Students Get Mobile with the Smallpeice Trust
Leamington Spa, United Kingdom, July 17, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Forty teenagers from across the UK have had the unique opportunity earlier this month to explore the engineering behind modern mobile communications.
Organised by educational charity, The Smallpeice Trust and working in collaboration with the School of Engineering at Cardiff University, students gained a valuable practical knowledge of the principles, systems and technologies that constitute the expanding world of mobile communications.
During the residential course, students attended lectures by academics, keynote industry speakers and laboratory sessions which were designed to develop their understanding of the subject. Hands-on workshops included an opportunity to use software to design, develop, explore and prototype communication system components. The programme included an opportunity to see the inside of a BBC Outside Broadcasting Unit and a visit to power management leader International Rectifier.
As part of the course, students spent a day working with engineers from a leading multi-disciplinary engineering company, General Dynamics UK. Projects included designing and building a communication system made from a piece of fruit; intercepting, deciphering and encrypting messages; and designing a cabling solution for a communication systems in a mock-up land vehicle.
The social programme included plenty of fun activities including a film night, sports activities and a formal dinner held at the Millenium Centre.
Spokesperson for The Smallpeice Trust, Gemma Murphy commented: “We are delighted to run this with the support of Cardiff University and General Dynamics UK. The technologies behind communications are continually advancing and with opportunities like these, students will be able to see how they could help to revolutionise the way in which such technology improves the quality of our lives now and in the future.”
Steve Watts, Cardiff School of Engineering said: "The people attending this summer school are exposed to a breadth of lectures to underpin hands-on, practical laboratories to widen their understanding of the engineering within modern mobile communication systems, hopefully encouraging them to appreciate this industry and electronic engineering generally as an exciting, rewarding career path."
The Mobile Communications course is run by independent charity, The Smallpeice Trust, and is part of an ongoing programme of residential courses to help young people aged 13 to 18 learn and develop skills in engineering, design, technology and manufacturing. Through running residential courses and STEM enrichment days, The Trust has reached out to 17,677 students across the UK in the past year.
The new course timetable for 2012 will be launched in the autumn school term. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. To find out more, visit www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk, or telephone The Smallpeice Trust on 01926 333200.
###
Notes to editors
The Smallpeice Trust is an independent charitable trust which promotes engineering as a career, primarily through the provision of residential courses for young people aged 13 to 18.
The Smallpeice Trust was founded in 1966 by Dr Cosby Smallpeice, a pioneering engineer and inventor of the Smallpeice Lathe. Following the stock market flotation of his company Martonair, Dr Smallpeice invested his energy and part of his personal fortune to set up the Trust to ensure that British industry could continuously benefit from his proven design and engineering philosophies: “Simplicity in design, economy in production.”
The Trust is now governed by an eminent board of non-executive trustees and members from a diverse range of engineering, industry, educational and professional bodies. In 2009/10, The Smallpeice Trust ran 30 residential courses for 1,700 school-aged students at universities across the country, with girls accounting for 38%. In addition, 15,977 students attended a Smallpeice in-school STEM masterclass.
For more information, visit www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk.
Organised by educational charity, The Smallpeice Trust and working in collaboration with the School of Engineering at Cardiff University, students gained a valuable practical knowledge of the principles, systems and technologies that constitute the expanding world of mobile communications.
During the residential course, students attended lectures by academics, keynote industry speakers and laboratory sessions which were designed to develop their understanding of the subject. Hands-on workshops included an opportunity to use software to design, develop, explore and prototype communication system components. The programme included an opportunity to see the inside of a BBC Outside Broadcasting Unit and a visit to power management leader International Rectifier.
As part of the course, students spent a day working with engineers from a leading multi-disciplinary engineering company, General Dynamics UK. Projects included designing and building a communication system made from a piece of fruit; intercepting, deciphering and encrypting messages; and designing a cabling solution for a communication systems in a mock-up land vehicle.
The social programme included plenty of fun activities including a film night, sports activities and a formal dinner held at the Millenium Centre.
Spokesperson for The Smallpeice Trust, Gemma Murphy commented: “We are delighted to run this with the support of Cardiff University and General Dynamics UK. The technologies behind communications are continually advancing and with opportunities like these, students will be able to see how they could help to revolutionise the way in which such technology improves the quality of our lives now and in the future.”
Steve Watts, Cardiff School of Engineering said: "The people attending this summer school are exposed to a breadth of lectures to underpin hands-on, practical laboratories to widen their understanding of the engineering within modern mobile communication systems, hopefully encouraging them to appreciate this industry and electronic engineering generally as an exciting, rewarding career path."
The Mobile Communications course is run by independent charity, The Smallpeice Trust, and is part of an ongoing programme of residential courses to help young people aged 13 to 18 learn and develop skills in engineering, design, technology and manufacturing. Through running residential courses and STEM enrichment days, The Trust has reached out to 17,677 students across the UK in the past year.
The new course timetable for 2012 will be launched in the autumn school term. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. To find out more, visit www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk, or telephone The Smallpeice Trust on 01926 333200.
###
Notes to editors
The Smallpeice Trust is an independent charitable trust which promotes engineering as a career, primarily through the provision of residential courses for young people aged 13 to 18.
The Smallpeice Trust was founded in 1966 by Dr Cosby Smallpeice, a pioneering engineer and inventor of the Smallpeice Lathe. Following the stock market flotation of his company Martonair, Dr Smallpeice invested his energy and part of his personal fortune to set up the Trust to ensure that British industry could continuously benefit from his proven design and engineering philosophies: “Simplicity in design, economy in production.”
The Trust is now governed by an eminent board of non-executive trustees and members from a diverse range of engineering, industry, educational and professional bodies. In 2009/10, The Smallpeice Trust ran 30 residential courses for 1,700 school-aged students at universities across the country, with girls accounting for 38%. In addition, 15,977 students attended a Smallpeice in-school STEM masterclass.
For more information, visit www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk.
Contact
The Smallpeice Trust:
Gemma Murphy
+44(0)1926 333214
www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk
or contact:
Claire Fisher
+44(0)1926 333203
clairef@smallpeicetrust.org.uk
Gemma Murphy
+44(0)1926 333214
www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk
or contact:
Claire Fisher
+44(0)1926 333203
clairef@smallpeicetrust.org.uk
Contact
Categories