Mission to Mars! Engaging young people in STEM

This spring, Generating Genius has hosted a range of successful events for our Year 11 students, designed to support them in the process of preparing for their GCSE exams. Our Maths and Science masterclasses were hosted by academic staff from the University of Exeter’s College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences and Medical School.

In the first session, students tackled challenging mathematical problems to explore the reality behind well-known film phenomena, such as time travel. In addition to this, they also had the opportunity to get a closer look at the connections between Maths and art through symmetry and try out some mathematical transformations.

The second session was an exciting practical focused on Biology, in which the students got the chance to extract their own DNA. Throughout the masterclass, they were also tested on their knowledge of cell biology and the structure and function of human genes. Many students felt that the session broadened their knowledge on the subject:

“I learnt and reinforced things we need to know for biology GCSE.”

The students also had the opportunity to look at more advanced subjects too, in a special session on neuroscience research, more specifically the functions of the brain. They tried out actual tests used to assess brain function in patients with dementia, while working out how to ensure the validity of their results. Using real medical case studies, students discussed the effects of lifestyle choices on the human brain, as well as how neuroscience research can lead to the development of better treatments for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

"It broadened my knowledge on the subjects we study. I feel the knowledge I have now will help me in understanding my A level subjects."

Thanks for your continued support of our projects, we have lots coming up over the summer and will update you next time!

Links:

• Read about these events and more here