March 25, 2019 - 1639 views
Year 9 pupils across the country are facing the crucial time of choosing appropriate subjects to pursue for their GCSE options. Choices made over the next few weeks often determines their future educational pathways.
To help local schoolchildren make informed choices, Coleg Llandrillo tutor Dr. Vinnie Ponalagappan - in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry - put together a year 9 event at the college's Rhos-on-Sea campus, which focused on careers within the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The event began with scientists from Bangor University's School of Natural Sciences - together with graduate chemistry students and a chemist from the commercial company Bimeda (a leading global manufacturer of animal health products and veterinary pharmaceuticals) - participating in lively discussions with pupils about their own experiences studying STEM subjects.
The visiting pupils enjoyed a variety of hands-on activities, including making jelly beads and exploring materials through screening UV radiation. The college's A-level students demonstrated topical phenomena, such as diffraction and emission spectra to the pupils.
Their applications in daily life sparked interest among the schoolchildren. "I really like learning here", said a clearly delighted student. "I wish I could come back", said another.
Teachers from St. David's College found the event helpful and expressed interest in attending further such events in the future.
