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Newsletter for UK Science and Discovery Centres
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Soak up Ssome Science in Newcastle This Spring at Newcastle ScienceFest
Science events will be springing up in unusual venues when the annual Newcastle ScienceFest returns to the city this March (8-15 March).
Over 80 events are planned for the eight-day celebration of science and with activities ranging from science comedy and birdsong for beginners through to award-winning lectures and a teddy bears’ picnic, venues will be as diverse as a nightclub, a library, a garden and an underground tunnel.
Linda Conlon, Chief Executive of the Centre for Life and Chair of Newcastle ScienceFest says: “Newcastle ScienceFest presents a fantastic opportunity to encounter science all over the city. It’s playful, imaginative but, above all, great fun.”
She added: “There are activities for toddlers, schoolchildren, families, teenagers and older adults – in fact everyone!”
A full assortment of family friendly activities will include: ScienceFest Weekender at the Centre for Life (10 & 11 March) an extravaganza of robots, hands-on experiments and optical illusions while a Teddy Bear’s picnic on Sunday 11 March will explain the theory of evolution. The Great North Museaum will host a Great Late Night (10 March 6-10pm) when families can visit the museum after hours and meet live animals including lizards, snakes, spiders and more while shoppers at the Metrocentre can take part in a Science Showcase which will include hands-on activities and an inflatable planetarium.
Rounding off the festival, Secrets and Lies (15 March 7-10pm) an adult-only event at the www.life.org.uk will be an evening dedicated to trickery and tomfoolery exploring code breaking, conspiracy theories, forensic science, lie detection and cybercrime with cocktails and jazz helping to set the mood.
Newcastle ScienceFest is managed by the Centre for Life in partnership with Northumbria University, Newcastle Science City, Tyne and Wear Museums and Archives and Newcastle University with support from many of the region’s cultural and science communication organisations.
For details of the full Newcastle ScienceFest programme visit www.NewcastleScienceFest.com.
Challenge to find the best new British innovations launched
Business Minister Mark Prisk has launched a nationwide competition to find the most innovative pre-market products, processes and concepts the UK has to offer.
The Make it in Great Britain Challenge is open to inventors, manufacturers, engineers, designers, businesses of all sizes, young people and the general public. It forms part of the Make it in Great Britain campaign, which aims to change the image of modern manufacturing.
Judges are seeking entries across five categories that represent the breadth and depth of the manufacturing industry, and highlight the innovation and talent in Britain today.
The winning entries from each category will showcase their creations on a weekly basis at the Make it in Great Britain exhibition at the Science Museum in London, which will coincide with the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. Visitors to the six-week exhibition will be invited to vote on their favourite entry. The winners from each weekly vote will feature together in the final week of the exhibit.
Categories include:
* Make it…Stronger
* Make it…Smarter;
* Make it…Sustainable;
* Make it…Life changing; and
* Make it…Breakthrough (for 16-21 year old entrants only)
Make it…Breakthrough has been specifically designed for young people and entries can conform to any of the other four categories. Ahead of the exhibition opening in July, members of the public will have a chance to vote on which of the finalists in this category they believe is the most significant innovation, with the winner securing a place in the Science Museum for the entire duration of the exhibit.
Mark Prisk said:
“The Make it in Great Britain campaign is all about transforming the image of modern UK manufacturing, and raising awareness of its importance to our nation’s economy.
“This Challenge creates the perfect platform to celebrate the most innovative and creative manufacturing minds out there today, while showcasing their skills to potential investors, employers and peers who could help kick-start their ideas into real commercial ventures.”
Will Butler-Adams, Managing Director of Brompton Bicycles and one of the campaign Industry Champions, will form part of the judging panel. He added:
“The Make it in Great Britain Challenge will remind us how many fantastic things we make across the UK. I hope it will inspire Brits to put their thinking caps on and rise to the challenge to put forward their very own creative ideas.
“I love to know how things are made, seeing wild ideas move from the back of a scrap of paper to a real product that a customer can enjoy. I hope to have a chance to see some really innovative pre-market initiatives bubble up from established companies as well as brand new talent. It will be a privilege to be a member of the judging panel and I have no doubt that the products that come out of this Challenge will be some of the most exciting parts of the Make it in Great Britain exhibition.”
To find out more about the Make it in Great Britain Challenge, please visit http://bis.gov.uk/makeitingreatbritain. The deadline for entries is Thursday 5 April.