Latest news from Loughborough University
| 4 March 2008 | PR 08/23 |
Packed programme of events for National Science and Engineering Week 2008
Loughborough University has organised another packed programme of events for this year’s National Science and Engineering Week (NSEW).
Taking place from the 8 to the 14 March, the week aims to celebrate science and engineering and their importance to our lives, giving people the chance to participate in science and engineering activities and experiments, and to engage in related discussions in their local area.
At Loughborough the Faculty of Science have organised a series of fun and interesting events for schoolchildren and members of the community.
Sessions taking place for school groups include:
- Robotics workshop: The Department of Computer Science will be hosting this session where participants will work in teams to construct robots that can perform special tasks.
- The Magic of Mechanics: Hosted by the Mathematics Education Centre, this session will aim to answer some puzzling mechanical questions, using hands-on experiments to put theories to the test.
- Make and test your own Frisbee: Participants will be able to make and test their own Frisbees in an exciting laboratory experiment organised by the University’s Institute of Polymer technology and Materials Engineering. This session will show through an electron microscope how Frisbees react at different temperatures and why you shouldn’t play with them when it is cold.
- Design and practical geometry: This workshop, led by the School of Mathematics will look at how GCSE mathematics can be used when designing packaging.
Activities taking place for families include:
- Creating a Colourful Life: This session, hosted by the Department of Chemistry, provides an exciting opportunity for parents and their children to discover the cool science of colour and get creative, together.
- ‘Weird Science’ evening: An interactive evening led by the Department of Physics, looking at the more quirky and unlikely aspects of science.
A public lecture hosted by the Department of Physics will also take place during NSEW on Wednesday 12 March from 4 – 5pm in room W001 of the Sir David Davies Building. The event, part of the prestigious annual Sir Nevill Mott lecture series, will be presented by Professor Raymond Goldstein from Cambridge and is entitled ‘Physics and the Evolution of Biological Complexity’. The public lecture is free and open to all, no pre booking or tickets are required.
Jackie Baseley, the Science Faculty’s event coordinator said: “This is such a fun week that the whole family can enjoy. It is also a fantastic opportunity for young people to learn about science and engineering in an exciting and interesting way.”
For further information about the events taking place at Loughborough University contact Jackie Baseley by emailing j.a.baseley@lboro.ac.uk. An online programme of events can be found at: http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/Events/NSEW/
Ends
For all media enquiries contact:
- Judy Smyth, Loughborough University’s Public Relations
Office,
T: 01509 228697, E: J.L.Smyth@lboro.ac.uk
Notes for editors:
- Media wishing to photograph/film NSEW sessions should contact Judy Smyth in the University’s Public Relations Office.
- National Science Week is coordinated by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) and is supported by the Department of Trade & Industry and sponsored by the Economic & Social Research Council.
- Loughborough is one of the country’s leading
universities, with an international reputation for excellence in teaching
and research, strong links with industry and unrivalled sporting achievement.
It is a member of the esteemed 1994 Group – a set of internationally recognised, research intensive universities – and has a reputation for the relevance of its work. Its degree programmes are highly regarded by professional institutions and businesses, and its graduates are consistently targeted by the UK’s top recruiters.
Loughborough is also the UK’s premier university for sport. It has perhaps the best integrated sports development environment in the world and is home to some of the country’s leading coaches, sports scientists and support staff. It also has the country’s largest concentration of world-class training facilities across a wide range of sports.
In the 2007 National Student Survey, the University was voted fourth in the UK, with 23 out of 29 of Loughborough’s subject areas being ranked in the top ten for overall satisfaction. Loughborough is also ranked in the top fifteen of UK universities in national league tables. It was named winner of the 2006 and 2007 Times Higher award for the UK’s Best Student Experience and winner of the 2007 award for Outstanding Support for Overseas Students. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, the University has been awarded six Queen's Anniversary Prizes – an achievement bettered by no other university.