It’s Science Week!
If you’re a lover of all things scientific, it’s time to get up to speed with British Science Week 2016, which began on March 11th and runs until the 20th. This ten-day celebration (yes, that “week” in the title is a little misleading) is taking place around England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland, with hundreds of museums, schools and community groups hosting events, activities and performances appropriate for all ages.
British Science Week is an annual event, and is the brainchild of the British Science Association (BSA). The BSA is a charity that was founded in 1831, dedicated to spreading science education around Britain, and we think British Science Week is the perfect opportunity to get young people involved in the action, and excited about science subjects.
The History of British Science
The UK has a great record for producing ground breaking scientists. One of my favourite is the naturalist and biologist Charles Darwin. He was born in Shropshire in 1809 and famously sailed around the world on the HMS Beagle, collecting natural specimens and samples, and making extensive notes about the wildlife and geology that he encountered. He later used this research to develop the theory of evolution, paving the way for a new era of scientific discoveries and disciplines. To find out more about Charles Darwin, have a look at this fascinating timeline of his life. Other famous British scientists are Isaac Newton, Alexander Graham Bell and of course Stephen Hawking, to name but a few.
Girls in Science
Despite science being traditionally associated with men, some of the most famous scientific pioneers in history have been women. Marie Curie is famous around the world for her work on radioactivity. While Ada Lovelace, a name that seems more suited to a life on stage (her father was the poet Lord Byron) – contributed hugely to early computer science.
Sadly however, according to a recent report, women only account for 14.4% of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) workforce in the UK. So how do we get girls interested in science? There are many charities and associations around the UK dedicated to encouraging more women to get into STEM subjects, and British Science Week is one great way to get the ball rolling. As Jo Cruse from Stemettes (I love that name) argues in an article for the BSA, that initiatives such as British Science Week help to spread awareness, and to highlight the extent to which women and girls are underrepresented in STEM subjects. To learn more about famous female scientists such as Marie Curie and Ada Lovelace, click here.
Exciting Events Around the UK
London is hosting the biggest number of activities and events in the country, with many of the capital’s most famous museums putting on special exhibitions and shows. Up in Scotland, Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens are playing host to Caravan Obscura, an immersive visual experience, and the recently refurbished University of Glasgow Observatory is open for free public tours – the perfect activity for budding stargazers. Hundreds of museums and science centres around the UK are hosting “Behind the Scenes” events, while schools across the country are organising their own science fairs and activity days. This week we are delivering many of our Science workshops to schools e.g. Force Control, Bright Sparks, You and the Mean Machine among others. To find events going on near you, use this handy search tool on the British Science Week site and get involved!
Let us know what you have been up to this week.
Laugh, Listen & Learn until next time
Ros