your choice within the booking system.   Harwell Atlas Centre, Didcot.

Have a look at the  Events page to find out more. 

September

London Design Festival Baboushka Boxes
Sat Sep 17th - Sun 25th

Housing has never been a more topical issue, and it is one that Shelter and Legal & General seek to address through an experiential installation designed by dRMM. The interactive exhibition will feature a series of boxlike structures made from cross-laminated timber. Victoria Gardens, London.

New Scientist Live
The Sep 22nd - Sun 25th

New Scientist Live is a festival of ideas and discovery, taking place at ExCeL London. Rooted in the biggest, best and most provocative science, New Scientist Live will touch on all areas of human life. The show will feature four immersive zones covering Brain & Body, Technology, Earth and Cosmos. For four days this September, New Scientist Live will be like no other place on earth. ExCeL London, London.

Wiltshire Engineering Festival
Wed Sep 28th

The Wiltshire Engineering Festival is an event organised by MP Michelle Donelan to encourage the younger generation to enter into a world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The idea of this festival is for students (particularly years 6/7/8/9) to meet and talk to many of Wiltshire's most successful companies that operate in the technology and engineering sector. Overall, the festival is aimed to capture the imaginations of young people to see what science and engineering has to offer and to hopefully encourage a future career in engineering. Sadlers Mead, Chippenham.

CareerWallCareer Wall
 
What can you do with Science and Maths?

Choosing to study science and/or maths opens up a whole new world and g ives you infinite possibilities.  From animal care to the weird and wonderful world of food technology, explore your life with science and maths at plotr.


 

OrganisationoftheMonthOrganisation of the Month


Influenced by Lauren's passion for physics the Organisation of the Month is Physics Girl - a resource for fun physics videos and other materials about physics. The website contains everyday physics videos, experiments you can try at home and lots more. 

Why do mirrors flip horizontally (but not vertically)?
Why do mirrors flip horizontally (but not vertically)?



Hall Park Academy team crowned UK robotics champions

Hall Park Academy team crowned UK robotics champions

Hall Park Academy - winners
Hall Park Academy - winners
A team of nine students from Hall Park Academy in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire has won the Tomorrow's Engineers EEP Robotics Challenge.


They went head to head with teams from across the country at the national final held at The Big Bang West Midlands at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 23 June 2016. Teams from Wallace Hall Academy, Dumfriesshire and Burnage Academy for Boys in Manchester were also highly commended.

The winning team of students - all aged between 12 and 14 - built, programmed and controlled LEGO robots for a series of 'space missions'. They also had to research, and present their own solution to a contemporary scientific problem - developed by LEGO Education with NASA.

Space mission robots
Space mission - robots
Erika Smallridge, Tomorrow's Engineers Product Development Manager, said: 'The Hall Park Academy team has shown remarkable skill in the design and programming of their robot and in working together to provide solutions to challenges they were set. All the finalists worked incredibly hard throughout the Challenge. I hope they will build on this success and continue to explore the world of robotics and engineering.'


The Tomorrow's Engineers EEP Robotics Challenge, supported by the Helsington Foundation, introduces students to real-world engineering, technology, robotics and computing challenges. The challenge aims to help students put school learning into context and discover exciting new careers.

Hall Park science teacher, Emma Worker, said: 'I couldn't be more proud of these students, who put in all those hours to build their robot and really rise to the challenge. Their hard work and dedication has really paid off, what an incredible achievement!  I hope this experience will be an inspiration to them and their fellow students'.  

The winning team are Aaron Bastock-Penny (13), Luke Cook (13), Ben Crompton (12), Dexter Fairbank (13), Harry Hinkley (12) Hannah Lakritz (12), Libby Reddish (13), Aidan Shaw (14) and Imogen Thomlinson (13).

Applications for the next round of the Tomorrow's Engineers EEP Robotics Challenge are now open at www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/robotics.

Budding Engineering Talent Championed

EDT "Year in Industry' North West regional finals
Zoe Lockley and EDT North of England staff members.

The EDT  'Year in Industry' program is designed to catapult young people into business to gain industry level skills and experience after  A levels and before going onto university or as part of their degree.  The nationwide event sees a total of 300 students placed with top UK companies every year including Scottish Power, Shell, Rolls Royce, EDF, Network Rail and GKN.

The North West regionals were held at SP Energy Networks Training Centre, in Hoylake, Wirral. The overall winner was Zoe Lockley for her rail bridge safety project for Arcadis design and consultancy firm. Zoe received a £500 cash prize donated by EDT sponsor and Bury-based cable seal manufacturer Roxtec. She will now progress onto the national finals due to take place in London later this year where the winner will receive £1,000.

Charity Watkins EDT North of England Regional Director said the student presentations reinforced both the wealth of young talent and calibre of STEM related business across the North West region.  "The 'Year In Industry' program enables young people to experience real, challenging, paid work which is relevant to their intended or actual degree discipline," said Ms Watkins. "It comes during a crucial time in their development providing invaluable knowledge and experience of the work place. However, the initiative is very much a two-way street. While a core aim is to enrich student study and development it also allows local firms access to the brightest young talent from across our region at an early stage in their career.

"We are thrilled for Zoe and wish her the best of luck as she now targets national success. She was one of four girls who made it this year's North West regional finals providing a positive backdrop to the national outcry about the lack of women in engineering. A total of 90% of females who have taken part in the EDT's Engineering Education Scheme have been employed within a STEM related discipline in their first job."

North West Regional Finalist Zoe Lockley and EDT sponsor Graham O'Hanlon.
"Zoe has been outstanding in her ability to grasp challenging concepts and quickly develop the skills required to meet our client's needs," said Mr Rowlinson the Arcadis senior engineer who managed Zoe in the Rail Structures team. Her contribution has been fantastic, across various areas in engineering design. She has carried out calculations and drawing work to deliver a range of bridge designs in Cumbria for Story Contracting and Network Rail. She took part in the weekend night time survey works, often in the depths of winter, supervising the coring, pitting and measuring works which are essential to ensure that new bridges can be constructed quickly and function properly in the existing environment.

Other student and business pairings which made it through to the North West regional heats include Emma Cummings and EA Technology, John Hall and Procter & Gamble, Katie Mawdsley and Procter & Gamble, John Ochogwu and Saint-Gobain Isover, and Oghenefe Otobrise and Scottish Power Energy Networks.

For more information email: c.watkins@etrust.org.uk or visit the website www.etrust.org.uk
Engineering Change:

New strategy for Engineers Without Borders U K

Engineers Without Borders UK has recently launched a new five year  strategy 'Engineering Change'. The strategy sets out an ambitious, new and exciting direction for the organisation that has had a major presence in universities and companies up and down the country for the past 15 years. The strategy lays out a path for Engineers Without Borders UK to lead a movement that inspires, enables and influences global responsibility through engineering and is well worth a read. The organisation is committed to continuing to inspire generations of people, and more diverse people, to join the engineering community united behind the idea that engineering can catalyse sustainable human development.  Find out more here.

Report on Technical Education

A clearer vision for technical education is good for science

The long-awaited Sainsbury Panel Report on Technical Education has been published and provides positive reading for professional bodies in science and the wider science community.

With this report, there is a genuine recognition that a direct route to skilled employment is needed to address the UK's productivity problem, and that reform of the qualification market is needed to achieve this.

Download the report here: http://ow.ly/G01G302sN0s

VideooftheMonthVideo of the Month

On the 23rd June to celebrate National Women in Engineering Day (NWED) young female engineers from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) and Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors (RICS) held a live chat about existing jobs in engineering.  The webinar provides a great insight into the experience of female engineers working in different engineering disciplines.




For more inspiring videos, check out our Videos page.

FunStuffFun Stuff

Plotr Careers Game 

Designed by Canadian scientists the Plotr Careers game analyses your personality, interests and needs in life to help you explore careers that could be the right match for you. 

Where could creativity, science and mathematics take you?

Play the Plotr Game to find out. 

Designing Rollercoasters

The laws of physics  are used to design rollercoasters It's all about the conversion between potential energy and kinetic energy. Learn more  in  Leanne Gunn's  Designing the Perfect Rollercoaster blog on the Science Made Simple website

Then g ive it a go!  Play  the Glasgow Science Centre 'Forces at the Funfair' game.

DIYDIY

Summer Physics Fun 

Marvin and Milo
Microwave Marathon 
Not sure if you're going to need to drink something hot to heat you up or ice cold to cool you down this summer? Prepare both with the Microwave Marathon and amaze your friends.

Click  here  to view the instructions.


ForOurEducatorsFor Our Educators
 
International Space Challenge Materials

Would your students enjoy designing a space hotel to equal that being put into space by the Russians? We are delighted to present some fantastic 'International Space Challenge' materials, developed with IET/IMechE funding by Business Language Champions in conjunction with the National Space Academy. These are now available for you to create your own very special cross-curricular event at your school. This will show how languages open up great opportunities when teamed up with science subjects. The challenge and the materials available are explained in the following document which you can download.

If you would like to pursue the idea of running your own event, please contact Sally Fagan on 01949 860167 or  sally@business-language-champions.co.uk and she will be pleased to send you all the materials you need to get started free of charge. Remote support from Sally and also from Andy McMurray at the National Space Academy is also free of charge until March 2017. 

Teacher comment: "Fantastic event. Brilliantly organised. Best cross-curricular event I have been involved with. Thanks."

Global Goals

Use as stand alone or to support the Design for a 
better world challenge

Practical Action have produced a range of materials linked to the Global Goals which can be used as stand alone, for display, or to support their Design for a better world challenge. These include a document with all the symbols and main targets; a set of images representing each of the Global Goals; a wordsearch and a short activity which can be used as a starter or to conslitate learning on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Chemistry Week 2016

'Changing Places'

Grants of up to £750 will be available to support existing local and regional networks to develop and deliver events during Chemistry Week.

In previous years these nine days have played host to a variety of engaging and inspiring activities aimed at both school and public audiences. Ultimately this week is a celebration of the chemical sciences and an opportunity for our members to share their passion and demonstrate to people within their local communities how chemistry is relevant and present in everyday life.


BookReviewBook Review 

Young People's Book Prize

Each year the Royal Society celebrates the best books that communicate science to young people through their Young People's Book Prize. The Prize aims to inspire young people to read about science and promotes the writing of excellent, accessible books for under-14s.


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