The inaugural STEM talk took place on Tuesday 5^th November and was a great success. Dr Alex Todd from the University of Oxford spoke to Year 9 and 10 students and their parents, about applications of mathematics and their use in climate modelling.

What I took from Tuesday evening was the relevance of the equations learnt by students in their GCSE Mathematics and Physics courses, and how they relate to the climate models run by the Met Office! Passionately introduced by Max Beard, our Year 11 Climate Change Leader, Dr Todd engaged and enthused students and parents on this hugely significant, relevant topic.

The aim of the STEM talks is to support the school’s STEM vision of:

• Offering extra-curricular opportunities that raise the aspiration, knowledge and skills of young people from all backgrounds.
• Providing employers with access to knowledgeable, talented young men with strong STEM skills.
• Encouraging families and communities to recognise the value of STEM to our society, encouraging and supporting them in STEM-related studies and careers.

Looking forward, I can confirm two fantastic speakers for the next STEM talk. Mr Stewart Norris-Bulpitt is a nurse who works with terminally ill cancer patients enrolled in new drugs trials. Dr Sean Martin is a specialist registrar in neurosurgery and is currently in his second year of completing a DPhil at the University of Oxford looking at the effects of deep brain stimulation for autonomic problems in multiple system atrophy. Both will be talking about their career development from school to their current position, and about how they use STEM-related knowledge and skills in their day-to-day work. A provisional date for your diaries is Thursday 6^th February – please follow us on twitter @stbirinus_STEM for further updates. Finally, thank you to the PTA for providing refreshments and to the parents and students in attendance for supporting the event. I hope to see you at the next one!

Mr Binnington, Head of Science