Harrow Way students enjoyed the ultimate science lesson recently hearing from a number of the UK’s top scientists.
Professor Robert Winston topped the bill at Science Live where he was joined by a number of leading experts from the fields of chemistry, physics, clinical anatomy, and oceanography.
The day was designed to inspire students to continue studying STEM subjects post 16 and proved thought-provoking with a number of exciting presentations and experiments.
Commenting on the opportunity to hear from the who’s who in the science world, Science Teacher Janie Burden said, “It was a privilege to hear from these incredible speakers who were all carefully chosen for their ability to communicate with students in a direct and exciting way. They opened up a whole new world to our students with their passion and love of science and thought-provoking presentations and experiments.”
Highlights of the day included Professor Robert Winston sharing his ground breaking research into improving the success rate of IVF and UCL’s Professor Andrea Sella’s experiment showing the amazing properties of carbon dioxide to exist as a solid, liquid and gas in a single test tube.
The favourite by far by students at the Andover school which boasts 940 students was the argument that “future time travel is possible“; if you travel close to the speed of sound in a gravitational field.
Other speakers included Professor Jim Al-Khalili who has made a number of documentaries and Radio 4’s The Life Scientific, Professor Alice Roberts who has presented a range of programmes on BBC2, including Coast and Wild Swimming and physicist, oceanographer and broadcaster, Dr Helen Czerski.
Keeping an eye on the future students were also given some hints and tips on exam success from an experienced science examiner and some take-aways about studying science and working as a scientist.
In 2015 following the publication of the Department for Education’s Performance Tables, Harrow Way was named the most improved school in Hampshire and in the top 50 most improved school in the entire country (2011-2014).
