The girls were amazed by the project’s aim of finding out if there is life on Mars, and by the logistics of ensuring that the rover is not contaminated by bacteria or fungi before its mission. Abbie explained the design of the rover, as well as the logistics of its entry, descent and landing on Mars.
Abbie stressed the importance of balancing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with creative subjects. At A Level she studied Maths and Physics, but also Design and Technology and French, before going on to study Mechanical Engineering at university.
As well having a dedicated STEM Co-ordinator who works with each year group for one afternoon a week on a specific STEM-related topic, the girls at St Mary’s Junior School have attended assemblies on Artificial Intelligence with Dr Cave and Dr Dihal from the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, as well as with Dr Purves from Google DeepMind. Year 5 have also recently learnt about app design and experienced virtual reality in workshops with global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, and in September Year 6 opened the Her Story exhibition at the Women in Computing Festival.
Abbie said: “I really enjoyed coming in and talking to the girls at St Mary’s. They asked brilliant questions. I hope that some will come to work in science and engineering in the future!”
Ms Edie Stuart, a Year 5 teacher at St Mary’s Junior School, Cambridge, commented: “It was wonderful to hear first-hand from someone involved in space exploration, and particularly from a female role model in STEM.”
About St Mary’s School, Cambridge
St Mary’s School is the leading independent day and boarding school for girls aged 4-18 in Cambridge. In our dynamic, nurturing environment every girl is valued, supported and inspired. A St Mary’s girl is known for her confidence and curiosity, her community spirit, her agile mind, her resilience and drive.
By providing girls a space in which their intellectual and social confidence can flourish, we empower girls to aim high, to follow their dreams and to make a positive contribution to society.
As a Mary Ward School, we balance tradition with innovation. Traditional values such as integrity, justice, hard work and freedom sit at the heart of our forward-looking approach to education.
Girls from all faiths and secular backgrounds join our happy, diverse school community. They leave us ready for the future; equipped with the skills, qualities and values they need to pursue a life of fulfilment.