Outreach
AMS CDT Cohorts involve students and the public in STEM research through outreach and public engagement events.
It is an increasingly important part of a researcher’s role to engage with the public to generate awareness of science and engineering research, communicate important findings, and encourage dialogue. It is also key to promote the subject of materials generally, in a bid to encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers into the field.
To this end, all second-year students undertake a public engagement project of their own devising. Working in small groups, they must plan, deliver, and evaluate an activity to engage the general public with materials science and engineering.
Here's some examples of previous projects:
Monopoly: Materials Edition
The Materials Edition was developed by AMS CDT PhD students as part of a public engagement project aiming to raise awareness of materials science and engage people with the world of metallurgy.
You can get a copy of Materials Monopoly for your school here
The Metal Lab: Stop Motion Animation
Alan Aluminium and Tyrone Titanium are arguing about who is the best metal, so they decide to settle the matter with a series of experiments. But who will come out on top?
The Edge of Space
AMS CDT students worked with secondary schools to design the payload for a high altitude balloon that was launched to the edge of space.
The payload needed to be lightweight, impact resistant and able to withstand high winds and low temperatures in order to make the journey to the edge of space and back with a range of imaging, data collection, and tracking equipment on board.
What is Materials Science?
Our Cohort collaborated with a professional illustrator to create a series of three animations acting as an introduction to the subject, also covering materials selection and careers in materials.
Engineering Imagination: Sheffield
The Engineering Imagination event, held in the Sheffield Winter Garden, aimed to encouraging children - of all genders - into engineering, supported by a number of activities for kids.
British Science Fair: Materials Selection Jigsaw Puzzle
Our Cohort created the jigsaw puzzle for the British Science Fair, using a car to encourage schoolchildren to think about why different materials are chosen for different applications.