[T]he University of Cumbria has partnered in an event which has attracted a group of internationally recognised science, technology and engineering experts to Cumbria.
BBC broadcaster and professor of particle physics Professor Brian Cox will headline the Infinity Festival, a science programme for secondary school students, to be held in September at West Lakes Academy in Egremont.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cumbria Prof Julie Mennell will also attend along with science and technology colleagues.
It’s hoped the festival will inspire more than 200 13-14 year olds to consider studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM.)
“We are absolutely delighted to be supporting the React Foundation, the festival’s organiser, who’ve brought experts in robots, insects, crime mapping, aircraft design, nuclear reactors and other areas to Cumbria and who do so much to inspire young people into STEM,” Prof Mennell said. “Around 50% of pupils who visited similar festivals held in London have gone on to study STEM subjects. In Cumbria we’re working hard to be able to offer the quality of training that’s increasingly needed by employers in these high tech industries based right here in Cumbria.”
The university’s new £3.5m STEM labs, opened last autumn to respond to a national shortage of graduates with specific science, are now fully operational.
New degree and higher-level courses in science, technology, engineering and maths are being created, many for the first time in Cumbria.
“It’s an exciting time in the world of science and technology,” Prof Mennell added. “Our ambition is to ensure home grown talent is ideally placed to fill the vacancies that there will be in Cumbria. We’re very much looking forward to Infinity – and beyond.”
