Workshops

Easter Holiday workshops: Skateboards to starships (age 12–14)

Children are playing with a inflatable globe
Tim Mitchell

In this workshop with Satinder Shergill, John Davies and Rob Swinney of the Initiative for Interstellar Studies, maths, science and engineering come together to show how humankind can reach the outer solar system and travel beyond that to the stars.  Using the work of three great thinkers, Al-Khwarizmi, Newton and Tsiolkovsky, students will use scientific and mathematical concepts to work out all manner of things from how fast a skateboard travels to and practical results with rocket balloons, to how long it will take to fly to distant stars.  A truly astronomical day!

This workshop is strictly for 12–14 year-olds and will include a 30 minute lunch break. Students should bring lunch and a drink. We reserve the right to refund or deny entry to those who are not in this age range.

Refunds can only be issued for tickets cancelled at least two weeks (14 calendar days) in advance of the event date. Please note that this supersedes our normal event terms and conditions. Please also note that Eventbrite adds a small booking fee to the amount paid for each ticket option.

About the speakers

John is a lifelong engineer and has been fascinated by space travel ever since he read the Dan Dare stories in the Eagle in the 50s. John studied electronics at Liverpool University. After this he worked on satellite projects including a design study for the Hubble satellite.

John was fascinated by digital technology and then moved to Edinburgh University, where he wrote communications software and studied Computer Science at Manchester University.

He's now retired but busier than ever with educational outreach to schools for the Initiative for Interstellar Studies, coordinating work on i4is website and email, and editing Principium, the quarterly newsletter of the Initiative for Interstellar Studies. He's a long-established member of both the British Interplanetary Society and the British Computer Society.

Rob Swinney is a former teacher and RAF Squadron Leader Engineering Officer and since 2006 has worked in the space industry as an independent consultant and also Director responsible for education at the Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is).  I4is outreach programmes bring together elements of space exploration as an active scientific endeavour, introducing applied sessions with real-world problems using scientific principles and thought-provoking concepts.

As a youngster Rob followed the Moon landings and the Grand Tours of the Voyager spacecraft.  Today, he believes the 'planets are aligning' again, and organisations like i4is will prove that, although difficult, real steps to interstellar exploration are being taken.  With the rapidly expanding space industry a new adventure awaits the next generation that choose it as a career.     

Satinder taught Physics, Astronomy and Robotics at Space Studio West London (a STEM studio school).  He has recently gained his PhD in "Adaptive In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) refinement systems for Long-Term Space Exploration" at Cranfield University.

He has delivered papers at the International Astronautical Congress and other specialised international conferences.  He holds degrees from Cranfield University and the University of Surrey and a diploma from UCL, in subjects including Astronomy, Electronics and Astronautics & Space Engineering.

About our workshops

Holiday workshops at the Royal Institution give students a hands-on experience of STEM topics (science, technology, engineering, maths) beyond what they learn at school. Working in groups or pairs, students will get hands-on to complete activities, challenges or projects which help them look deeper at the subject they are exploring. These workshops don’t follow the school curriculum but instead show students the many real world uses of STEM topics, expanding their horizons beyond the classroom to see the amazing possibilities science can give you. Sessions are led by experts from across industry and academia who will share with the students their excitement and knowledge of their areas of expertise.

For any queries regarding this workshop please email events@ri.ac.uk.

Support to attend holiday workshops

The Potential Trust may be able to offer financial assistance to enable children to participate in Ri events and activities if this would otherwise be financially difficult. Please contact Denise Yates, or at their new email address here

 

 

Accessibility - workshops

All workshops have step-free access from the street via lift.

The closest underground station is Green Park or Bond Street (Elizabeth Line) which are step-free.

If your child requires any adjustments made during the workshops, please email us at events@ri.ac.uk

Event terms and conditions