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About Us Cumbria STEM Centre Ltd has been working very successfully with schools and businesses in Cumbria for several years now. All our work has been directly related to generating excitement and enthusiasm for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths [STEM] through linking schools and colleges with STEM related businesses. Cumbria STEM Centre Ltd was formed in August 2008 after gaining two important contracts. The contracts were for Brokerage, Advice and Guidance to all schools and colleges in Cumbria and specifically related to STEM Enhancement and Enrichment activities. The second contract was delivery of the STEM Ambassadors programme and although these contracts have now ceased the STEM Ambassadros programme is still ongoing and we are still recruiting STEM Ambassadors and working with young people. After a successful three years delivering these contracts and working with more Schools, Businesses and recruiting more eager STEM Ambassadors throughout Cumbria. We again, tendered for the new STEMNET Contracts. In July 2011 Cumbria STEM Centre Ltd won the 4 Year contract to help STEMNET deliver its programmes to schools and organisations in Cumbria, through the STEM Ambassador Programme and the Schools STEM Advisory Network. Schools STEM Advisory Network Cumbria STEM Centre Ltd aims to ensure that all young people, schools, and colleges in Cumbria have easy access to STEM curriculum enhancement and enrichment activities and schemes. We will offer advice and guidance to teachers on schemes available to them, facilitate links with a contact or organisation best suited to meeting teachers' specific needs, help organise industry visits and placements for students and teachers. STEM Ambassadors Programme Cumbria STEM Centre coordinates the STEM Ambassadors programme on a local level, ensuring all schools and colleges have knowledge of, and access to, STEM Ambassadors in their area. Cumbria STEM Centre will; identify professionals with STEM skills to become STEM Ambassadors, link STEM Ambassadors with local schools and colleges to act as role models and help inspire and engage young people about the value of STEM in their daily lives, help local STEM employers engage with schools and colleges in their communities. Staff: Tony Gill - Chief Executive Wilma Buckley - Office Manager Jess Crossley - Admin Assistant Dani Haydock - STEM Ambassador Co-Ordinator Keith Clarkson - Bright Sparks Consultant Fran Ward - Robolab Consultant Jo Gill - Bee Bot Consultant Trustees: John Epps - Chair of the Trustees John Epps - Profile John has spent over 47 years in the electrical power industry world wide. Graduating in Electrical Engineering from Sheffield University, UK, in 1963, he spent 23 years with AEI (latterly GEC) Ltd in their generation, transmission and distribution businesses. He held senior positions in Holland, Canada, Australia and the USA latterly establishing a joint venture in Mexico for building vacuum switchgear locally. In 1986 he joined a small, independent UK Company specialising in protection and control systems for UK and overseas power authorities. This included establishing innovative bulk supply contracts with several UK Distribution Network Operators and China Light & Power (Hong Kong) for their 132 & 400KV transmission systems. In 1995 he joined Reyrolle Switchgear Ltd (Rolls Royce Power Transmission & Distribution) responsible for a central sales force and introducing key account management. On acquisition by VA Tech in 1998 he was appointed Regional Director for VA TECH Hydro-businesses in the UK & Ireland reporting to the main Board in Austria. These covered water and thermal projects and a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine plant in Northern Ireland. Development of Hydro power as a renewable energy resource being one of his main activities. In 2005 he retired and formed a small consultancy advising on power projects and the introduction of innovative systems to meet renewable energy requirements. He supports Andritz Hydro on their Large & Compact Hydro activities in the UK & Ireland. Special interests involve the expanding UK opportunities developing hydro & marine tidal energy projects. A Fellow of the IET (Institution of Engineering & Technology) and Life Senior Member of the American Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers(IEEE). He is an Associate of the IEEE Power Engineering Society Working Group on Implementing Technology to Limit Climate Change. He is a member of the IET Technical & Professional Networks Steering Committee. He is active in schools promoting the benefits of science and engineering careers as a Science and Engineering Ambassador based with Cumbria STEM Centre Ltd where he is the Chair of Trustees. He is a visiting lecturer to Portsmouth University Business School covering project management. He is the Mentor for Cumbria & NW England of the Engineering Development Trust(EDT) encouraging young people to engineering and in raising awareness of the wide range of careers the profession offers. Keith Clarkson - Trustee & Company Secretary Keith Clarkson -Profile After working for 38 years Keith retired from Norweb / United Utilities, having worked in Construction, Maintenance & Design and Safety Management. He is a member of the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) and Science and Engineering Ambassador. Taking early retirement in 1999 he formed his own business as an electrical consultancy and started delivering an electricity activity and safety day, the "Bright Sparks Day" to key stage 2 pupils in primary schools, predominately in Cumbria, and supported until 2010 by United Utilities. In the decade from 2000 20,000 children had participated in the activity day. In 2009 he became the Company Secretary of Cumbria STEM Centre and in 2010 a Trustee when charitable status was granted in August. Keith is a great believer in creating & retaining jobs in Cumbria and providing training opportunities for our young people. The Bright Sparks Day gives him the opportunity to highlight engineering and science as a career for both boys and girls and to destroy the gender myth "Science and Engineering" is for boys. Kathleen (Kath) Walley - Profile Following a secondary education at King's High School for Girls, Warwick. Kathleen entered London University (Royal Holloway College) as a scholar and in 1969 obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Physics. This was followed by completion of a PGCE in secondary teaching at Bristol University in 1970. The first five years of employment were spent teaching science, mathematics and physics to A-level in Gloucestershire, initially at Lydney Grammar School 1970-73, and then continued for a further two years when the school became the comprehensive Whitecross School 1973-75. In 1975 she moved to Cumbria to lead the Physics Department at Ulverston Victoria High School, and stayed in this role and latterly as Deputy in Science Faculty until retiring in 2007. During this period she introduced the Engineering Education Scheme to the year 12 students and managed many extremely successful teams some of which achieved success nationally and internationally. In 2007 she was awarded the Stephenson Award by the Worshipful Company of Engineers for this work and in the same year was runner-up in the Northern section of the Secondary Teacher of the Year awards. In retirement Kathleen is a member of the Council of the Barrow and District Association of Engineers (BDAE), acting as school liaison person, and enjoys exploring the local Industrial History heritage with the U3A. Kathleen believes that the UK has many very gifted students who are encouraged to produce their best work, whether academic or practical, if they are presented with a challenge and personally high goals to achieve. STEM presents these scenarios to a wide range of students and encourages success through contact with enthusiastic and experienced professionals, she has no hesitation in supporting its mission. Dr Sarah Green - Profile BEng(Hons) PhD CEng CEnv FIMMM FHEA Sarah is a Senior Lecturer in Engineering Materials at the University of Lancaster. Sarah began her engineering career via a degree in Materials Engineering from Sheffield University which was followed by PhD research at the University of Nottingham and industrially collaborative post-doctoral research into powder processing techniques for the production of alloys. In 1998 she joined Durham University where she led a number of industry/academia collaborative interdisciplinary research projects in bioengineering, tribology, manufacture and materials research and was involved in teaching undergraduate and post graduate engineers. At Lancaster she has research interests in materials engineering and Chairs the department of engineering teaching committee. She is a fellow of the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining, a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Environmentalist and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She peer reviews for EPSRC, the Higher Education Academy and is a member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining education committee. She is also contributing to the University of Cumbrias Energy Coast campus project which is working towards the development of higher level engineering provision in West Cumbria, collaborative with local providers. |
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