A precursor to National Science and Engineering Week, the Big Bang UK Young Scientist and Engineer Fair opened on Wednesday 4th March by HRH the Duke of York with the words, “We need to inspire young people to be interested in science, engineering and mathematics”.
The fair highlighted the efforts of students and teachers across the UK in their participation with Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and hosted the final judging of the British Science Association Crest Awards. An important scheme to “generate enthusiasm in young people” said Crest Award Judge Sarah Brewer, This year the competition attracted 93 teams from across the county.
In the industry section, various companies and associations drew in crowds of eager school children with a combination of demonstrations, videos and practical experiments, including QinetiQ’s treadmill to train the team of James Cracknell, Ben Fogle and Ed Coats in their race to reach the South Pole. The Institute of Civil Engineer’s tasked students to build a helipad out of paper, for a remote controlled helicopter and Hetal Patel from ARUP showcased how she uses mathematics in her work to model the flow of people around traffic junctions, buildings, train stations and the future London 2012 Olympic venues.
As each exhibitor showed off the multitude of their activities, the important link to the usage of science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) was emphasised, including many unconventional careers, aiding a major blocker of uptake into science. According to Chrissy Stokes from The Psychological Society, “Science touches so many areas and just because you do science, does not mean you have to be a scientist”. All the exhibitors agreed that engaging students in STEM subjects is vitally important and Susan Clements from the Institute of Civil Engineering even went so far as to claim, “Engineers are going to save the world”.
An overwhelmingly large and extensive careers section complimented the exhibitions, providing information about all the imaginable jobs and opportunities offered by STEM subjects. The speed dating of science careers, in the Careers Hotel hoped to reach 400 school children over the duration of the fair and gave students the opportunity to ask STEM role models about their day-to-day working life.
The day finished with ‘Visualised’ a performance by Science Made Simple. The show displayed the dazzling and unusual effects possible with everyday objects. Audience-wide wows were heard as a half meter flame was drawn up in a vortex and the finale had school children jumping out of their seat gasping at smoke rings shot across the stage.
The Big Bang fair was an enjoyable and eye-opening day for all the students involved and definitely an event not to miss next year in Manchester.
Henry Lau, aged 21, University of Leicester (Physics with Astrophysics)