NuGen’s award-winning Bright Sparks educational programme aimed at energising West Cumbrian schoolchildren to think about low-carbon electricity production and careers, is moving forward in partnership, to Infinity – and beyond.
Now in its second year of engaging with more than 150 pupils at schools close to the Moorside site, NuGen’s Bright Sparks programme will link in with Infinity – a major science festival coming to Cumbria in September.
Infinity is supported by a range of regional partners and will see the UK’s leading television scientist, Professor Brian Cox, along with other well-known figures from the science community take part in the ground-breaking event.
Infinity will take place at West Lakes Academy in Egremont on 28 September and will feature experts in robotics, crime mapping, nuclear reactor and aircraft design and lots more beside. More than two hundred 13 and 14-year olds from the area will take part.
Brian Cox hopes to inspire the next generation of Cumbrian scientists and engineers. He said: ”I am delighted to be part of this event. Britain needs more scientists and engineers and I urge the young people of Cumbria to sign-up to join the festival and experiment with science. I look forward to meeting everyone on 28th September.”
NuGen’s Head of Training, John Male, sees the science festival as the perfect fit for the company’s Bright Sparks initiative – which last month won the nuclear industry’s top international award for communications at the European Nuclear Society’s annual conference in The Netherlands.
“The Infinity science festival fits perfectly alongside our ongoing Bright Sparks campaign. Both aim to encourage and enthuse young people in the area to get involved early on exciting career options or training paths within in the energy business. We are proud to get involved with such a prestigious event,” he said.
NuGen will be joined by other top-notch supporters of the Infinity Festival including Pete Woolaghan of the React Foundation who is organising Infinity, and The University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute, who developed the idea. The National Nuclear Laboratory, Sellafield Ltd, the University of Cumbria and West Lakes Academy school are also joining the team, along with the Well Whitehaven health initiative.
NuGen’s Bright Sparks programme re-commenced earlier this year with pupils from Millom School, St Benedict’s, Whitehaven Academy, Workington Academy and St. Joseph’s visiting NuGen’s Moorside Information Centre at Whitehaven Civic Hall for an interactive day of discovery about low-carbon electricity, how it’s made, how it’s used and its vital role in combatting climate change.
During three days of science-filled activities, students from all five schools joined science presenter Ross Exton, who brought the history and the future of electricity to life. The students took part in an assortment of hands-on experiments and engineering challenges - including an immersive 3D interactive tour of NuGen’s proposed Moorside Power Station.