Science Summer School 2014 Programme

Inspiring Awe and Wonder in Science, Success at the SPWT Science Summer School

Professor Brian Cox OBE hosted the third Science Summer School on the 28th and 29th August 2014 at St Paul’s Way Trust School. Over 150 students from nearly 30 schools across London experienced a unique and innovative programme of TED style seminars, discussions, hands-on experiments and networking opportunities designed to inspire and encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers in the UK. AMP has helped develop and deliver the Science Summer School over the last three years, and there are now ambitious plans to share the model more widely.

Some highlights are included below.

• The Science Summer School was opened by the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Speakers presenting alongside Brian Cox included theoretical physicist, author and popular BBC broadcaster Professor Jim Khalili OBE asking ‘Is Life Quantum Mechanical?’, Dr Hannah Fry (UCL) on ‘Human Herds’, Professor Sophie Scott (UCL) on ‘The Science of Laughter’, Drew Purves (Microsoft Research) on ‘All Life on Earth, Inside a Computer?’, and Dr Steven Le Comber (QMU) on ‘Geographic Profiling in Biology’. Professor Graham Hitman (QMU) asked ‘Can type 2 diabetes be prevented?’. He was joined by students from the school reporting on the Wellcome Trust funded ‘Authentic Biology’ DNA research project.
• A reception for parents and carers provided the opportunity to meet the speakers and gain a greater understanding of career pathways to STEM subjects.
• As well as events in the school’s theatre, the Science Summer School featured science and engineering hands-on exhibitions from GSK, UCL ‘Science Buskers’, who worked with a group of students and then ‘Work the Audience’. In addition there were Flavour Feast demos, and other hands on experiments from Guerrilla Science.

Taking place on the evening of Wednesday 27th August, before the summer school opened, Canary Wharf Group plc hosted a fundraising evening with Professor Brian Cox at Level39, the largest accelerator space for financial, retail and future city technologies in Europe, based at One Canada Square. Proceeds will enable SPWTS to develop and grow the Summer School, connect Canary Wharf’s business and technology professionals with the surrounding communities and promote East London as a key location for STEM businesses.

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