23 replies to this topic

[Arthur Brown]

Realistically any local secondary "Head of Science" would consider a volunteer arriving to do a "Science is interesting" session. BUT it is very unlikely that even expenses incurred would be covered.

Yes there would be delicate negotiation prior to any approval, You would have to be very sure that the establishment accepted full liability and had appropriate insurance. Even modern smoke detectors may be a problem.

[StarScream]

Very good program. It’s sad to think that most kids these days don’t care about science, or much else for that matter… other than maybe their Xbox’s and Miley Cyrus.

For those of you that either missed the show or don’t live in the UK, you can download it via BitTorrent. It's a 700MB avi file.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Realistically any local secondary "Head of Science" would consider a volunteer arriving to do a "Science is interesting" session. BUT it is very unlikely that even expenses incurred would be covered.

Yes there would be delicate negotiation prior to any approval, You would have to be very sure that the establishment accepted full liability and had appropriate insurance. Even modern smoke detectors may be a problem.

As a volunteer who approaches a local school head of science,.....you maybe right Arthur, BUT Im not talking about voluntary work at all,...... Im talking about the possibility of the UKPS making representations to the various local and national education bodies countrywide as a association to paid like any other business to offer a education service as a add-on to the existing science cirriculum.

[Rip Rap]

Realistically any local secondary "Head of Science" would consider a volunteer arriving to do a "Science is interesting" session. BUT it is very unlikely that even expenses incurred would be covered.

Yes there would be delicate negotiation prior to any approval, You would have to be very sure that the establishment accepted full liability and had appropriate insurance. Even modern smoke detectors may be a problem.

I have done small pyro demonstrations at the request of the Head of science at 2 of the schools I have worked at. As soon as my "hobby" became known to them, they sought me out very quickly to ask if I would do some demos.

I did a trial run of everything with the lab techs first, to ensure they were happy with everything. The demos started with a general discussion about fireworks & their effects / compositions. I also showed some of the tools used. Then showed colour comps, B.P. & finally outside for a small B.P. rocket (with no header).

The staff & pupils loved it. There were LOADS of questions from the pupils!

[Arthur Brown]

As a voluntary measure I suspect that most heads of science would welcome a pyro demo immediately.

As a financially valued service there will be annual budgeting to consider -schools usually have relatively set annual costs and have to find other money by borrowing from other budgets.

As a UKPS official activity this means a lot of planning immediately and the UKPS being able to reccommend a number of competent teacher chemists from their ranks.

With the contacts that the film found it was probably more than one head of science could find and the costs were possibly met from the film production company rather than the school.

Edited by Arthur Brown, 09 March 2009 - 06:26 PM.

[GZ22]

Don't forget chaps - episode 2 of Rocket Science is on BBC2 at 21:00 this evening!

[digger]

Well I have watched all three of these, throughly enjoyable. There is hope yet for our young scientists!!!

[GZ22]

I enjoyed the series very much. I do hope that it will inspire young people to take up a future in pyrotechnics, and perhaps one day we will see the triumphant return of large-scale fireworks manufacturing to this fair isle.

[Bowerz]

I don`t see why each of the kids can`t make the decorative tube casings filled with clay ends, or to construct lance framework or to construct a floating parachute or many other types of fireworks,....... providing we do the actual handling/filling of the comps ourselves (perhaps away from site), and then film it.

Turns out they did make lance frames etc! I really like this series and wished it was longer. They ended up showing the kids the formulae to black powder in the end as they where teaching it in the chinese high schools!