Big summer of STEM ahead at north-east science centre
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Aberdeen Science Centre has launched its brand new Summer of STEM programme, with fun experiments and activities including making a catapult, kitchen chemistry and virtual chats with NASA engineers.
The digital programme will continue online over the summer holidays, with an exciting new topic every week.
Families are being encouraged to share photos and videos of their attempts, with the chance to win a family STEM Passport for free entry to the new-look Aberdeen Science Centre for a year.
Summer of STEM began with a video session on castles and catapults. Science fans can learn about castles in and around Aberdeenshire, followed by a lesson on how to make your own catapults using popsicle sticks, spoons and elastic bands.
Other sessions will include kitchen chemistry, using equipment and ingredients you can find around the house, and floating and sinking, which will test the buoyancy of everyday items to discover whether they float or sink.
Families will also have the chance to try out a variety of coding activities at home then use their new skills to have a go Equinor’s online coding game.
Aberdeen Science Centre will also share a series of NASA interviews on its Facebook page, including a chat with NASA engineer, Heather Paul, who spoke exclusively to ASC and TechFest about her career and interest in STEM subjects.
Elaine Holland, head of operations at the centre, said: “As the school summer holidays are now under way, we are launching the Summer of STEM programme on our Facebook page this week.
“This will be a variety of STEM videos with activities that can be completed at home. Our team of science communicators will explain the experiment and ask families to get involved and share their photos and videos!
"We’ll then post our own results of the experiment later in the week.
“Everyone who posts or engages with us will be entered into a prize draw to win 12 months of free entry to Aberdeen Science Centre, when we open later this year, so we hope to see lots of videos and photos of your efforts at home!”
Aberdeen Science Centre is currently undergoing a £6million refurbishment at its base at the Tramsheds on Constitution Street, where the last stages of work are due to restart this week after being paused during lockdown.
The revitalised centre will include more than 60 new interactive exhibits, including the OPITO Theatre of Energy.
The transformation includes an extension and creation of a new mezzanine floor – almost doubling the exhibition space – and exposing the roof structure of allow natural light to flood into the building, creating a bright, airy, modern interior.
The £4.7 million redevelopment was made possible by support and funding from the Inspiring Science Fund – a partnership between the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Research and Innovation and Wellcome – as well as Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeen City Council.
The project has secured a further £1.5million from funders and sponsors including OPITO, Shell, Equinor, BP, The Robertson Trust, TAQA and CNOOC to ensure quality of programmes and delivery to enhance the overall visitor experience at the venue.
For more information on Aberdeen Science Centre, visit www.aberdeenscience.org or follow the Facebook page at @aberdeensciencecentre
Aberdeen Science Centre (ASC), known as Satrosphere until being rebranded three years ago, has been an important education resource in the North-east for nearly 30 years. Established in 1988, ASC was the first science centre in Scotland and its ethos of interactive science discovery is still a cornerstone of everything it does today.
The Inspiring Science Fund is a £30 million capital scheme to support science centres across the UK, helping them rethink what they do and what they offer to the public.
The aims of the fund are to revitalise the offer of existing science centres through capital development, such as new exhibition spaces and learning centres, and the opportunity to develop meaningful and inclusive engagement with under-served and underrepresented audiences, engaging and inspiring new visitors. This opportunity to refresh how science centres are operating will lead to more sustainable business models and contribute to science centre sector development through shared learning.
The scheme is co-funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome.
More news here.
