*Venus Transit Expedition*

Expedition team to travel across the world for science
“You’re NEVER going to see this again!” says astronomer and adventurer Huw James.

On June 6 in 2012 there will be an astronomical event that won’t be seen again by anyone alive today, called a ‘Transit of Venus’. A Venus Transit occurs in pairs only every 120 years or so. You might have seen the first of the pair in 2004 but you will have to wait until December 2117 see the planet Venus pass in front of the Sun again. So it really is the last chance in our lifetime to make the most of this opportunity.

*The Leaders Award for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)*

Rare opportunity for 6 outstanding, 17‐19yr old students with a keen interest in structural and civil engineering to meet and interview

Kamran Moazami
And Roma Agrawal

The Leaders Award for STEM gives students the opportunity to meet and interview professionals across many Science, Technology, Engineer and Mathematics fields and, occasionally, exceptional opportunities to meet outstanding people at the very cutting edge of their fields.

*Google Science Fair*

Everyone has a question. What’s yours?

You can be the Google’s top scientist! Google Science Fair is an online science competition seeking curious minds from the four corners of the globe. Anybody and everybody between 13 and 18 can enter. All you need is an idea.

*Climate Week Challenge*

Registration is now open for Climate Week Challenge 2012

Thousands of students are being challenged to explore practical solutions to help combat climate change by participating in the Climate Week Challenge.

What is Climate Week Challenge?

The Climate Week Challenge takes place in both a One Day and a One Hour version, requiring very little preparation beforehand. The One Day Climate Week Challenge must be completed on 12 March 2012.

*Competition: The Great Global Adventure*

National Science and Engineering Week are challenging your pupils to design a renewable racer to carry pupils and a team of their friends around the globe as part of the Great Global Adventure.

For 5-14 year olds, this out-of-the-box poster competition is a simple way for schools to take part in National Science & Engineering Week, which takes place 9-18 March with the theme “our world in motion”.

*Smallpeice Trust Timetable*

Yr 9 Artificial Intelligence,10 -13 April 2012, University of Exeter, £95
This course offers students an invaluable insight in to the world of computer science where students will not only discover the methods machines of the future may employ, but you will also get to develop their own computer program which will then be tested for intelligence.

*National Schools Geology Challenge 2012*

The Geological Society is delighted to be organising the first National
Schools Geology competition in 2012 at Burlington House, London on Wednesday
25 April.

Entrants are students currently studying A Levels and have won their
regional competition (that take place prior to the national competition).

*Initiatives and updates*

1. Schools Aerospace Challenge – ages 16 – 18
A challenge for all 16+ students who would like to discover the world of aerospace engineering.

Teams submit their ideas on the training of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) operators and could win a free, five night residential course at the School of Engineering, Cranfield University (starting on 22 July 2012). Three teams will share a £5000 prize fund at an award ceremony and reception to be held in London at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in November 2012.

*Can your students become CREST Star Investigators?*

Science for students

A visit to some of the UK’s most exciting science activity centres, or an outreach visit to your school, can count towards your class’ CREST Star Investigators award. There are 6 museums and activity centres currently involved in the programme, and 3 online resource providers including Planet Science. In total there are 18 exciting activities for your class with lots more to come.

*Physics and Rowing competition*

Wednesday 22nd February 2012. This forms part of a regional competition in the South East and winners from the Oxford heat will take part in a final to take place on Thursday 15th March 2012
Venue: Lee Valley Park, London

The Oxford event will focus on rowing and students will take part in practical activities using ergometers, watch racing on the river and complete calculations involving their measurements and understanding of force, power and energy.

*Active Approaches in Teaching A-level Post-16 Conference*

Headington, Oxford on 24 Mar 2012 Oxfordshire partners and Science Learning Centre South East are pleased to announce that we are running our annual conference designed to address a range of issues at post-16. Generously sponsored by the LSIS STEM Programme SE.

*Hedgehog Street*

Help hedgehogs with Hedgehog Street

A study was carried out 40 years ago which suggested a link between climate and when hedgehogs come out of hibernation.

Hedgehog Street are repeating the study to see if climate change has affected hedgehog hibernation patterns. They need your help!

Tell Hedgehog Street every time you see a hedgehog between 1 February and 31 August. Record where you see the hedgehog and whether it is alive or dead.

Don’t forget to stay on the lookout until the end of August when all hedgehogs should be awake.

*Shining a light on the environment*

A series of talks available to schools and colleges suitable for GCSE and A level science classes / science clubs.

Science in Society Fellow Professor Mark Hodson will demonstrate a number of key curriculum topics drawing on cutting edge environmental science research including work carried out at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron, the UKs most expensive public funded science project. Talks can be tailored to either GCSE or A’level students and can be delivered either in School or as part of a campus visit. Visits to the Diamond Light Source can also be arranged.

*Stimulating Physics Network*

ASE Conference

Next year’s conference will be
held at the University of Reading from 2nd – 5th January 2013 (possibly during your school holidays). For further details see the website in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes

*Royal Society's Partnership Grants scheme is now open*

Your school could get £3000 to work with scientists and engineers

Schools can apply for up to £3000 to work with scientists and engineers on creative investigations that inspire students with the excitement and wonder of cutting-edge science or engineering research.

*STEMNET Challenge 9*

Please note the following important dates for STEM Challenge 9:
• Launch date: Friday 11th November 2011
• Deadline for team entries: Monday 23rd January 2012
• Local Judging sessions: 20th to 28th February 2012
• Challenge Final: Saturday 17th March at The Big Bang: Science and Engineering Fair 2012

*Scientists in Sport anti-doping challenge*

Five new performance-enhancing drugs have been added to the banned substance list – and it’s up to you to develop a portable kit to test whether or not an athlete has taken one of them. We’d like teams of 11-14 year olds to design and make a portable drug testing kit.

*Mathematics for Engineering: A new Level 3 qualification*

The Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering Professors’ Council together with many other leading institutions in engineering developed a new Level 3 maths qualification called Mathematics for Engineering. OCR awarding body is successfully offering this qualification since last three years; more information can be found on the OCR website.