Jonathan Taylor, a materials technologist with Rolls Royce in Derby, was featured in The Times magazine on Saturday 18^th April. Jonathan’s portrait is part of STEMNET’s new Leading Lights exhibition which aims to raise awareness of the STEM Ambassadors programme and to challenge public perceptions about what working in STEM means. 

The exhibition of 18 portraits of young STEM Ambassadors is going to Manchester, Cheltenham, Birmingham and Bristol until the end of August. 

The portraits are stunning and unusual. You can see the exhibition tour dates and the portraits on our new website at http://www.stemnet.org.uk/news/viewitem.cfm?cit_id=382837. 

STEMNET would welcome other venues interested in taking this exhibition for free. If you have any ideas for locating the exhibition in the East Midlands anytime from September 2009 onwards then do get in touch with Cathy Brown on .  

P.S. STEM Ambassadors is the new name for STEMNET’s established Science and Engineering Ambassadors programme. 

NSEW 2009 has seen the students of Derbyshire undertake a wide range of activities relating to Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics. 

Granville Community school, in Derbyshire kicked off NSEW 2009 last Friday by holding a STEM enrichment day for the whole of their Year 8 students.  The students, supported by engineers from Severn Trent Water were able to take part in a range of design and manufacture challenges such as making hovercraft, constructing 6m tetrahedron structures and test flying innovative rocket designs. 

This week continued to be unabated with Brimington Manor Infant School, Alfreton Park Community Special School and Clay Cross Infant and Nursery School, who discovered the wonder of space and the rockets we use to transport us there. Woodthorpe Primary and the West Chesterfield Primary Network have also been learning that paper can be strong enough to support the weight of a 6 year old. 

The numerous STEM related companies located in Derbyshire have also supported NSEW 2009, by running their own bespoke STEM related outreach initiatives, including…  Rolls Royce’s BrightSparks program at Curzon School.  Bombardier’s (Rail Division) Build a Train challenge for Yr9 Students at Highfields School, Matlock.  And the British Geological Society, who provided CPD for teachers who wish to integrate their Seismology Project into existing Geography, and Geology courses. 

As NSEW 2009 comes to a close today we will be anxious to see the results of the Shirebrook School Dragons Den competition but we will also enjoy Derby’s Science Festival which will be taking place on 14^th March at the University of Derby, Kedleston Road Campus.  The festival will demonstrate new and exciting advances in Sports Science, demonstrate the historic and evolutionary development in Derby of the Jet Engine, in conjunction with Rolls Royce and the Royal Air Force and will allow visitors of all ages to experience what it is like to fly a glider, experience flying rockets and lots more beside.  This free event will be open from 10am to 4pm.  

Guest Blogger: Lawrie Peck, DEBP, Derbyshire STEMPoint