Swansea University continues to enhance its reputation for reaching out into the wider community with the official launch of CoSMOS, the new College of Science Margam Outreach Space, which now occupies the second floor of the Margam Building on the Singleton Campus. The space is home to five major outreach and public engagement projects.
Further Maths Support Programme Wales (FMSP) aims to increase the numbers of students studying AS/A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics and to generate higher numbers of students from Wales applying to study higher education courses in Mathematically-rich STEM-based subjects.
The History of Computing Collection (HoCC) houses equipment, software, archives, ephemera, oral histories, and videos. It was founded, in Autumn 2007, in order to study historically technological development and innovation and, especially, the relationship between computing technologies and people and society.
The Oriel Science project takes inspiring research from the University and crafts this into compelling exhibits to showcase to the community. Oriel Science’s aims are to encourage and feed the public’s innate interest in science, technology and cutting-edge research, and to inspire the next generation of scientists, technicians and engineers.
Swansea University Science for Schools Scheme (S4) connects Key Stage 3 pupils in South Wales with university science. S4 aims to get young people excited by, and engaged in, science through free, hands-on, curiosity-driven, and research-led workshops. S4 aims to increase access to STEM learning and to improve STEM uptake and attainment in higher education.
Technocamps is a pan-Wales project led by Swansea University which aims to inspire, motivate and engage people in Computer Science and Technology. Technocamps provides STEM enrichment workshops, teaching resources, teacher training, Degree Apprenticeships and a wide range of other activities, addressing shortcomings in computational education and skills identified by higher educational establishments and by industry.
The CoSMOS launch event will take place on the 20th May 2019 when the space will be opened officially by Professor Peter Halligan, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales. Distinguished guests will be invited to tour the CoSMOS to see how it will operate and observe hands-on laboratory/workshop sessions from both the S4 and Technocamps teams.
The Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams, said:
“Our national mission for education in Wales seeks to raise standards and ensure an education system that is a source of national pride and confidence.
Central to this is improving the way we teach subjects like science and mathematics in our schools. Swansea University’s new College of Science Margam Outreach Space is an excellent example of seeing these important projects at first hand.”
CoSMOS is a unique interconnected grouping of STEM activities driving a major aspect of the University’s civic mission. The event is an opportunity to meet the project teams, to find out more about our work with partner schools and across the wider community, and to see the facilities we have on offer at the University.
Pictured:
(L-R) Professor Peter Halligan, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales and Swansea University’s Vice-Chancellor Elect Professor Paul Boyle.