Putting the science into ice-cream

I am a Metallurgist / Materials Engineer working in Rolls-Royce Submarines. I help make sure that the materials we choose are fit for purpose and won’t cause issues in production.

I became a STEM Ambassador as I was inspired by a head teacher of a local school to try and make a difference to children's education.

STEM ambassador work has helped me hone my presenting skills and I have been inspired by the awesome children I have met.

STEM ambassador work has helped me hone my presenting skills and I have been inspired by the awesome children I have met.

I regularly go into this class and school to enhance the science teaching, it also helps me put something back to my local community.

I think I am a successful STEM ambassador because I put in the prep time to make sure lessons are inspiring and the experiments work. Picking interesting subjects like Light Sabres, Superheroes and dinosaurs helps keep the children’s interest, as does making ice-cream scientifically!

I also taught reception children about dinosaurs as this was one of their topics and it helps them understand that science is fun. I tested their knowledge with a quiz and showing them a time-line so they realise that dinosaurs were spread out in time. I drew dinosaur footprints so they could see the variety of sizes and how big some of them were. We did some investigations – using tools to “hatch” salt dough “eggs”. Using brushes to unearth dinosaurs in a sand pit and making fossils using toy dinosaurs and salt dough.

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