My Virtual CERN Experience- February 2021

This week has been an extra-special half term for me. I have had the opportunity to visit CERN in Geneva, virtually. Thanks to STEM Learning, I have attended a lecture each morning with experts including the amazing Dr Claire Lee and Dr Piotr Traczyk; all under the watchful eye of Adam Little and the amazing Jeff Wiener. I cannot praise CERN enough. 


I was so pleased because I had the opportunity to go a couple of years ago but it clashed with my daughters 21st birthday so could not attend. I was raised and still live in rural East Yorkshire so have grown up surrounded by nature. I love it and enjoy being amongst it with our dog Blue whenever possible. I love to travel to different places and experience different cultures and surroundings. I spent my childhood picking wild flowers and studying leaves, grasses and petals. However, I had a tricky time at secondary school with science, having requested to study biology but being told to study physics and chemistry. I had a very bad teacher so tuned out. This was a real shame. 

I passed a combined science GCSE when I became a teacher (although I did have a Human Biology GCSE) but my degree and MEd are both in Education.  I became Science Lead at school four years ago and this was the way back into the subject for me- obviously I am now completely hooked. I have emerged myself in Primary Science and am now a PSQM Hub Leader and a Chartered Science Teacher. Science is everywhere and is all of us! I don't understand why Science isn't truly given the status it deserves. It is vital that we sew the Science seeds for our pupils engagement and nurture their interest so they truly feel that science is for them.

 

This has been absolutely fascinating. The speakers were so clever and explained particle physics, particle accelerators, particle detectors and medical applications in such a clear way. It was mind bending and really made me start to think in a deeper way about the universe and everything contained in it. This included the content of protons and likening neutrino oscillation to transporting cocktails. It was fascinating- I love that feeling you get when you are making sense of something and internalising new learning. My view of physics has been enhanced dramatically and bad physics teaching experiences have been exorcised! Thank you. It is so important that we develop the science capital of all our pupils so they know that science is for them, in order to bridge the STEM skills gap and ensure that more women work at CERN and in other such science jobs in the future.



It was absolutely fascinating to learn of the positive ways that research at CERN is affecting medicine and medical procedures. They are undertaking such important work. I'm so looking forward to hopefully attending in person later in the year or early next year- Covid allowing. Thank you to everyone involved. I I utterly loved it. What an amazing team and an awesome place to work.

Photos shown were taken of slides shown during the week at CERN.

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