STEM Ambassadors Novice Evening held at Norwich Research Park

Led by CONNECT Education & Business and run by Norfolk School STEM Lead Vanessa Godden and Norfolk STEM Coordinator Charles Wood, the new STEM Ambassadors met with active ambassadors and teachers to engage and inspire them with the different types of school activities to translate STEM subjects.

The work of STEM organisations builds on government's ongoing strategies for developing a strong supply of scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians.

STEMNET works with over 30,000 volunteers to become STEM ambassadors that are an invaluable resource for teachers to deliver the STEM curriculum and raise awareness of STEM careers. Encouraged to go beyond the classroom to work with other teachers and lecturers, the ambassadors collaborate across subjects to enhance the school curriculum and exemplify to the young people real-life STEM career experiences.

Making up only 1% of the planet’s population, the UK still produces an impressive 10% of the world’s top scientific research output. STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is more prevalent than ever, where STEM subjects are integral to the UK’s success; the world’s sixth largest manufacturer and an engineering turnover around £800 billion per year.

However, even though STEM graduates are set to earn the highest paid salaries, employers are struggling to recruit STEM-skilled staff. STEM education is not only needed for employment but also informs young people growing up in an increasingly scientific and technological society.

To ensure a strong STEM economy and community, training for the number and quality of teachers and lecturers to teach STEM subjects plays an essential role in the success of the students. STEM students need specialist knowledge to challenge them and made aware of the multitude of industries their career could lead to with STEM education.

By attending the TGAC event, the new ambassadors will meet with active STEM Ambassadors and teachers to discuss potential learning activities and show examples they have conducted in school to encourage the novice ambassadors to replicate.

The TGAC event allows the trainees to complete their STEM activity for the year. These include a range of actions that have an impact on young people’s learning and enjoyment of STEM. Such as supporting STEM classroom projects, judging STEM competitions, speed networking with pupils, parents and teachers, and mock job interviews.

Jamie Edwards, Public Engagement & Society Manager in the 361⁰ Division at TGAC, said: “In the Public Engagement & Society team, we pride ourselves on engaging and inspiring the next generation of young scientists through innovative tools and techniques. This event is important to the PES strategy because we aim to generate dialogue between experts and non-experts to discuss the current and ongoing research conducted at TGAC. This, in turn, comes under the Public Engagement & Society ‘umbrella’ which aims to make our science accessible to members of the public across all ages, as supported by the BBSRC.  

CONNECT Education & Business CEO Angela Gant said: “CONNECT Education & Business has been extremely pleased with the engagement and involvement of all the staff at the Norwich Research Park in embracing the STEM Ambassadors Programme.”

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For more information, please contact:
 Hayley London
 Marketing & Communications Officer, The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC)
 T: +44 (0)1603 450107
 E: [email protected]

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