This week Monmouth Science Initiative hosted its first Science Conference at Monmouth School. Over two hundred students from six local schools attended. The aim was to help students to realise that Science is exciting and to recognise the importance and relevance of science in the wider world beyond the confines and restrictions of the current GCE syllabus.
Three eminent scientists kindly gave up their time to speak to the students and inform them about the field in which they work.
Professor Mansel, Professor of Surgery and Chairman of the Division of Surgery, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, spoke about his work in the field of breast cancer treatment. He has developed an innovative technique where real time polymerase chain reaction is used to detect breast cancer metastasis in lymph nodes. This can be used during operations and removes the agonising wait that patients normally face for results from lymph node testing. It was particularly interesting for students to hear about the wider use of the polymerase chain reaction as this is a technique which they use during the initiative in order to amplify their own DNA.
Jeff Howe from Cassidian (formerly EADS) talked about his work as Principal Synthetic Environment Researcher. He spoke at length about the technological advances that have taken place during the last twenty years and asked students to consider how they would feel about travelling in an unmanned aerial vehicle whilst the pilot remains on the ground. He then went on to explain how his company worked closely with Gwent Police during last week’s Ryder Cup. They have produced a 3D mapping system which works with GPS and allowed senior commanders to track the positions of over 200 officers and therefore be able to respond quickly to any security alerts. The students were able to see this cutting edge technology in action and also had opportunity to question as to why one of the police officers appeared to have spent the Ryder Cup sitting in a lake!
Dr Paul Roche, Director of the Faulkes Telescope Project and the UK National Schools' Astronomer talked the audience through the origins of life on earth, explained about extremophiles and used this concept to discuss how the search for life on other planets might progress. Students were intrigued when he went on to discuss crop circles and the chance that aliens had landed on earth. The fact that aliens could watch the Richard and Judy show and then come to earth to produce their image in crop circles amused the audience. They were also interested by the psychology behind UFO sightings and the correlation between these and the fear levels found in societies when they are at war.
The grand finale to the conference was a pyrotechnic display by Dr Danks and Dr Clarke. Tricks involving liquid nitrogen, gunpowder and elephant’s toothpaste engaged students and provided a spectacular end to the conference and confirmed that not only is science cool and part of everyday life, but is also exciting!
