Book STEM Sessions
STEM underpins all facets of modern life and evolves at relentless speeds. Whether it's helping to keep the nation's data systems secure, or educating the next generation of maths teachers, STEM is making a difference to the world.
To help your students learn about studying STEM subjects at university, and gain valuable experiences to help them decide which course is right for them, our Faculty of Technology offers a range of opportunities for your students.
Our Faculty of Technology sessions include exciting introduction to the subjects, the available courses and the careers they can lead on to often with a hands-on, practical activity. We have a range of sessions to support areas of the curriculum but are happy to collaborate with you to develop new sessions to give you and your students the most valuable experiences.
Pick your subject area
Forensic Computing & Cybersecurity
We look at the roles of digital forensic examiners and what they can do. Students have a go at cracking cyphers and then use a variety of techniques to test and exploit the security and vulnerabilities of a fake company website.
Themes covered:
- SQL Injection
- Cyphers
- Steganography
Computer Networks: Who is my ISP?
All the advances in technology over the years, from games consoles to drones to self-driving cars require the Internet! Computer networks are now vital to us and so are those who are responsible for them – network engineers.
This session will practice with Internet addressing, investigating your service provider and how your ISP connects you to the rest of the world which forms a foundation to become a network engineer.
Themes covered:
- Internet Addressing
- Computer Networks
Mechanical Engineering: Gliding through the Engineering Process
Students look at aerofoils, aerodynamics and the workings of a wing. They construct a glider from lightweight materials, balance its weight and then test their completed build.
Themes covered:
- Aero/fluid Dynamics
- Engineering Process
Electronic Engineering: Building a wireless charger
We look at the importance of transistors in modern electronics and how they work. We look at the physics behind a wireless charger. Students then build the circuit to wirelessly transfer power and use a micro bit to program a system response to mimic a charging phone.
Themes covered:
- Transistors
- AC & DC
- Magnetic Induction
Renewable Energy Engineering: Hydrogen Fuel
A look at how hydrogen is produced and used for power and the benefits and drawbacks of hydrogen and battery vehicles. We then demonstrate the workings of a hydrogen fuel cell using simple fuel cell cars.
Themes covered:
- Renewable Energy
- Electrolysis
- Fuel Cells
Modelling a Pandemic
Students will look at where the models we’ve seen on the news begin and how they’re built up mathematically - they will build their own SIR model (susceptible, infected, removed) and look at more complex examples.
Themes covered:
- Logarithms & Exponents Differential
- Equations
- Rates of change
Topology - the Euler characteristic
Using props and diagrams we will introduce the fascinating and imaginative branch of Mathematics known as Topology, and students will test and prove various theorems along the way.
Themes covered:
- Working with angles
- Formulae and functions
- Solving simultaneous equations
- Proving theorems.
Go with the flow*
Students will see a hydroflume in action and look at how structures can affect water flow and levels. Students will be challenged to solve issues that engineers must face.
Themes covered:
- Hydrology
- Bernoulli Equation
- Water Engineering
*Currently in development but, if interested, please enquire via our booking form.
Building the Dream!
Developing a dream building...
In this lively workshop, students run through some of the key areas when developing land. Given some information, students in small groups are tasked to come up with a big idea for developing a site: spend millions and see whose building passes the planning committee.
Themes covered:
- Consultation/Design
- Following a brief
- Building Design
- Site layout
Ripples in Spacetime - Black Holes & Gravitational Waves
A talk from one of our gravitational waves team about black holes, space-time and how gravitational waves are formed. There will be a physical demonstration of how fast-rotating masses cause ripples in spacetime and students will put together a mini interferometer to see how laser interference allows us to detect distant events.
Themes covered:
- Light interference
- Black holes & Neutron Stars
- General Relativity
- Gravity
Virtual Escape Room
A clickable, virtual physics escape room – using a series of logic, mathematical and knowledge-based puzzles. The content is based on a broad range of topics from the GCSE and A-Level, and is designed to be a challenging problem-solving activity for A-Level students studying Physics.
Themes covered:
- Broad range of GCSE topics
- Problem solving
Coming soon
- Biology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Geography
- Law
Book Now
If you would like to contact the team directly, or have a request for STEM Fairs, bespoke sessions or lower age groups, please contact stemoutreach@port.ac.uk.
Find out more about the University of Portsmouth
Other things to check out
Browse our on campus Subject Taster Days, where experience of studying their favourite subjects at university, read more about our work with schools and colleges and take a tour of our technology facility.
