Member Article

Local school helped by Durham Uni expertise

A County Durham school has found the formula for success on its doorstep as it looks to win a gold award. Durham University PhD student Graciela Becci is helping Gilesgate Sports College students build their very own Lego-style robot for their entry into a series of awards aimed at rewarding school pupils for their achievements in science. Six schools throughout County Durham are entering the awards, which aim to raise participation in science amongst pupils.

Electronic engineer Graciela came to Durham University two years ago to do a PhD in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Her expertise was exactly what Gilesgate Sports College needed and she is helping four students from Year 10 to build and programme their own robot.

Graciela said: “I had done a science outreach project before so I knew how rewarding it is getting children interested in science by enhancing the curriculum and pushing them onto a higher level. “I like to put all my enthusiasm and expertise into these projects and I thought helping the pupils with their award entry was the perfect opportunity. It is important to show the pupils how science and engineering is linked and how this can be applied in the real world.”

Jimi Carter, science teacher at Gilesgate School, said: “The Teaching Fellowship is fantastic, the pupils get so much out of the PhD students. It boosts lessons and activities by having people there that know and really care about their subject. Our pupils now see that it is not just scientists that do science, there is science in the real world.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .