News
The full programme for the British Science Festival 2021 has been launched and will transform the city of Chelmsford into a celebration of science and culture
The British Science Association (BSA) has unveiled the full programme and opened bookings for the British Science Festival 2021. The rescheduled event is set to be one of the most ambitious science festivals in the UK since the start of the pandemic, with over 100 free events taking place during the five days of the Festival.
This year's programme has been specially curated to highlight the region’s strength in sustainability, healthcare and social sciences. The British Science Festival will offer a mix of outdoor talks, immersive installations, and indoor events that delve into the stories, ideas and the people behind science and innovation.
On Saturday 11 September, join us at Anglia Ruskin University’s Chelmsford campus, for a fun filled Family Science Day. Take part in lunar expeditions, have fun with bubbles and clouds and explore your health and fitness. From Medical Mavericks and an appearance from Spiderman, there is truly something for everyone.
To book your FREE tickets for the Family Science Day, visit www.aru.ac.uk/events.
UKTV's Specialist factual channel Yesterday is airing an eight part series on the buildings that helped fight Hitler. CSES's Chris Neale tells the series about Baddow Tower.
Airing every Monday from April 19th, The Buildings that Fought Hitler is an eight part series exploring the range of buildings, structures and engineering that would help defend Britain in the case of Nazi invasion.
Chris Neale, CSES's Programme Manager, helps present a segment describing the role that Baddow Tower, one of the original Chain Home Radar Towers, played in the defence of the country.
You can see Chris in episode 4, broadcast on Monday 10 May at 8pm. Catch up on UKTV Play.
Read more: The Buildings that Fought Hitler - Featuring Baddow Tower
CSES to host Ask Me Anything (AMA) event on 15 March 2021
In an exciting new development for CSES, we will be hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) event on Reddit.
If you are not familiar with the AMA format, it is where notable groups and individuals invite the community to ask them any question, which they will do their best to answer in near real-time.
LIVE link to Reddit: https://redd.it/m5i6g5
Featuring winning entries to our Centenary Photographic Competition
As you may know, last year we ran a photographic competition for students, which received some amazing entries.
We are delighted to announce that Konica Minolta very kindly agreed to sponsor a calendar with the shortlisted photographs.
The print version was unfortunately delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we are nonetheless very pleased to offer the calendars for sale now (cost covers postage and packaging).
Download a free PDF copy of the calendar here.
Click here to get your CSES Centenary Calendar for just £2.50 (minimum donation).
Science + Creativity = Education
GCSE Science is one of the backbones of modern education. Diana Entwistle had a hunch that circus skills could help teach GCSE Science. With the help of Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society, that hunch has really paid off!
Watch her video covering combustion and the properties of hydrocarbons below!
With many places of education opting for a more blended learning offer and homework increasingly becoming an online activity, it has become increasingly important for young people to have access to computers.
Essex County Council (ECC) has donated 160 laptops to colleges across the county with an additional 200 soon to be distributed. The 160 laptops, which include unused ECC stock and donations, will be given to young people who do not have access to technology. A further 200 laptops have been purchased from the proceeds of parts of devices that have been donated.
If you have an old or unused laptop device gathering dust or hidden away somewhere, please earmark it for the scheme as it will make a real difference.
Arkwright Engineering Scholarships are the most prestigious of their type, supporting engineering minded students during their A levels and equivalent qualifications.
2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Program and their focus is on making more schools and students from all backgrounds aware of Arkwright Scholarships and the opportunities they provide.
Read more: Arkwright Engineering Scholarships: Celebrating 30 Years
By Tim Wander
Episode to be shown at 6:30 on Tuesday 4 May 2021 on BBC 2. Catch up on iPlayer.
A strange title in strange times. Many readers will know that the Museum's Sandford Mill site sits as one of 13 mills on the 13.8 mile-long Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation canal. This was opened in 1797, and connects Chelmsford with the tidal estuary of the River Blackwater at Heybridge Basin.
But it is a long way from the main Chelmsford railway station located on the Great Eastern Main Line that runs across the East of England. Westbound trains terminate at Liverpool Street and eastbound trains run to a number of destinations including Braintree, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester Town, Ipswich and Norwich.
Read more: A Great British Railway Journey... to Sandford Mill?
Located in Great Baddow, the Chain Home Tower which helped provide early warning of Luftwaffe attacks during the Battle of Britain has been Grade II listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
It is the only complete tower of its kind surviving in the British Isles.
Read more: Essex Battle of Britain Radar Tower Given Protected Status
Welcome to our 2020/21 season – our centenary year – and the Essex 2020 Autumn programme. We will be starting with a celebration event on our 'birthday' itself...
On 13 October 2020, CSES turns 100, and we are delighted to be holding a virtual conversation evening to celebrate this milestone and to look forward to what the next 100 years might bring. Please join us to talk about the past, the present and the future as our panel of guest contributors explore the pressing issue of sustainability.
And on 14 October, CSES will be taking part in the Big Education Conversation as we ramp up the Essex 2020 autumn programme.
We hope to see you there!
From their base in Tollesbury, SEA-KIT International have successfully controlled their uncrewed surface vessel (USV) Maxlimer on a 22 day mapping voyage in the Atlantic Ocean. Using a multi beam ultrasonic sounder, the vessel mapped around 1000 km² of continental shelf to a depth of up to 1 km.
Maxlimer is a demonstration of over 'Over-the-horizon' control technology with the aim of showing that it is safe and practical. The boat was connected to the Tollesbury base via satellite where operators could see images from onboard cameras, listen in to its surroundings and access data from thermal imaging cameras and radar. The vessel was initially developed for the Shell Ocean Discovery X-Prize which it went on to win.
More information can be found on the article from BBC news here. A talk from Ben Simpson, managing director of SEA-KIT and original designer of the vessel gave a talk for CSES in early January 2019 when the craft was competing in the Shell X-Prize Competition.
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