Local school pupils experiment with science

Around 130 local school pupils learned that there’s more to physics than equations when they attended a “Day of Physics” at the University of St Andrews last week.

The annual event, for pupils studying sixth year physics in Fife and the former Tayside region, aimed to promote physics as the basis of further study and a career.

Pupils took part in various physics activities in teaching laboratories, interacted with students, heard about careers with physics and experienced a “real” university lecture.

They attended from Bell Baxter High School (Cupar), Dunfermline High School, Kirkcaldy High School, High School of Dundee, Kirkland High School (Methil), St John’s High School (Dundee), Grove Academy (Dundee), Kilgraston School (Perth), Baldragon Academy (Dundee), Montrose Academy, Glenwood High School (Glenrothes), Arbroath High School, Perth Grammar School, Carnoustie High School, Brechin High School, Perth High School, Morgan Academy (Dundee), Madras College (St Andrews), Queen Anne High School (Dunfermline) and Woodmill High School (Dunfermline).

Dr Bruce Sinclair, from the University of St Andrews School of Physics and Astronomy said, “A degree involving physics can open up careers in physics-based industry, as well as more general careers in management, finance, etc. Physicists can use their science training for research, development, or applications in many “high-tech” areas such as telecommunications, hospitals, power generation, aerospace, remote sensing and electronics. But others opt for more general careers using high-level graduate skills developed in such a course such as problem solving, IT, and numeracy. We see physics graduates going into management, publishing, accountancy, venture- capital, and the legal profession, amongst others.”

Organised by the Tayside Universities and Schools Liaison in Physics (TUSLIP) group, the event was sponsored by the Institute of Physics in Scotland.

TUSLIP was formed many years ago with representatives from secondary schools in Tayside and Fife and from the higher education establishments in Dundee and St Andrews. The “Day of Physics” is now the group’s major event of the year.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS

Photographs of pupils from four of the schools are available from Claire Grainger, contact details below.

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information, please contact Claire Grainger, Press Officer – 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or [email protected]; Ref: press releases/tuslip-2004 View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk