Boing! Science bounces back
The science of bouncy castles, artists explaining science, and DIY radios
which help you hear that there's a lot going on in space are all part of
the University of Bradford's contribution to national Science Week. (March
15th to 22nd).
Science Week was launched two years ago by Government minister William
Waldegrave to make science and engineering more understandable and
enjoyable for children and parents. The hope was that young children would
become interested in the subjects, study them at school and university, and
that in the future the UK would have a much bigger pool of trained
scientists and engineers.
In 1993, of approximately 6,250 18-year-olds in Bradford's education
authority area, just over 200 gained an A-level in Mathematics, and 180
gained an A-level in Physics.
Events arranged at the University
In 'Boing! How do they put the bounce into bouncy castles?' Professor
David
Lloyd, Head of the Department of Industrial
Technology, will explain what
makes bouncy castles work - (the answer, kinetic energy, sounds pretty
boring, but he'll make it a lot easier to understand and a lot more fun!)
Then he'll invite children from local schools to have a go on the blow-up
bouncy castle which will be installed for the week in the University's
Small Hall, and imagine for themselves atoms being pressurised and
fighting back to throw the bouncers back into the aircastles works. They
will hear how the molecules of air are squeezed together and act as a
spring to bounce people back up into the air - the kinetic theory of gases
without the mathematics.
The pupils then get a chance to try out the theory on the castle, and then
to follow a discovery trail around the University campus.
'So you thought space was empty?
Oh no it's not!' Children will be invited
into the University's engineering laboratories to make their own radios and
listen in on them to Virgin and Radio 5 Live.
'Duel', or 'The Artists Take Over the Laboratory'
Bradford University
encourages young artists in music, the visual arts and theatre, and has
three Fellows in the subjects; they have worked together to produce 'Duel'
to give an artist's explanation of the world of the sciences. Music has
been composed by Fellow in Music Dr Darren Sproston and the students of the
University's Electronic Imaging and Media
Communications degree course, and
will accompany a dance choreographed and costumed by students from BICC
under the supervision of Fellow in Theatre Kate Chapman. High-tech graphic
art produced by the Electronic Imaging students will be on public display
in the University's art gallery, Gallery 11, the venue for 'Duel',
throughout Science Week. The gallery is run by Fellow in Art Richard
Hylton.
Strictly no Netheads
People who want to penetrate the mysterious world of the World Wide Web are
invited to 'Strictly no netheads!' - two cybercafes to be held in computer
rooms at the University. Beginners and those who know absolutely nothing
about computers of the Internet and the World Wide Web are welcome.
Additionally, throughout Science Week, dons from the University will be
visiting Bradford schools daily to give lectures which will demystify their
particular area of science and engineering in a series called 'How do they
do that?'.
* Due to pressure of numbers , Science Week sessions are by named
invitation only - please contact the Public Relations
Unit at the University if you are interested.
Telephone 01274 383088
Fax 01274 385460
email public-relations@bradford.ac.uk
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