Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Schools across Nottinghamshire are being invited to take part in a unique science lesson that will give students the opportunity to suggest objects they would like to see go under a powerful microscope that can zoom in to many times smaller than the width of a single human hair.
‘Under the Microscope Live’ is a new outreach initiative being run by the 糖心原创’s Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre (nmRC). It is giving secondary schools and alternative provisions access to experts who will demonstrate Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) across three interactive in-person and online sessions.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is a powerful tool used to visualise the micro- and nano-structures of materials. It works by using a beam of negatively charged particles, called electrons, to scan the surface of the material, creating high-resolution images that show details as small as a few nanometres. One nanometre is approximately one hundred thousand times smaller than the width of a single human hair.
This engaging project will run across three sessions for pupils aged 15-18, the first is an online session explaining electron microscopy and asking for sample suggestions to be analysed, during the second session scientists will undertake electron microscopy on the suggested samples and explain the structures being shown.
For the final session the school will be presented with a canvas showing an image that was taken during the session, as a lasting memory of the experience.
I have been running various initiatives with SEM technology to show its capability and excite people about science and in the last year have imaged everything from porcupine quills, pollen and tea to shortbread biscuits! We also tried out these sessions at a recent science festival and saw how enthusiastic young people were about seeing the unseen through the incredibly detailed images we can produce. This spurred us on to launch this project more widely.
This initiative will bring the latest imaging technology and techniques into the classroom to show students how exciting science can be and hopefully inspire them to possibly consider science as a career path.
Whether it鈥檚 a fizzy sweet, hair from a teacher鈥檚 head or something related to a curriculum subject, all suggestions are welcome as long as the objects are solid, easily obtainable and aren鈥檛 alive!
Luke continues: “We’re really keen for these sessions to be available to everyone regardless of ability or attainment levels. It is designed to be a fun, engaging and educational session that can also be used to support the curriculum.”
The project is funded by the and there are spaces for 10 schools/provisions to take part. The Outreach Fund is for projects that connect communities from all backgrounds with the chemical sciences.
The Royal Society of Chemistry's Outreach Fund provides financial support to members, individuals and organisations to enable them to run chemistry-based engagement activities. Through the Fund we aim to support projects or programmes that engage with school students and public audiences, provide under-represented audiences, communities and places with inspiring chemistry engagement opportunities, and develop the science communication skills of chemists. We are proud to fund this project, which uses electron microscopy to visualise the hidden structures of everyday objects and engage young people with chemistry.
More information and an expression of interest form can be found here: nott.ac/utmlive
Story credits
More information is available from Luke Norman on luke.norman2@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
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