Fluor STEM event for Year 9 Girls

Some of our girls in year 9 attended a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) event at FLUOR, in Farnborough.

The intention was to encourage girls to consider a career in STEM, and look at the many career opportunities available. There were so many engaging activities, which the girls enthusiastically participated in. The first activity may have initially seemed basic, but it was interesting to see the different interpretations of following instructions to draw shapes, without consulting each other. This was followed by seeing images using a virtual reality headset. Employees from BAE systems guided us to imagine being in a submarine, and managing to sleep and eat in very confined spaces using the images. The use of the headset made it very up close and personal. Students used models to demonstrate how pressure would affect upthrust. They also had to calculate how many sausages would be cooked if there were 1,000 crew members in the submarine for 90 days (each person having 2 sausages)! Some of the students had their blood pressure taken for the first time. They all learned how a blood pressure monitor uses blood vessels to give a reading, showing systole and diastole figures. Some fancy bracelets were made using wires, wire cutters and auxiliary plugs. This was a fun way of showing how an engineer would replace wires by hand and not using high technology. Communication and teamwork were tested during the navigation of a robocar and building a support that could hold an unopened can of beans. The students came away with pile of 'freebies' (who doesn't love a freebie?), including seeds inside a pen! The pen can be opened to take the seeds out and plant them. What will the seeds grow into? Time will tell.

Overall it was a fantastic day with delicious food, and it gave the girls a great insight into possibilities of a career in STEM. Thanks to Fluor for their support with this activity!