Report from the event: 15 November 2023
On Wednesday 15 November 2023, Chelmsford Cathedral hosted a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) conference for teachers and young people from a range of schools across Essex and East London. Participants came from Castledon College, Beauchamps High School, Drapers Academy, CCHS, CVHS and St John Payne. In total, well over 100 students.
The day was the latest in a series going back over ten years organised by Ivor Moody the Vice Dean and Canon Pastor (and latterly with Lee Bryant, Head of Sixth Form at Drapers' Academy). Students from years 11, 12 and 13 are offered the chance to experience a cross-curricular day, seeing how the academic subjects they are studying can cross-connect and interact with other academic disciplines, subjects and situations which are relevant to, and which may be encountered by, the students as they progress in their studies and experience 'the real world'.
Read more: CSES co-hosts STEM Conference with Drapers' Academy and Chelmsford Cathedral
A packed programme for everyone to look forward to
We are delighted to announce that our 2023-2024 season is taking shape, with (nearly) all the talks for the year now confirmed, the socials for the remainder of 2023 in the diary (more to follow!) and other highlights such as the Chelmsford Science Festival on the horizon.
We are also pleased to be jointly hosting a STEM Conference with Drapers' Academy at Chelmsford Cathedral (15 Nov), and to be able to offer a unique opportunity for students to hear a talk by the former Head of Technology at British Cycling (6 Dec)! Looking forward to 2024, we will be running TEXPO and Do & Discover as usual, and at various careers fairs and other events.
Keep an eye on the events page of our website for the latest programme. Members can receive email updates with all the latest news and invitations, so if you haven't yet joined the society but are thinking about it, we would encourage you to do so now! It's an easy, online process – free for students/teachers and only £12 a year for everyone else.
Read on for the events in the calendar so far.
15 November 2023, Chelmsford Cathedral
We are delighted to announce the opportunity to attend an educational visit to Chelmsford Cathedral on Wednesday 15th November 2023. The event is organised by Drapers' Academy in collaboration with CSES and Chelmsford Cathedral, and will feature our My Smarter Essex interactive polling format.
CSES is currently seeking a new President. This is an exciting and high-profile opportunity for someone who is passionate about STEM industries and STEM education, or who wishes to accelerate their professional development. Please read on for further details.
Please note that we are also recruiting for the role of CSES Secretary.
The GB Team's Track Bike For The Tokyo Olympics – 6 December 2023, ARU
We are delighted to announce that one of the UK's foremost engineers, Professor Tony Purnell, has agreed to give a special presentation for schools and students (and parents). The Team GB track bicycle for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics caused a stir on its announcement. Its wide forks and unusual titanium-carbon frame were a radical departure from convention. Tony, former Head of Technology at British Cycling, will talk about how engineering helped Great Britain top the cycling medal table at the Tokyo Olympics.
The talk will take place from 2pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday 6th December at Anglia Ruskin University. We would suggest that it is especially suitable for students aged 11+ with interests in Science, Engineering or Sport.
DUE TO SELL-OUT DEMAND, Prof Purnell has kindly agreed to give a second edition of the talk at 5.30pm on the same day (replacing the previous talk scheduled for the evening). Members and the public are also welcome, subject to pre-booking.
To register your interest, please e-mail
On 11 July 2023, students from Harwich and Dovercourt High School took part in a Step into STEM Event as part of our My Smarter Essex series, and following the successful edition of this event at Clacton Coastal Academy in November 2022.
The event was launched by Chris Herron, the Assistant Head of the School, and focused on local further education, training and career opportunities arising from the growth of green and renewable energy industries.
A huge thanks to everyone who took part in our 2022-2023 schools' project Giving Voice: Stories of STE(A)M through the technology of radio, which saw several teams of students produce podcasts and posters about influential figures from the world of Electronic Communication.
We are pleased to announce that the podcast episodes are now available to listen to, and the prize winners are as follows.
Head to cses.podbean.com to listen to the episodes!
Congratulations to everyone who won an award at the 2023 CSES TEXPO, which took place on Friday 30 June 2023 at Anglia Ruskin University.
Read more: 2023 TEXPO results and National Saturday Club awards
Images on the theme of "Electronic Communication"
Thank you to everyone who entered our 2023 Photographic Competition on the theme of Electronic Communication. This year, we received some particularly witty and poignant entries that we very much enjoyed reviewing!
You can see all of the photographs at our web gallery here.
Congratulations to our winners, whose entries are shown below. Prizes this year were £50 (first) and £20 (second) in both the primary and secondary age categories.
Our flagship weekend returns for the Chelmsford Festival
Do & Discover 2023 • ARU & The Meadows • 17-18 June
Click here to find out all the details
Our weekend of fun experimental activities for all the family is back! Join CSES and its partners for a full weekend of FREE hands-on discovery across the city of Chelmsford. Taking place across both days at ARU and the Meadows Shopping Centre, we invite you to Do something fun and Discover the wonders of science and innovation in Chelmsford.
There will be loads of hands-on activities for families and children, including AI music, live satellite tracking, a full Raspberry Jam (tech and coding), science experiments, engineering challenges, craft activities and making your own radios.
Pre-booking is advised for Make Your Own Radio – see the event page to book
An exhibition (featuring a live link between the two locations!) will tell the amazing story of how Chelmsford connected and changed the world.
And this year, we are delighted to feature a Hearing Lab and Brain Hub, where you will get to find out what it's like to wear a hearing aid, control a phone with your mind and test yourself with some dementia-friendly games.
Pre-booking is advised for the Saturday Brain Hub – see the event page to book
To round off the Saturday, ARU will be hosting the finale of the Chelmsford Radio Drama Festival in the evening. Just over 100 years ago, Chelmsford introduced the concept of radio entertainment to the world. Come and listen to the premiere of an exciting new work being recorded for broadcast later this year.
So tell everyone, bring your family and friends, and join us for a weekend of doing and discovering!
- Photographic Competition 2023 – Deadline Extended!
- We need volunteers for Do & Discover 2023!
- TEXPO 2023 – enter now
- Obituary: Vic Leverett (1944-2023)
- Now open: Big Bang and TEXPO 2023
- Why we should be taking creativity more seriously
- TEXPO 2023: Save the Date
- Centenary Photographic Competition 2023: Electronic Communication
- Spaces still available for Giving Voice and introducing the Saturday Club
- National Saturday Club: Imagine! Science and Engineering