Yesterday was an exciting day in the science world, when the detection of gravitational waves was announced. Scottish scientists were heavily involved in the collaboration which detected the gravitational waves.
For more information on gravitational waves, check out these links…
As part of the Scotland Counts project, The Conservation Volunteers are conducting some research to investigate if accreditation in Citizen Science would add value and benefit your organisations, learners, community groups and the recording community in general. In addition, this may develop a new route for new Citizen Scientists to become involved in wildlife recording activities.
If the Citizen Science activities can be rewarded with an accredited certificate it may add value to the activity of data collection, providing an opportunity for Citizen Scientists to demonstrate achievement and gain recognition for activity and progress.
The Conservation Volunteers would like to capture your thoughts and opinions to find out if Citizen Science needs accreditation to make it more valuable.
11th February marks the first International Day of Women and Girls in Science and will be commemorated at UN Headquarters in New York.
In December 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted a resolution to establish an annual International Day to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology. The achievements of women in all areas of science have been consistently overlooked compared to the achievements of their male counterparts. This situation is a serious obstacle to achieving gender equality and female empowerment.
According to a study conducted in 14 countries, the probability for female students graduating with a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctor’s degree in science-related field remains significantly lower than the probability for male students, as illustrated in the infographic below.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, held under the theme – ‘Transforming the World: Parity for All’ – will help institutions to promote the work of women in science and encourage girls to enter the sciences as a lifetime profession. Girls need female role models to emulate and who will give them the belief that they too can become scientists.
Parity means equality, and it is one of the purposes of this International Day to ensure that parity becomes reality. This means institutions must ensure that women and men are paid equally for the same work. Gender equality has always been a core issue for the United Nations and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Follow the event on social media using the hashtag #dayofwomeninscience
Engineering UK 2016 The State of Engineering analyses the engineering industry’s capacity for growth and details engineering in education, training and employment. Now in its eighteenth year, the report provides the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) community, Government, industry and the third sector with a compelling evidence base.
There are three overriding messages from the report. Firstly, that engineering and skilled engineers make a significant contribution to the UK economy and its productivity as well as working towards mitigating the grand global challenges of climate change, ageing populations, food, clean water and energy.
Secondly, that the UK at all levels of education does not have the current capacity or the required rate of growth needed to meet the forecast demand for skilled engineers and technicians by 2022.
Thirdly, through concerted and co-ordinated action, the engineering community and employers in particular can make a demonstrable difference by working with schools and colleges to inspiring future generations to pursue relevant qualifications and go on to careers in engineering.
Engineering is a vital part of the UK economy – engineering employers have the potential to generate an additional £27 billion per year from 2022. This is equivalent to the cost of building 1,800 secondary schools or 110 new hospitals.
If the UK is to benefit economically from this, we will need to meet the forecasted demand for 257,000 new vacancies in engineering enterprises in the same timescale. The importance of engineering is significant not only economically but also with regards to employment, as for every new engineering role an additional two jobs are created in the economy.
Applications have opened for the £1.5 million Innovation Fund to help schools close the attainment gap.
Schools can choose whether to apply quickly for funds to run projects that are ready to start in March 2016, or to consider bids for the 2016/17 financial year. The Fund is open to all publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools in Scotland which are not already benefitting from the Attainment Scotland Fund.
Funds of £3,000-£10,000 (per school) are available for projects that will help children and young people experiencing socio economic disadvantage. Applications are encouraged from partnerships of schools working collaboratively or individual schools.
Under the twin track application scheme, schools can apply:
Fast track:by 21 February 2016 for projects that will start in March. Notification will be given between 1 and 4 March.
Standard track: by 31 March 2016 for projects that will start in the year from April 2016. Notification will be given by the end of April.
Proposals should have a particular focus on literacy, numeracy or health and wellbeing. They can be new ideas, or a project with a specific focus, building on what has had the greatest impact within a school, cluster or group of schools. This may include projects involving parental / family engagement and career long professional development or those that help develop and realise aspirations for children and young people.
LEGO® is more than a toy. It makes architects, sculptors and storytellers of us all.
This spring, renowned brick artist, Warren Elsmore and his team display some of their most beautiful and intricate mini-buildings and models in our Grand Gallery. To add to the set, they will also be on-site, building a special three metre model of our very own museum.
But don’t let them have all the fun. Join us for some hands-on LEGO® brick activities from February till April. Get creative in the Builders’ Yard, help us make a special sculpture of one of our most-loved museum objects, or build your own masterpiece.
Does your school work with a community group? Community groups across Scotland are being invited to apply for a share of over £10 million Scottish Government funding for action against climate change.
The hugely successful Climate Challenge Fund has supported 756 community-led schemes since 2008, including energy efficiency, sustainable travel and local food growing projects.
Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod has confirmed the fund will continue for another year, after it was allocated £10.3 million in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2016-17. The CCF has supported projects involving energy efficiency improvements to community owned buildings, energy efficiency advice, lower carbon travel options, community growing initiatives and schemes to tackle waste. Applications for grants of up to £150,000 per project are invited now: Community-led organisations currently in receipt of a CCF grant must have submitted a completed application by 19th February 2016.
All other community-led organisations must have submitted an Expression of Interest by 5th February 2016 and a completed application by 19th February 2016.
The QMRI Public Lecture series 2015/16 is sponsored by the Medical Research Council. The lectures in the series will be of interest to pupils studying Higher and Advanced Higher Biology and Higher Human Biology. Doors open at 4.30pm with tea and coffee available, and a selection of drinks after each talk. There are opportunities for lab tours by school pupils between 4.30 and 5.30pm before the talks.
The start time for the talks is 5.30pm-6.45pm to include two 20-minute presentations followed by a 20-minute question time.
All talks to be held at The Queen’s Medical Research Institute or The Chancellor’s Building, next to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Little France Crescent, Edinburgh. Little France is located in the south east of the city, with good connections to the city’s main transport hubs.
The Institute of Physics is seeking nominations for it’s prestigious “Teacher of Physics 2016” award. The Scottish winner of this award will be invited to attend the big IOP Awards dinner in London later this year, when all of the IOP Awards and Prizes are presented.
The IoP are looking for a teacher who can inspire her/his students and colleagues, who is prepared to go the extra mile to make Physics exciting and interesting, or has made a wider impact on Physics Teaching in Scotland.
All that is required at this stage is a supporting statement of not more than 400 words.
