Founded over 50 years ago by a self-taught engineer, Dr Cosby Smallpeice, the Trust is a vibrant, energetic educational charity that is passionate about engaging 10 to 18 year olds to take up careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
Their work facilitates young people’s development through enhancing their academic, creative, interpersonal and technical skills, while underpinning the principal aim of encouraging a passion for engineering and science in young people. Through a series of activities, the programme will engage 186 Year 10 girls (aged 14-15) from 3 state schools in London with their understanding of Physics, in order to enhance their educational and career prospects.
The project will begin in May/June 2019 with the delivery of 3 in-school design-and-make ‘Physics Days’ for 180 Year 10 students at 3 state schools in London.
The Physics Day is an in-school workshop that will be led by a DBS checked and first aid trained Education Officer and delivered to teams of students who will be given roles such as Team Leader, Finance Manager and Marketing Officer, mirroring a typical workforce.
After the Physics Day has been delivered, the 2 most deserving students from each school will then be offered a free place on a 3 day ‘Physics in Engineering’ residential course at Royal Holloway University, one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities. During the course, by meeting role model scientists working in industry, students will gain tailored advice about their ideal job aspirations as well as explore cutting-edge feats of physics like the detectors and computational systems on the large hadron collider and electron microscopes making single atoms visible.
The course will consist of four distinct components:
- Practical, industry based projects including designing and building detectors that identify cracks in nuclear reactors, developing skills in engineering, mathematics and budgeting;
- Project mentoring from female scientists working in industry;
- Experience of meeting other students from all walks of life; and
- Careers information on routes into science careers.
Future Funding
Having supported a broad range of inspiring and transformational projects over the Foundation’s 30 year history, the Trustees decided to embark upon a strategic review to ensure our grants were having the greatest impact. In 2020 we completed an intensive eight month programme led by Ten Years’ Time and we’re thrilled to be focussing all our efforts now on building Youth Power and Leadership with some fantastic partners.
