1 November 2017
Thirty-six pupils from six local primary schools came to the Science Partnership Lab for an inspiring workshop to launch the topic for the 2018 ATOM Science Festival Primary School Science Fair. Following an excellent buffet lunch they were introduced to the aims of the science fair project by Jeremy Thomas, ASP Co-ordinator and ATOM Festival Schools and Families sub-committee chair. The theme for the 2018 Science Fair will be 'Our Amazing Earth from Space', a particularly appropriate theme with Abingdon being at the epicentre of research, development and application of satellite technology in the UK and beyond. The pupils learnt about the amazing variety of ways in which we all now rely on satellites from Chris Duff of the Satellite Applications Catapult, based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Didcot. Chris showed examples of satellites being used to monitor everything from deforestation to volcanic eruptions and even jellyfish swarms endangering the cooling water intakes of nuclear power stations! All the pupils then enjoyed making their own models of satellites and volcanoes before going back to their schools full of ideas for their science fair projects. These will be exhibited during the Abingdon ATOM Science Festival which will take place again next March.
