Attended by local Politicians - including councillors and MPs - and Leading Lights in Science and Education and schools, the Symposium was essential for all those keen to improve teaching and research in STEM...
This event is particularly fitting in terms of Nottinghamshire’s poor performance in national tables and the essential need to involve the young in active learning, research and development in ‘Real Science’.
Given that last year we had the Science and Art festival, the NFSAC was a logical development; particularly ‘post-Brexit’. It’s the youth who are especially concerned with the future after the Referendum.
The Symposium included fascinating science and technology projects with student teams from primary school age - as personified by Dovecoat School - to more senior young scientists from sixth form and academy–level working alongside university-based researchers, as well as overseas and professional scientific interests, ranging from projects in Malaria to Space R&D and Artificial Intelligence. The kids attending showed their knowledge and enthusiasm – there is fun in learning after all. Play and experiment form essential basis to learning, development and application.
The distinguished guests – most notably The Mayor, Cllr. Michael Edwards, as well as renowned scientists such as Professor Becky Parker FRSC, shared their scientific knowledge with infectious enthusiasm and humour. It was great to see further evidence that Nottingham is continuing to attract significant outside interest from places like London and Ghana with BioCity and our art-centres.
Events such as this Symposium will only add greatly to this burgeoning process and generate further initiatives and investment in Nottinghamshire – further enhancing interest and projects in the’ East Midlands Powerhouse’, which is attracting attention in the Media and even internationally.
It only remains to pull in, entertain, educate and involve and further inspire people living here to participate actively in science, and empower them to face the future with confidence.
The Festival of Science and Curiosity is taking place across the city from Wednesday 14 - Wednesday 21 February 2018. More information can be found on the festival's website.
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