Students Learn About Materials for Energy with the Smallpeice Trust
From 8th to 11th July, forty teenagers from across the UK have been learning about the global energy situation and the work of materials scientists and engineers as they try to meet global energy demands whilst reducing carbon emissions.
Leamington Spa, United Kingdom, July 24, 2013 --(PR.com)-- This four day course, hosted by Loughborough University, offered students a unique insight into the materials used in energy and power generation through a series of fascinating lectures, practical workshops and discussions. Not only were students shown the university’s world class facilities, they also got to discover materials characterisation first-hand, including electron microscopy.
Students participated in several masterclasses which offered them a broad-based view of how energy is produced and stored, and how materials technology is crucial for this. The 16 and 17 year old students were then challenged in their teams to carry out their own research and complete practical laboratory sessions. Research areas included physical properties experiments with materials that present challenges, for example, magnets in generators which entailed using a bicycle to test the effectiveness of different combinations.
The course culminated in presentations of the teams’ findings to an "expert" panel, with prizes being offered for different criteria.
This project put their team working, communication, and problem-solving skills to the test and involved extensive research, discussion and plenty of creativity to complete.
Students also got to visit a major industrial partner, Rolls Royce, to see materials in action and gain a “real life” insight into careers in the sector. Social activities included a sports night, a campus treasure hunt, and a formal course dinner and quiz.
Martin White, Graduate Development Officer for Loughborough University commented, “This was our first time hosting a Smallpeice residential course and the experience has been a delight. The organisation by The Smallpeice Trust has been excellent and all their supervisory team have been brilliant. Most important are the students who have attended the course and we have been so impressed by what they have achieved and how well they have got on together having all been complete strangers when they arrived. The quality of their project work and high standard of questions asked in the masterclasses were impressive and they should all feel very proud of what they have achieved this week.”
Spokesperson for The Smallpeice Trust Gemma Murphy added, ‘“We are delighted that Loughborough University have partnered with us to run this exciting new ‘Materials for Energy’ course. This course has proved very popular with students and has not only offered them a valuable insight into the science behind energy materials but also the global energy situation while demonstrating what a career in this worthwhile sector would entail.”
The Materials for Energy course is organised by independent educational 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 Smallpeice Trust has reached out to 20,353 students across the UK in the past year.
The new course timetable for 2014 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:
About The Smallpeice Trust:
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 12 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."
In the past academic year, The Smallpeice Trust has reached out to 20,353 young people through 33 different subsidised residential courses, 1-day in-school STEM Days and STEM-in-a-Box kits. The Smallpeice Trust has also trained 913 teachers to enhance their delivery of STEM in the classroom.
Students participated in several masterclasses which offered them a broad-based view of how energy is produced and stored, and how materials technology is crucial for this. The 16 and 17 year old students were then challenged in their teams to carry out their own research and complete practical laboratory sessions. Research areas included physical properties experiments with materials that present challenges, for example, magnets in generators which entailed using a bicycle to test the effectiveness of different combinations.
The course culminated in presentations of the teams’ findings to an "expert" panel, with prizes being offered for different criteria.
This project put their team working, communication, and problem-solving skills to the test and involved extensive research, discussion and plenty of creativity to complete.
Students also got to visit a major industrial partner, Rolls Royce, to see materials in action and gain a “real life” insight into careers in the sector. Social activities included a sports night, a campus treasure hunt, and a formal course dinner and quiz.
Martin White, Graduate Development Officer for Loughborough University commented, “This was our first time hosting a Smallpeice residential course and the experience has been a delight. The organisation by The Smallpeice Trust has been excellent and all their supervisory team have been brilliant. Most important are the students who have attended the course and we have been so impressed by what they have achieved and how well they have got on together having all been complete strangers when they arrived. The quality of their project work and high standard of questions asked in the masterclasses were impressive and they should all feel very proud of what they have achieved this week.”
Spokesperson for The Smallpeice Trust Gemma Murphy added, ‘“We are delighted that Loughborough University have partnered with us to run this exciting new ‘Materials for Energy’ course. This course has proved very popular with students and has not only offered them a valuable insight into the science behind energy materials but also the global energy situation while demonstrating what a career in this worthwhile sector would entail.”
The Materials for Energy course is organised by independent educational 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 Smallpeice Trust has reached out to 20,353 students across the UK in the past year.
The new course timetable for 2014 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:
About The Smallpeice Trust:
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 12 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."
In the past academic year, The Smallpeice Trust has reached out to 20,353 young people through 33 different subsidised residential courses, 1-day in-school STEM Days and STEM-in-a-Box kits. The Smallpeice Trust has also trained 913 teachers to enhance their delivery of STEM in the classroom.
Contact
The Smallpeice Trust:
Gemma Murphy
+44(0)1926 333214
www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk
Or Contact:
Isobel Rowley, National Grid Press Officer on 01926 655275 or isobel.rowley@uk.ngrid.com
Gemma Murphy
+44(0)1926 333214
www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk
Or Contact:
Isobel Rowley, National Grid Press Officer on 01926 655275 or isobel.rowley@uk.ngrid.com
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