Global Paint Supplier PPG announces further funding for the National Space Academy
£40,000 will help schools across the UK to engage with Chemistry in the classroom using the context of space.
Pictured
above: Students take part in the PPG Chemistry Education Project Masterclass
with the National Space Academy in their Science Lab at the National Space
Centre, Leicester
On Tuesday 12th November the National Space Academy hosted a celebration at the National Space Centre in Leicester to mark three years of funding from Global Paint Supplier, PPG. During the event, Director Ken Armistead announced a further £40,000 of funding for 2020.
The PPG Chemistry Education Project masterclass
was designed by the National Space Academy to use space contexts to tackle the
science curriculum in areas that are key to PPG’s work: colour and
materials. Students link the science and engineering of PPG with space
science and technology to engage with Chemistry.
Over the past three years, PPG has contributed £100,000 to the National Space
Academy to make this project possible. So far, the National Space Academy’s
team of expert Lead Educators and the National Space Centre’s Education team
have delivered the masterclasses at schools across the UK and at the National
Space Centre to almost 10,000 young people.
“We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to make STEM
part of their lives. PPG have helped us to reach more young people by funding
us to design and deliver the PPG Chemistry Education Project Masterclass.” – Dr Kierann Shah, General Manager of the
National Space Academy.
PPG invest in educational opportunities to grow today’s skilled workforce in
research and development, manufacturing, information technology and industries
related to science, technology, engineering and math professions to develop
tomorrow’s generation of innovators.
At the showcase event, Ken
Armistead – Director of Corporate Communications for EMEA region at PPG,
said:
“We are capable of better solutions when there is a diversity of thought. We
are proud to support the National Space Academy to enable more young people to
engage with science.”
Pictured above: Top Left, Steve Althorpe – Lead
Educator at the National Space Academy teaching in the Science Lab. Top
right: PPG representatives at the celebration event explaining the components
of paint. Bottom left: National Space Academy Lead Educators explain the PPG
Chemistry Education Project to guests at a celebration event held at the
National Space Centre. Bottom right: Ken Armistead – Director of
Corporate Communications for EMEA region at PPG.
Steve
Althorpe is the Lead Educator responsible for the design of the PPG Chemistry
Education Project Masterclass. Steve said:
“Science isn’t about the stuff we do know. Science is about the stuff we don’t
know. It’s about investigating, problem solving, creativity… the PPG
masterclass brings in all of those themes.”
The masterclass also shows students the career opportunities available to them
after studying STEM subjects. A student in a video
shown at the celebration event said: “Normally, I thought science was just
chemicals, potions, stuff like that…. But no, turns out there’s a bunch more
stuff related to it.”
The National Space Academy and PPG are committed to removing barriers for young
people who wouldn’t normally get opportunities to take part in activities like
this.
Schools with more than 13%
of students eligible for free school meals can apply to take part in 2020’s PPG
Chemistry Education Project Masterclasses for free.
The PPG Chemistry
Education Project Masterclass can be adapted for students aged 9 – 14.
Teachers interested in more information about the masterclass, should visit nationalspaceacademy.org/ppg
for application details.
