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What do you feel were the positive outcomes for the pupils?

As your activity is about STEM then students should learn something from it, you are not just there to entertain. Often your personality and approach will put something in a way that their teacher has not and this different perspective from a stranger often commands an unparalleled respect from them. As you are not there to test them, students will often learn while they feel they are being entertained. The most recent quote I heard from a pupil was that, “This is the best day at school EVER!” and yet the activities were simple, hands-on chemistry that they had likely already covered in class. Continue reading “The STEMNET Case Study (part 5)”

On average, how much time do you commit to STEM Ambassador activities? 

I work full time in a university and they support my ambassador activities up to a point. However, I love doing STEM ambassador activities and rarely decline them. Sometimes the activities can spread over a few days, such as at the Big Bang Fairs and similar festivals. Yet, others can just take an hour. Remember that you can share something inspirational in two minutes and sometimes, that’s all that is needed. Continue reading “The STEMNET Case Study (part 4)”

What inspires you or enthuses you about your work, and / or about STEM?

For my own STEM activities, I gain inspiration from a number of sources. Never underestimate experiencing how other ambassadors go about their craft; seeing how they breakdown and demonstrate the fundamental and often complex aspects of our universe. Other inspiration comes to me from the vast history we have available to draw on. I love how simple the early forays into experimentation were conducted, often from the romantic period and that of the enlightenment. It often makes me wonder why it took us so long to grasp these elegant and beautiful fundamental principles as I demonstrate their simplicity. Continue reading “The STEMNET Case Study – Part 3”