Faculty of Science and Technology

More than 220 students from 12 North West schools attended our Science and Technology Taster Day

Our eighth Science and Technology Taster day was held on campus this week.

Over 220 students from 12 schools around the North West attended the event to get a taste of what it might be like to study Science and Technology at a top university.

Students started the day with a tour of campus and the chance to look at typical first year accommodation, before being welcomed by Professor Gordon Blower, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Teaching.

Students attended their choice of two sessions from a spread of Science and Technology subjects: Geography, Mathematics and Statistics, Environmental Science, Biology, Physics, Psychology, Computing and Communications, Chemistry and Engineering. There was also a session available on student life.

Activities ranged from lectures and small seminar groups through to practical sessions in labs showing the variety of teaching styles that students entering higher education could expect to encounter.

Feedback from teachers has been very positive. Tina Everton, from Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College, emailed to say:

"The students unanimously agreed that today's trip was very worthwhile and they all got something from it. I think it's an invaluable experience and I certainly enjoyed the sessions I attended.

"Lancaster is a very special university with a definite community feel, the students and staff were all very friendly and welcoming."

The Return of Chemistry

For the first time, students attending the Taster Day had the option of a chemistry session, trying their hand at an experiment to work out copper concentrations in a series of different samples.

Visiting sixth-form students taking part in a chemistry experiment

Teaching staff from the schools attending the event welcomed the news that chemistry was making a comeback at Lancaster, and more than 70 students took part in the sessions.

Lancaster University's Dr Keith Davidson, current acting head of the Chemistry department, said: "Since we announced the fact we were reopening the department we have had very strong expressions of interest and support from schools."

Tue 03 July 2012

Associated Links

• Science and Technology Schools Programme - find out more about activities for schools run by Lancaster University's Faculty of Science and Technology