NEWS RELEASE
15 January 2008
The countdown is on for the second Abertay Space School which launches at Discovery Point at 10.00am on Saturday 19 January 2008.
This time around 150 youngsters from primary six classes across Dundee, Fife and Perth and Kinross will be taking part at three centres at Abertay, St Andrews University and Perth College.
Space School workshops will be delivered every month until the summer when pupils will attend a summer school at their local centre manned by astronauts and other staff from the NASA Space Centre in Houston.
The first sessions take place at Discovery Point and Sensation in Dundee where pupils will be given an introduction to the solar system and what it means to be a space explorer.
Meanwhile Fife’s space scholars will congregate at the Physics Building at the University of St Andrews where they’ll have a day of astronomy and mathematics for space travel.
The space cadets from Perth and Kinross will be undergoing tests at the Brahan Building at Perth College to see if they are fit for space travel. They’ll also look at the use of chemicals and their reactions in space travel.
Depute Principal of the University of Abertay Dundee and Head of the School of Contemporary Sciences, Professor John Palfreyman said: “Dundee is well known as the City of Discovery and it is crucial that we keep that spirit of adventure alive.
“The pupils attending Space School are the scientists of tomorrow. I sincerely hope they go on to make many new and interesting discoveries throughout the rest of their lives.”
During the six month programme Space School students will hear experts talk about a wide range of subjects from astronomy and physics to computing and engineering.
They’ll also take part in exciting and stimulating hands-on workshops in preparation for the summer school where the space cadets will put their new skills into practice.
Four astronauts and three members of the education team from Space Centre Houston will attend the summer school to share their first hand knowledge of space travel with the students.
Summer schools will be held at Abertay, St Andrews and Perth College but the final day of Space School term will be spent at Abertay where the project originated.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Space School was the brainchild of Dundonian and ex-NASA consultant John Smith MBE and former Director of NASA George Abbey.
The pair worked together to help link Dundee’s RRS Discovery and the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery in 2000.
The Space Schools are organised by Elite Events Scotland.
It is supported by The University of Abertay Dundee, the University of St Andrews, Perth College, Dundee Heritage Trust and Dundee City Council’s Education Department, Perth and Kinross Council’s Education Department and Sensation (Dundee Science Centre).
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