Techniquest manages the Nuffield Research Placements Programme in Wales.
Nuffield Foundation -a UK-wide funded programme- gives young people the chance of gaining skills and confidence in science and research through exciting research-based placements.
This week, Techniquest will host a celebration event for the successful 2019 students.
59 students across Wales completed a Nuffield Research Placement of between 4-6 weeks during the summer-holidays this year. Techniquest – the UK’s longest established science centre – is hosting an official Celebration Event for the students to showcase their projects this Wednesday (9th October) at its location on Stuart Street, Cardiff Bay between 5pm-7pm.
The research placements give Year 12 students from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to undertake a project that relates to an area of science, social sciences, earth science, computing, technology, engineering or maths. This is part of Nuffield’s widening participation mission to improve educational opportunity across the UK.
The event will be attended by Nobel Prize winner, Sir Martin Evans -who will present each student with a certificate to recognise the completion of their project.
Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Professor Peter Halligan will also be in attendance to present the project placement providers with theirs. Placement providers for 2019 were Cardiff University, Swansea University, the National Museum of Wales, Office for National Statistics, HMRC, IPSEN Biopharm Ltd., CSA Catapult and Techniquest.
From the Nuffield Foundation will be Dr Simon Gallacher, Head of Student Programmes and Techniquest’s Head of Education and Wales Regional Coordinator for Nuffield Research Placements, Andrea Meyrick.
Andrea Meyrick, commented;
“We’re really grateful to all of our providers for their continued support in offering Research Placements throughout Wales. Without our providers, our aim to help young people wouldn’t be possible. Techniquest’s mission is to be a leader in embedding STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] into Welsh culture; and working with The Nuffield Foundation to offer students these amazing opportunities is hugely beneficial to us as an organisation to keep young people interested in Science and develop careers in STEM.”
