Teams of up to eight students from secondary schools and sixth form colleges will be the experts for the day, displaying their science, technology, engineering or maths projects from lessons and science clubs to members of the public and members of the University of Cambridge.
As part of the Cambridge Science Festival – the UK’s largest free science festival – the Schools Zone attracted hundreds of visitors last year and received positive and enthusiastic feedback. This year is expected to attract an even larger pool of visitors, hopeful of seeing the next generation of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians as they bring a different kind of interactive fun to the Festival.
Exhibits include the Perse School Rocketry Club’s entry for the UK Rocketry Challenge. The rockets will be on display as well as their solid fuel motors, the club’s computer design work and flight simulations.
Students from Ely College will invite visitors to attempt to solve a crime by looking at evidence such as blood spatters and using fingerprint and hair sample analysis, drug testing and blood typing.
Meanwhile, pupils at Hills Road Sixth Form College will be showing off their robots – from Lego-based creations to working prototypes using ‘off the shelf’ motors. The robots will be ‘live’ and interacting with members of the public.
Festival spokesperson Sue Long said: “The Schools Zone gives students the chance to show off the amazing things they are doing either in Science class or after-school activities. Last year’s Schools Zone was a huge success and we expect this year’s event to be even more exciting and inspiring.”
The Schools Zone is part of the Science Festival Team’s schools outreach activities which include Masterclasses, Roadshows and Hubs.
The schools that are involved include: Bancroft’s School, Bedford School, Chelmer Valley High School, The Chemistry Network of schools, St John’s College School, Sawston Village College, Hills Road Sixth Form College, The Perse School, The Herts & Essex High School, Stamford High School and Chesterton Community College.
The Schools Zone will be held at the Hauser Forum on the West Cambridge Site on Saturday 24 March 2012 11.00am-3.00pm.
Image: Schools Zone Sir Cam
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge
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Student experts at the Schools Zone!
21 March 2012
The Cambridge Science Festival Schools Zone takes place this coming Saturday, 24 March, giving students the chance to showcase the scientific successes they have achieved at school.