Description
This year Kielder Observatory delivered the third phase of its From STEM to Stars project. Building on the success of previous phases, From STEM to Stars Phase 3 aimed to inspire and educate through the world of space engineering, emphasising the North East’s rich industrial heritage and its emerging role in the UK’s space sector.
We initially targeted 50 schools to establish after-school Space Clubs and to engage 10,000 pupils through school visits, enhancing their understanding of space engineering, satellite technology and its applications. Alongside initial visits and the establishment of Space Clubs, we offered after-school community stargazing sessions, visits to the Observatory with subsidised travel, and a telescope for every school involved.
Our theme for this phase was “Satellites and Sustainability” and we encouraged pupils to role-play as their own space agencies to learn about how space widely impacts everyday life, and to consider how we can ensure that it remains sustainable going forward. We continued to primarily deliver workshops that encouraged pupils to use their imagination and knowledge in tandem to create, build, and work together, emphasising the importance of creativity in STEM.
As this phase draws to a close, we want to present how we developed and delivered this phase of the project, and what we learned this time around.
