A ‘journey’ to the Sun for York schoolchildren
Posted on 3 September 2010
First year PhD students, coordinated by the University’s Department of Physics, are using a visual aid called the Sun Dome to explain the solar mysteries to Year 5 and 6 pupils in 12 primary schools across the city.
The Sun Dome, from the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in Oxfordshire, is an exciting science roadshow featuring movies and interactive role play that uses a portable inflatable dome which is set up in the school hall.
This will give school children in York a unique, exciting introduction to the science of the Sun
Professor Howard Wilson, Director for the DTN.
The activity includes a ‘virtual' journey to the Sun, introducing the processes that occur inside the big star and how scientists are using the same processes to create fusion energy for electricity in the future.
The students are all involved in research projects on fusion energy with the Fusion Doctoral Training Network. The network, which is led by The University of York, is a collaboration that also involves Durham, Liverpool and Manchester universities, in partnership with two Government research institutes: Culham Centre for Fusion Energy and the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, which is also in Oxfordshire.
All the fusion students begin their studies with a six-month modular course at York before going back to their university or one of the research institutes to continue their research.
The DTN postgraduates involved in the Sun Dome project are: Andy Allen (York), Sarah Elmore (Liverpool), Billy Huang (Durham), Jack Snape (York) and Tom Williams (York), as well as York-based DTN Administrator Rachael Stephenson.
They will visit the following schools: St Barnabas, Scarcroft, St Aelred’s, Stockton on the Forest, St George’s, Lord Deramore’s, Wigginton, Elvington, Badger Hill, St Oswald’s, Woodthorpe, Osbaldwick.
"This will give school children in York a unique, exciting introduction to the science of the Sun and how we are working towards harnessing fusion power for clean, effectively limitless energy here on Earth", said Professor Howard Wilson, Director for the DTN.
Tom Williams added: “I’m really looking forward to this fantastic opportunity to get schoolchildren in York excited about fusion.”
Notes to editors:
- More on the Fusion Doctoral Training Network at http://www.york.ac.uk/physics/postgraduate/fusion-dtn/
- More on the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy at http://www.ccfe.ac.uk/
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