Furness STEM show
Aims
To showcase Bioscience topics to inspire the next generation of biologists/biomedical scientists/biochemists to pursue future careers in STEM. To engage with local communities, to strengthen and nurture our culture of engagement.
Overview
The Furness STEM show is a two-day event for schools, held at Furness College, Barrow-in-Furness. The 2023 event was attended by 900 children from 24 different schools.
Academics and technicians from Lancaster University attended the event. There were four different activities showcasing the research undertaken in the Biomedical and Life Sciences department:
- The Immune System: Battling Bugs! activity gave children the opportunity to make a plasticine model of an antibody, virus or bacteria whilst learning about how the immune system provides protection against infection. It also promoted understanding about how vaccines work.
- The Wibbly Wobbly World of DNA - aimed to excite children about molecular biology; during this activity children extracted DNA (the genetic information inside cells that provides instructions for how cells function) from strawberries.
- The Brainiacs activity provides children with the opportunity to learn about the anatomy of the brain.
- The Parasites in a box activity explains what a parasite is, how they are spread and how they cause disease.
Project Lead, Dr Lucy Jackson-Jones explained that Furness STEM show provides an opportunity to engage with Schools communities that would not normally have access to outreach activities.
Results and Outcomes
Tab Content: For Partners and Engagement
Local communities and schools benefitted from attendance at the event. Local headteacher Anthony Costa, Broughton C of E School said, “I know Year 6 thoroughly enjoyed the event, as did I, and I will take great pleasure in letting them know they have won. We have been discussing smooth and wrinkled brains ever since.”
The children loved being able to take away postcards that showcased colourful microscopy to show to their teachers and carers.
We were invited to attend the Furness STEM show by The Furness Education and Skills Partnership (FESP) having previously attended a very successful community engagement event in Ulverston known as ULVERSTEM, organised by Siemens Energy.
We now have an ongoing relationship with both FESP and Siemens Energy as well as new links to companies within the area who host and attend these events including Furness College and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Through holding a prize draw we initiated an ongoing relationship with the schools in attendance.
This positions the department well when exploring future engagement opportunities with schools and businesses in West Cumbia.
Tab Content: For Academics
A key outcome from attendance at the event was the collaborative development of activities. Inclusion of technical staff, research associates and PhD students alongside academic members of staff proved to strengthen and nurture our culture of engagement.
We needed to ensure that the activities we designed would be fun, age appropriate and foster their interest in Biomedical and Life Sciences and could influence subject and career choices for the future.
We utilised attendance at this event to provide bespoke training for student ambassadors on science communication skills; those ambassadors who attended the event became competent in these skills as well as with running the activities and communication skills.
Back to listing