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A visit to Aviemore
29th August 2007
SCI-FUN was recently invited to take part in a day-long STEM event at Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort.
The awareness raising event, organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), was intended to show how science, technology, engineering and mathematics can be used and enjoyed both inside the classroom and in the world outside.
The hundreds of pupils who attended were given a flavour of the current ground-breaking research and development work being undertaken in the Highlands, thanks to exhibitions and demonstrations by NHS Highland Pharmacy and Highland Innovation Centre- Inverness, The Scottish Association for Marine Science, near Oban and Varis Engineering of Forres.
SCI-FUN took up a range of exhibits, including the exercise bike, heart monitor and the Batak reaction timer, which were the hit of the event. (We were even beseiged during lunch break by eager pupils, as well as by the testosterone-fuelled volunteers manning the Army recruitment stand...)
Other exhibiters included STEM Scotland North's Cosmic Dome planetarium, "The Chemical Connection" from The University of Edinburgh, and the Institute of Physics' "Lab in a Lorry".
The television science populariser Adam Hart-Davis (above-left) delivered an interactive talk entitled "What science, technology, engineering and maths can do for us", during which he commented on some of the local heroes of Scottish science, and emphasised the continuing importance of developing skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to his young audience.
| And, just to give you an idea of the logistics behind an event like this: up at 6am; at work by 7; the SCI-FUN van (packed full), and our Zafira people carrier, transporting the four of us (Brian, Stuart, Peter and Donna Dalgety) for an arrival in Aviemore at 9.15; stand ready by 9.45 (speedy setup always a SCI-FUN speciality); a full day of stand duty til 4pm; pack up and on the road once more by 4.45; back at KB by 8; home by 9. |
"STEM partnerships aim to nurture an interest and involvement in the sciences among young people, their educators and others in the community. Increasing the STEM knowledge supply is necessary for the UK to meet the skills challenge to be globally competitive and a world leader in science-based research and development."
Find out more at the STEM centre website.
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