Big Bang Blog

19 June 2012

IOP Scotland had a popular stand at the Big Bang Fair in Perth. Nearly 900 people came along to the day, including around 600 pupils.

Demonstration of balloon experiment

Bob Stamps, David Hutson and Gordon Doig of IOP Scotland amazed the pupils with the tricks you can play with physics, including the all-time favourites of skewering a balloon, tame tornadoes and putting straws through potatoes.

The National Officer, Alison McLure, was one of the judges for the competitions. Around 250 pupils entered the National Science and Engineering competition bringing over 80 STEM projects:

Big Bang Near Me consists of live events (fairs) that offer young people the opportunity to experience hands-on learning in an informal environment outside the classroom. They’re free to attend, fun, inspirational and interactive.

Demo to girls

The winners from the Big Bang Scotland event:

  • Best CREST Science & Mathematics Bronze Award
    Rebecca Allan – If you dye it, will they come? - Dollar Academy
  • CREST Most Creative Project at Bronze Award
    Konrad Ciber-Kotowski – Ferrofluids - Leith Academy
  • Best CREST Science & Mathematics Silver Award
    Andrew Crusher – Crash test dummy - Hutchesons’ Grammar Schoo
  • Best CREST Engineering & Technology Silver Award
    Erin Campbell, Dominic Gallo, Ross Guthrie, Jay Hogg, Alexandria Simpson, Amber Strachan – Go4Set Biomass - Kirkland High School
  • CREST Most Creative project at Silver Award
    David Angus, Alexandra Irvine, Anna Taylor, Jack Thornburrow – Forever Green Energy - George Heriot’s School
  • Best CREST Science & Mathematics Gold Award
    David Lafferty – Gravitational Waves: Listening to the universe - Woodfarm High School (Nuffield Project)
  • Best CREST Engineering & Technology Gold Award
    Calum Hicks, Rory Hughes, Jonathan Wieland – Reactor pool inspection/foreign object recovery devise - Paisley Grammar School
  • CREST Most Creative Project at Gold Award
    William Gao, Ben Guthrie, August Hepp, Matthew Morson, Johnny Tam – Bionic Hand - Merchiston Castle School
  • Young Engineer for Britain Award
    Lee Li - Solar Powered Portable Artist’s light box - Merchiston Castle School
  • The Bill Bryce Trophy
    Konrad Ciber-Kotowski – Ferro fluids - Leith Academy

Prizes Supported by Scottish Government

  • Scotland’s Best Overall Science Project 2012
    Rebecca Allan – If you dye it, will they come? - Dollar Academy
  • Scotland’s Best Overall Engineering Project 2012
    Michael Baldie, Siobhan Martin, Ewan McGuire, Josh Ritchie, Jack Stephens, Tom Stoddart – Scalextrics - Forfar Academy
  • Scotland’s Best STEM Club 2012
    Matthew Devlin, Sarah Devlin, Bronwyn Dickson, Catriona Salvini – Lighting the Paralympics Flame - Broxburn Academy

The fairs encourage enquiry-based learning and stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and maths. They also offer an insight into future careers in the local area and beyond.

Each event offers a range of activities, workshops, shows and interactive exhibits for students aged 5 – 19 to participate in.