Ten STEM organisations awarded new Royal Society grant to bring science enrichment to students most in need

The Royal Society has announced ten Science Community Grants to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) organisations across the UK. The organisations will work to inspire students in areas of greatest need, encouraging them to take an interest in science.

The Science Community Grants are a new three-year scheme aiming to foster long-term partnerships between STEM organisations and local schools and colleges in areas with low access to science engagement. The grant is funded by a generous donation from the Julia Rausing Trust, and offers up to £105,000 each to the organisations.

The awarded organisations will support schools by establishing hands-on investigative STEM projects that are relevant to their local communities. This programme strives to inspire young people across the UK, create a lasting interest in STEM, and help students develop core skills for their future lives.

Every funded organisation will recruit 25 schools from this autumn, which they will work and build partnerships with over the next three years.

Some of the organisations that are being funded and their projects are:

• Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for the Cell will work with schools in East London, where vaccine uptake is low, allowing students to undertake microbe investigations and simulate the impact of an emerging infection over seven weeks
• The Canal & River Trust will work with schools in the South East, West Midlands, North West and North East, to investigate local waterways
• STEMazing will support schools primarily in Nottingham, Birmingham and Ayrshire, where students will get to build and test their own wind turbines
• University of Nottingham will partner with hospital schools across the UK, targeting students who experience significant educational isolation due to long-term illness and hospitalisation, to support students design and 3D print solutions to everyday problems

In addition to the hands-on science projects, the organisations will also establish communities where teachers from their partnered schools can share best practice, receive peer support, and work closely with the organisation and STEM professionals (actively working within academia and industry), to enrich STEM education and hands-on learning.

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said:

“I am very pleased to announce these ten Science Community Grants. The Royal Society has long advocated for practical hands-on science to be conducted in schools. Schools are where most people first encounter science. Practical science helps students experience the scientific process, evaluate evidence, understand uncertainty, and appreciate how science helps us understand and improve the world. We want all students to experience and be inspired by science. Embedding more practical science in schools is an important step to help build future generations of scientists and innovators, and to equip people with the scientific literacy required to be successful citizens.”

Simon Fourmy, Chief Executive of the Julia Rausing Trust, said:

“We are delighted to support the Royal Society’s work to revitalise hands-on science in schools. By helping young people explore and experiment for themselves, we hope this initiative will strengthen science education and nurture the next generation of scientists and innovators. We also hope to inspire others to invest in practical science education across the UK.”

Bedford College Group

The group will work with secondary schools in areas of deprivation around Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough. Students will undertake investigations linked to biodiversity, environmental monitoring and carbon footprint, working with local industry experts to support their projects.

Canal & River Trust

The charity will engage with clusters of schools in the South East, West Midlands, North West and North East. The team will support schools to undertake three investigations linked to the waterways in their local area.

Queen Mary University of London

The university will work directly with primary schools from the London boroughs of Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets and Newham, targeting schools with low attainment in STEM and with low vaccine uptake. Working with researchers from the QMUL’s Centre for the Cell, students will undertake microbe investigations, simulating the impact of an emerging infection over seven weeks.

Sheffield Hallam University

The university will build partnerships with primary schools in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. Students will focus their investigations on locally relevant environmental projects, investigating topics such as air quality, renewable energy, flood risks, biodiversity and building efficiency.

Sherwood Observatory

The observatory and science centre, operated by the charitable Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, will collaborate with STEM professionals from within their network and from the University of Nottingham to support schools in areas of deprivation around Ashfield and Mansfield. The project will enable students to measure the effect of artificial light on sky brightness.

STEMazing

The organisation will work with primary school students with limited access to STEM, in schools within three areas of the UK – Nottingham, Birmingham and Ayrshire. Students will undertake an investigation to design, build and test a wind turbine.

University of East Anglia

The university, along with professionals from the John Innes Centre, the Earlham Institute and the Climate Ambassadors programme, will work with primary and secondary schools in rural and coastal areas of Norfolk and Suffolk. The project will give students the opportunity to undertake investigations linked to climate resilience and sustainability in their school communities, helping students to contribute to their school’s climate action plan.

University of Hull

The university will work with secondary schools and further education colleges in rural and coastal areas of North Lincolnshire and Yorkshire on a number of locally relevant citizen science investigations. Students will get the exciting opportunity to contribute to ongoing research questions.

University of Manchester

The university will work across primary and secondary schools and further education colleges in Greater Manchester and deliver investigations themed around materials science and corrosion.

University of Nottingham

The university will partner with researchers and hospital schools across the UK, targeting students who experience significant educational isolation due to long-term illness and hospitalisation. Students will investigate everyday design problems, using 3D printing technologies to develop their own hands-on solutions.