STEM connections Project
Engaging the public with the people behind our research and teaching.
In this project, led by Professor Margaret Low, Phil Jemmett, Rachael Kirwan and Rebecca Swan-McAdam from WMG, researchers undertook a public engagement project working with local schools and teachers in and around Coventry.
This involved various components, in which schools would meet the academic (via a video interview), view research demonstrations and were provided with experiments for schoolchildren to conduct at home.
Engagement events took place in the form of a Schools Roadshow in June 2022 (attended by five schools / 410 students) and a Celebration Event in September 2022 (attended by four schools / 110 students).
Connecting academics, teachers and students
The events were valuable in connecting academics, teachers and students and providing resources that can be used in different settings.
Participants shared expertise, building confidence in less experienced staff.
The events provided a useful template for all Warwick departments to help support individuals to share their work with public audiences.
The project also produced valuable resources - as participants received demonstrator and their own webpage with videos, photos and resources.
The roadshow format quickly enabled the refinement of ideas, and the development of new approaches for future use.
Next steps
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The team will follow the process with a new cohort, over a one year cycle. This will help increase the quality of the work, without significantly increasing costs. It will also enable existing participants to become mentors to the new cohort.
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The team is working on the production of a case study highlighting project practice, timeline, outcomes, and points learned along the way for others to learn from.