On Wednesday 22nd March, we welcomed Year 9 and 10 pupils from 14 schools to our fourth annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Challenge Day.

The Science Challenge included both biology and chemistry elements, with students setting up chemical reactions to equal the time of the men’s 800m world record. In the Technology Challenge, students built their own hologram-like projections, while in Engineering students set about designing, constructing and testing their own rockets.

Maths students braved the rainy weather to ‘get a measure of Lancaster’.

Mica Budd, Senior Student Recruitment and Outreach Officer for the faculty, said: “It was great to welcome the pupils to our campus and to see them really engage with the problems they were set. Huge congratulations to Lancaster Royal Grammar School who triumphed as worthy winners, putting lots of effort into all the challenges.”

Dr Alan Collins, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Teaching in the faculty, awarded the Lancaster Royal Grammar School team with the Simon Martindale shield, named in memory of a local science teacher from Morecambe High. The shield will be engraved and later presented at a special assembly along with £250 worth of book vouchers for the school. Prizes were also awarded to the winners of the individual subject sessions.

Other participating schools included:

• Dallam School
• Kirkbie Kendal School
• Ulverston Victoria High School
• Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith
• Lancaster Royal Grammar School
• Rossall School
• Sedbergh School
• Queen Elizabeth School
• Carnforth High School
• Kirkham Grammar School
• Morecambe High School
• Lancaster Girls Grammar School
• Ripley St Thomas
• Broadgreen International School