Category Archives: News

International Year of Chemistry – Be part of Scotland’s chemistry map

For the International Year of Chemistry in 2011, the Scottish Local Sections of the Royal Society of Chemistry are  organising a special activity in Scotland.  We want you to put your school on the map by researching your local area for people, places, discoveries, inventions related to chemistry.

The contacts for further information in each of the RSC Local Sections are as follows:

Edinburgh and South East Scotland – Dr Elizabeth Stevenson (E.Stevenson@ed.ac.uk)

Tayside and Fife- Dr. Richard Baker (Richard Baker <rtb5@st-andrews.ac.uk>)

Aberdeen and North Scotland – Dr Richard Wells  (r.wells@abdn.ac.uk)

Mid-Scotland – Terry Howe (tvhowe@lineone.net)

Glasgow and West of Scotland – Dr. Justin Hargreaves <Justin.Hargreaves@glasgow.ac.uk

In 2011 put your school on the Chemistry map.

The Global Water experiment

For the International Year of Chemistry in 2011, the Scottish Local Sections of the Royal Society of Chemistry are co-ordinating Scotland-wide participation in the International Year of Chemistry Global Water Experiment.

The Global Water Experiment consists of 4 simple hands-on activities for you to carry out on a sample of rain-water:

•Measuring acidity •Measuring salinity (salt content) •Purifying water by filtration •Purifying water using the sun’s energy

All experiments have links to Curriculum for Excellence in science, social studies, health and well-being, technologies.

Results will be electronically showcased as an interactive global data map at the end of 2011, demonstrating the value of international cooperation in science.

Full instructions are available on the International Year of Chemistry website:

http://www.chemistry2011.org/participate/featured-ideas/global-experiment/

Celebration of science and engineering

Organised by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry. Young Engineers and Science Clubs across Scotland will showcase their projects.  In addition, new Scottish Government Junior Saltire Prize Awards and a range of Green Energy Awards will be presented by the First Minister.  The jam-packed programme includes STEM challenges, science shows and a 3D IMAX movie. 

Glasgow Science Centre
P7-S6
Fri 10th June
9:30-2pm
Participation by Invitation only, but spectators welcome. Please contact jane.martin@scdi.org.uk for further information.

 

For more information click here.

STEM April Newsletter

Click below to download the April edition of the STEM Newsletter.

National STEM Centre April eNewsletter

Highlights of this April eNewsletter include:

–        STEM survey on the use of Social Media – A survey being carried out by the National STEM Centre to explore STEM teachers’ use of Social Media, complete the short survey for your chance to win a £50 voucher

–        STEM Badges – Enamelled clutch badges to reward and recognise participants of STEM activities

–        STEM Fairs – A collection of resources provided by the British Science Association to help teachers get the most out of visiting or running a STEM Fair

–        Technical Education for the 21st Century – Summary of the recent Gatsby and Edge Foundation conference looking at how to increase the number of science and engineering technicians

Strathclyde University unveils plans for £89m technology and innovation centre

The Technology and Innovation Centre at Strathclyde will bring together 850 academics, researchers and project managers from the University and its leading industrial partners to work side-by-side in a state of the art building in the heart of Glasgow.

Together, they aim to find solutions to challenges in sectors central to economic regeneration in Scotland and further afield, including power and energy, photonics and sensors, advanced engineering, pharmaceutical manufacturing and bio-nano systems.

The Technology and Innovation Centre’s industrial partners include Scottish and Southern Energy, ScottishPower and the Weir Group. The project has also attracted financial backing from Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council.

New technology will enable safer and more efficient oil recovery from deeper water

 

New technology is being developed in Scotland as part of a multi-million pound international collaboration to enable safer and more efficient oil recovery from deeper water and harsher environments than ever before.

 Global oil and gas solutions provider FMC Technologies is collaborating with Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) to deliver a pioneering five-year research and development partnership within the subsea oil and gas industry.

 The collaboration will combine expertise in electronics, optoelectronics, electrical power and instrumentation at GCU with that of subsea engineering and optoelectronics within FMC to deliver research and development projects for safe and efficient oil recovery and to enhance reliability and integrity in the monitoring of subsea installations.

 It will also produce innovative new products and technologies for subsea hydrocarbon production applications along with student placement and research studentship opportunities.

CUER Future Car Design Competition

To celebrate their new solar car design, Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER) are launching a national competition, for school pupils aged from 6 to 14, to design a car for the future. Unlike CUER’s car, the designs will not be restricted to solar power, but the team will still be looking for some exciting and innovative ideas.

Competition entries will be judged, in three age categories, by some of CUER’s technical team. Those shortlisted will be invited to the CUER design launch and ‘solar fun day’ event in May. CUER’s cars are developed to race in the biennial ‘World Solar Challenge’, the ‘Formula One’ of eco-friendly motorsport, which is a 3000 kilometre race across the Australian Outback. In 2009, CUER entered the race for the first time as the only UK team. This year, having developed a much improved car design, CUER will be unveiling their design at a special event in Cambridge. This design launch event is to be combined with an educational ‘solar fun day’, giving attendees the chance to design own solar powered vehicles, and an award ceremony for the design competition winners. Category winners will be announced at this event, alongside CUER’s new design, and the overall winning design will feature in pride of place on CUER’s completed car when it races in Australia in October.

 Materials and information on the competition can be found at www.cuer.co.uk/future or can be obtained by emailing outreach@cuer.co.uk

Click to download the Poster