Through adoption of the Enhancing STEM Academics' Public Engagement Skills project, Loughborough University took the training and support provided to design and develop, in conjunction with JCB, an engineering outreach activity for Foundation and Key Stage 1 primary school children. The workshop included building a model digger which the children could take home with them. The project also provided opportunities for a team of students to explore (extra-curricularly) how the model digger might be designed and made in large numbers at low cost.

The adoption activities at Loughborough were led by Glynis Perkin (g.perkin@lboro.ac.uk). Find out more in the case study below.

Project Highlights

Glynis identified the following highlights of taking part in the project:

1. Delivering a workshop that had such a visible positive impact on the target audience

2. Receiving National HE STEM Programme funding that enabled building upon an original success, to deliver more workshops and to investigate a more standalone sustainable approach

3. The high level of quality interest received from students interested in investigating how to produce the model in high volume, at low cost. A student team has been put together, running until May 2013.

4. The positive response from the school that will be visited this year and others who have heard about the project

5. Support and feedback received from all those asked, including the National HE STEM Programme SW spoke project and team

Case Study

Please find below a case study of Loughborough's engagement in the project. Should you like to know more, feel free to contact Glynis at g.perkin@lboro.ac.uk; 01509 227194.