03.02.2005
This term the Universities of Brighton and Sussex are presenting a series of exciting science shows to get young people fired up about science.
The shows, all presented by professional science communicators, are aimed at 7-16-year-olds (Key Stages 2, 3 and 4). Attendance is FREE to Sussex schools and funded by the Sussex Education Business Alliance in conjunction with SETPOINT Sussex and the University of Brighton.
Science …the Best Bits (for Key Stage 2), presented by Ian B. Dunne, will inspire young people with demonstrations to make them gasp, pictures to transport their minds and specimens to capture their imaginations. The show covers electricity, Earth in space, astronomy, and plants and animals weird and wonderful.
Brighton: Wednesday, 2 March, 9.30am at Cockcroft Hall, Cockcroft Building, University of Brighton, Lewes Road, Brighton
Brighton: Wednesday, 2 March, 11am at Cockcroft Hall, details as above
Hassocks: Wednesday, 2 March, 2pm at Downlands Community School, Dale Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex
In The Kinetic Theory (for Key Stages 3 and 4), Margaret Clayton uses more than 40 demonstrations to illustrate how all material is made up of particles and how the particles’ arrangement determines the material’s physical properties. Her show includes a demonstration of the properties of gases in a safe, exciting and interactive way using liquid nitrogen at –196 degrees Centigrade.
East Grinstead: Tuesday, 22 February, 12.45pm at Sackville Community College, Lewes Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex
Hassocks: Wednesday, 23 February, 8.45am at Downlands Community School, details as above
Brighton: Wednesday, 23 February, 1pm at University of Brighton, details as above
In Einstein: Light comes in packets and
particles (for Key Stages
3 and 4),
Dr Bryson Gore tells the story of Einstein’s explanation of the Photoelectric
Effect (which shows the interaction of light with water) and explains how it
sowed the seeds for the 20th century revolution in physics that gave rise to
lasers and modern electronics. He will explore the ideas that link waves and
particles and show how our world has been transformed by their combination.
Hassocks: Tuesday, 22 February, 10am at Downlands Community School, details as above
Hassocks: Tuesday, 22 February, 11.15am at Downlands Community School, details as above
East Grinstead: Wednesday, 23 February, 8.45am at Sackville Community College, details as above
East Grinstead: Wednesday, 23 February, 11am at Sackville Community College, details as above.
The theme of Why Eskimos don’t build skyscrapers (for Key Stages 3 and 4) is that, if we understand how atoms behave, we can understand how materials behave when we apply forces to them. Dr Bryson Gore uses demonstrations from science and everyday life to show simple models of atoms and explains how they interact and behave.
Hassocks: Tuesday, 22 February, 2pm at Downlands Community School, details as above
East Grinstead: Wednesday, 23rd February, 12.45pm at Sackville Community College, details as above.
In The United States of Matter, presented by Dr Hal Sosabowski, Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils can learn and see some surprising results of interchanging states of solids, liquids and gases.
Hassocks: Wednesday, 23 February, 12.15pm at Downlands Community School, details as above
Brighton: Wednesday, 9 March, 10am at University of Brighton, details as above
Really Cool People – do they come back (for Key Stages 3 and 4), presented by Dr Low Thomson, explores different states of matter - in particular, the behaviour of materials at low temperatures. Dr Thomson will also talk about cryonic suspension, the experimental procedure used to preserve legally dead bodies in the hope that future medical breakthroughs will allow them to be brought back to life.
East Grinstead: Thursday, 22 February 11am at Sackville Community College, details as above
Hassocks: Wednesday, 23 February, 1.50pm at Downlands Community School, details as above
Brighton: Wednesday, 9 March, 1.30pm at University of Brighton, details as above
Booking forms can be downloaded from:
www.setpointsussex.org.uk/events/calendar/science_shows.htm
Please note that numbers are limited so early booking is advised.
For further information
Contacts SETPOINT Sussex on 01273 644178, fax: 01273 642520, email:
Margaret Clayton developed a keen interest in Science Enrichment while working as a chemistry teacher. She presents science shows for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society and Intech at venues in Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire.
Dr Bryson Gore, formerly employed in the Royal Institution’s education department (which presents schools and public lectures and the RI Christmas lectures on television), is a freelance lecturer. He has written and presented two TV science series and in 1998 gave the annual Faraday Lectures.
Dr Hal Sosabowksi is a Principal Lecturer in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Science at the University of Brighton and current Chair of the Royal Society of Chemistry Downland Section Trust. He has hosted events including Look what chemistry has done for me, the Salter’s Festival of Chemistry and, with John Luton of Varndean College, the Christmas Chemistry Lecture and Magic Show. He received a University of Brighton Innovation Award in 2003 for his development of chemistry trumps, a chemistry card game based on 32 elements of the periodic table.
Dr Low Thomson, Emeritus Senior Lecturer in Physics at the University of Sussex, specialises in research into cryogenics.
SETPOINT Sussex is a member of SETNET - the national organisation for the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
It is the focus for teachers, business and industry to obtain information about resources, schemes and initiatives in these subjects.
The target is to offer every young person in each key stage (KS1-KS4) the opportunity to participate in an appropriate science, technology, engineering or mathematics activity linking schools to industry.
SETPOINT Sussex provides:
- A one-stop shop for information on STEM resources schemes and initiatives
- A calendar of events in and around Sussex
- Database of providers of STEM activities
- Information about careers and education
- Valuable resources for teachers, parents and students
- Links for more information
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
