• Question: Would you consider starting a STEM group for 14-16 year olds? If so, how would you go about doing this?

    Asked by Joe to Francesca, Laura, Matthew, Andrew, Rebecca on 10 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Matthew Camilleri

      Matthew Camilleri answered on 10 Nov 2014:


      Although I think that this age group is really improtant it is the only age group in which I do not currently do any STEM work, although it is a possibility for the future.

      I am currently developing a game for STEM activities, in which the players would be controlling their own city, with the players having to make decision every round to see what to do next.

      The decisions would be: would you like to spend £20, 000 on a wind farm that would generate 10kW of energy or a petrol based power station for £10, 000 that would generate the same amounts? Ofc, after each round I would be explaining the repercussions of each decision, both financially and environmentally, while at the same time there is no wrong or right answer, so no matter what happens, the students can enjoy the game without having the possibility of losing (okay, there are outcomes that are better then others, but still, no outcome would end up with the extinction of the human population from Earth).

      Such game can be adapted for this particular age group.

    • Photo: Laura Schofield

      Laura Schofield answered on 10 Nov 2014:


      I would love to. There are some STEM groups at Uni already that I am involved with so I’d adapt some of the work they do to the students in my group. I’d like to hold activity sessions so that the students can try out the reactions they are learning about in class. I always found it really tough to learn about chemistry by reading. The best way I learned was by trying out the reactions myself!

    • Photo: Francesca Palombo

      Francesca Palombo answered on 10 Nov 2014:


      I would possibly contact the Royal Society of Chemistry and ask advice about how to start such a group, plan activities and create a good interactive environment

    • Photo: Andrew McKinley

      Andrew McKinley answered on 11 Nov 2014:


      This is a really interesting idea. I would love to work with a local school to start this, and I would probably do it by encouraging our undergraduate students to get involved as ‘mentors’

    • Photo: Rebecca Ingle

      Rebecca Ingle answered on 12 Nov 2014:


      I’d definitely get talking to local schools – ideally I’d want to be able to host it somewhere that was convenient for students to get to as it’s a lot easier to be motivated to turn up to things when it’s less effort. The Royal Society of Chemistry and STEM ambassador scheme also have some great practicals and equipment to take into schools in order to be able to give people more hands on experience too.

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