This year’s event is on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 11.00am, starting with welcome drinks and networking in S-Building at the West End of campus.

There will be short talks and open discussions from researchers, experts and industry partners as well as opportunities to visit research facilities.

Innovation is at the heart of the University’s activities, enhancing the student experience, creating impact from research, and driving regional prosperity through Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) as well as economic development partnerships.

The School of Science works in partnership with a diverse range of external organisations to benefit everyday lives. Some notable examples include:

• Derbyshire-based Millitec Food Systems – a specialist in food production automation – who partnered with our AI specialists to create a unique sandwich-making robot, featuring the latest embedded artificial intelligence technology.
• Intelligent Energy – a global leader in PEM fuel cell technology, first launched as a University spin-out during the 1980s – has its headquarters and manufacturing base on LUSEP, with additional offices and representation in the US, Japan, South Korea and China. Underpinned by automotive engineering and chemistry research, Intelligent Energy’s sustainable technology has been successfully deployed to power airborne and road vehicles, and has applications across the logistics, construction and communication sectors.

The University works in partnership with a diverse range of external organisations to benefit everyday lives. It is among the top 20% of all English higher education providers for local growth and regeneration in Research England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework 2021. For example:

• With Rolls-Royce, our research led to a fuel burn saving in the Trent XWB aeroengine that equates to a reduction of 70 million tonnes of CO₂ per year.
• With the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, our research into the Minimum Income Standard helped establish The Real Living Wage.

To find out more about the day’s programme and register your attendance on 20 September, please email Dr Ofonime Udoudo.

The event, hosted by the School and College Liaison team, saw students attend a variety of academic talks and workshops that aimed to spark their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

This is the fifth year the University has held a ‘Year 10 Athena STEM’ residential and all of the events have been supported by the Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, working with their international grant-making partner GlobalGiving.

This year’s four-day course saw pupils learn about the application of physics to build their own paper wind turbines, using engineering to build and race solar cars as well as building sustainable recycling solutions and more.

They used the information they gained to develop a proposal for a sustainable island community for the future, and on the final day, they presented their ideas to a team of judges from Ford and our own visiting member, Dr Jo Jennings as part of a friendly competition.

During their visit, the girls stayed in the halls of residence on campus and also took part in a range of activities to give them a flavour of what life might be like at a university, including a campus scavenger hunt, UV Zumba and a ‘BBQ and Film’ night.

The free-to-attend residential is open to schools from all over the UK and this year students represented:

• Vandyke Upper School, Bedfordshire
• Barr Beacon School, Birmingham
• Priory Academy, Lincolnshire
• Landau Forte College, Derbyshire
• Derby Moor Academy, Derbyshire
• Hinckley Academy, Leicestershire
• Castle Rock School, Leicestershire
• Avanti Fields School, Leicestershire
• Bluecoat Aspley Academy, Nottinghamshire

Marie Shaw, School and College Liaison Manager commented: “It was an amazing experience for students to really immerse themselves in student life on campus, only made possible through the continued support from the Ford Fund.

“As always, it was incredible to see students develop throughout the course of the week, growing in confidence and forming new friendships. We were blown away by the students' research, ideas and creativity displayed through their projects. We hope we have inspired the students and made them think about what STEM subjects they might like to study in the future.”

Suzanne Fargeot, a Ford Engineer and Panel Member added: “It was a real pleasure to see how young minds are enthusiastic and open to STEM subjects.”

As well as developing their interest in STEM, the initiative also helped the students develop a range of key skills that are critical for their future, such as team-working, problem-solving, analytical and presentational skills.

Vrishti, a student who took part from Avanti Fields School in Leicester shared this about her experience: “One thing I feel proud of is competing against bright girls from across the country and winning the competition. A skill I developed further is the ability to work in a team and ensure everyone's ideas are included. I would say the Athena STEM is truly an unforgettable experience and I would recommend this to young women in STEM.”

For information on future residentials, visit the Schools and College Liaison Team webpages. Teachers are welcome to register their interest in next year’s event by emailing the team at scl@lboro.ac.uk