Public and Schools

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SportForce Public Engagement events (link opens in a new window)
Funding for Public Engagement events aimed at the communication of science and medicine in sport. Applications are invited from HEI’s (Higher Education Institution's) involved in teaching and/or research in science. Closing date for applications – Friday 3^rd September at midday.

Researchers in Residence (RinR) programme (link opens in a new window)
This programme links PhD students and early career researchers with secondary schools across the UK. The aim is to make school science, technology and maths more relevant and exciting for young people. RinR also hope to break down stereotypes that young people might have about scientists and scientific careers.

Evaluation for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) providers seminars (link opens in a new window) Free seminars for researchers who are involved in public engagement or outreach work. To be held in Newcastle (21st July), Bristol (2nd September) and Birmingham (6th September).

• How did the universe begin and how will it end?
• Where did the Sun and Earth and other planets in the solar system come from?
• What is matter made of?
• Is there life on Mars, or on planets around other stars in the galaxy?

These are some of the big questions that scientists are trying to answer with the help of the Science and Technology Facilities Council ("the Council") funding and facilities.

The Council's Science in Society programme aims to engage public and school audiences with our science and technology. The STFC Science in Society Advisory Panel advises on the programme.

Follow the links on the left for more information about the science that the Council funds, including:

• Free publications (link opens in a new window) and advice and resources for schools and colleges, on astronomy, space and particle physics
  
  
• The Council science (link opens in a new window): This section offers an overview of the areas of scientific interest to the Council and current major projects. It was written for this web site by acclaimed science writer and former New Scientist Physical Sciences Editor, Nina Hall
  
  
• Funding for projects to increase the public understanding of astronomy and particle physics.
  
  
• Science and Society Fellowships
  
  
• Media and communication skills training to help scientists explain their work to the public through the media
  
  
• Moon rock and meteorite loan scheme, in which schools, museums and others can borrow rare moon rocks and meteorite samples for educational purposes

Reports, presentations and downloads

• The Barstow Report - 'Bringing Space into School Science', commissioned by the British National Space Centre (BNSC) Partnership
  
  
• 'The Education and Skills Case for Space' - consultants' report
  
  
• Science in Society Town Meeting - November 2007
  
  
• LHC Communications Strategy - An outline of proposed UK promotion of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project
  
  
• LHC Educational Resources - An outline of the production of Educational Resources of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project

Other Contents of the Public and Schools Section include:

• Outreach activities
• Funding for public engagement
• Teaching resources
• Science facts
• Public and schools strategy
• Borrow moonrocks
• Publications (link opens in a new window) 
• STFC Image Library
• STFC news