News

Friday 17 June 2005

Science extravaganza to mark Einstein Year (June 21)

Designing, building and firing rockets, creating detailed model bridges, Robot Wars style battles – it can only mean one thing: Nottingham Trent University’s Einstein Year Celebration. Hundreds of school pupils from across the county will descend on the university’s Clifton campus for Tuesday’s event, organised in honour of the world-renowned scientist’s work.

Not only will budding scientists compete to make and launch the best rockets, but they will also be given the chance to get up close to a real-life sky-rocket. The 37ft tall Nova/Starchaser4 is capable of flying at a speed of 500mph and weighs just 750kg.

Pupils with an eye for engineering can go head to head at designing and building bridges which have to be strong enough to hold at least 2kg while spanning ½m in length. John Findlay, a contestant on the last series of television’s Robot Wars will bring along his robot, Ripper, and show the pupils how it is operated. John will also bring in some miniature robots which he has built, giving pupils the chance to fight it out among themselves.

Other activities include handling real meteors and the chance to see the universe close-up in the National Space Centre’s high-tech domed Space Theatre. The day will include a lecture on living and working in space, and the university's Environmental Chamber will be used to recreate the heat and humidity of running across the Sahara Desert.

Dr Carl Brown, Senior Lecturer in Physics at Nottingham Trent University, said: “It’s 100 years since Albert Einstein published a number of revolutionary papers which changed the way we think about the world. This event aims to commemorate his life by encouraging pupils to get involved in fun, hands-on activities and experiments and to help spur their interest in science and technology.”

The event has been organised by Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire Education Business Alliance and SETPOINT Nottinghamshire, and is sponsored by Rolls Royce and the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The Nova/Starchaser4 is owned by Starchaser Industries, a high-technology company that specialises in the development, operation and commercialisation of space-related products and services.

For more information please contact:

Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Tel: 0115 848 2650 or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk

Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Tel: 0115 848 6589 or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk