Science: Unlocking Potential

Dr Caroline Oprandi keeping you up to date with science & technology at PACA

One of the STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths) projects that we have been working on with the University of Sussex’s Informatics Department has secured a place in the finals of the National Science + Engineering Competition 2016. The project ‘Starburst Elements’ is a coding project which teaches the periodic table as a fun, interactive game.
The National Science + Engineering Competition, organised by the British Science Association, is an annual contest open to pupils aged between 11-18, and gives participants the chance to compete for top prizes and international experiences worth over £50,000. Finalists will compete for prizes and experiences including the prestigious titles of UK Young Engineer(s) and Young Scientist(s) of the Year.

The 2016 winners will be announced at the National Awards Ceremony as part of the annual Big Bang Fair at the NEC in Birmingham, which inspires young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The event will take place from 16 to 19 March 2016.
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK congratulated PACA on their finalist nomination: “Being part of the National Science + Engineering Competition national finals is an exceptional achievement for young inventors, scientists and engineers. The judging panel will have a tough decision in selecting the winners at The Big Bang Fair in March.”
Previous winners of the award include young people who have since gone on to be the youngest ever entrepreneurs to appear on BBC’s Dragon’s Den and feature in the Sport England #LikeAGirl campaign.

Young visitors to the Fair will enjoy high-octane theatre shows, over 150 interactive stands and workshops as well as access to careers information, resources and activities. The Fair offers experiences in virtual reality, medicine, marine biology, film and TV, space exploration, explosive chemistry, crime-solving, robots, computer coding, microscopic bugs, giant trucks and more.
Well done to PACA pupils Guolin Yang, Harry Smith, Joshua Hassett, Dexter Shepherd and Morgan Pile for putting together such an excellent project during the STEM sessions and writing a winning proposal.
Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) is a college offering sixth form, 11-16 years, youth centre, adult learning, community education, sports centre and pre-school. Find out more at www.paca.uk.com