MicroscopyEducation
STEM Education Pilot a Resounding Success: Project Lets Young People Experience World-Class Scientific Equipment and Training
Louise Hughes Business Manager, Life Sciences Market, Oxford Instruments, High Wycombe, UK
louise.hughes@
oxinst.com
Abstract: As part of the Hitachi High-Tech America Inspire STEM Edu- cation Outreach Programme in the UK, a successful STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education pilot has seen over 5000 students from 80 schools given the opportunity to use scanning elec- tron microscopes (SEMs) for their own experiments. The collaborative project allowed students to design, propose, and execute experiments to give them hands-on experience with scientific research. Feedback from the project has been resoundingly positive, with many students gaining new skills and an interest in STEM, and it looks set to grow fur- ther to allow more students access to high-level scientific equipment.
Keywords: STEM education, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, STEM outreach, Royal Microscopical Society
Introduction What do antique coins, flour, and aquatic life have in com-
mon? Each have played a part in inspiring the next generation of scientists. As part of the Hitachi High-Tech America Inspire STEM Education Outreach Programme in the UK, Oxford Instruments has contributed to a successful project. To date, over 5000 students from 80 schools have taken part in the program. Tey were given the opportunity to use scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) for their own experiments (Figure 1). Here’s how the AZtecLive One Xplore energy dispersive X-ray system (EDS) used with the SEMs provided these students with a glimpse into careers in STEM.
STEM Outreach Program Outreach and engagement in STEM are valuable tools for
generating public interest, raising awareness of important sci- entific information, and inspiring new generations of scientists and engineers. Tis is particularly true in education, where introducing young people to STEM and how fascinating it can be could spark an interest that may then lead to an exciting career path. Tis project was proposed by Dr. Alex Ball of the Natural History Museum (NHM), London, and Dr. James Per- kins of Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Kent. Te aim was to provide access to portable SEMs for schools and for the amateur natural history research community (Figure 2), and to provide teacher training to allow them to deliver world-class teaching. It was hoped that this would support research oppor- tunities through direct access to an advanced scientific instru- ment and to encourage an interest in careers in science. Eighty schools in total have taken part in the program, either directly as host schools, or indirectly through visiting
34 doi:10.1017/S1551929522000839
other schools or facilities for interactive sessions, or by using the microscopes remotely. Te schools include Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Tonbridge School, London Southbank Uni- versity Academy of Engineering, St. Dunstan’s College, Liver- pool Life Sciences UTC, Sutton Grammar School, Folkestone School for Girls, and St. Paul’s School. Over 90 teachers and technicians have been trained to use and maintain the micro- scopes, and over 5000 students have been introduced to elec- tron microscopy through the pilot program.
Program Collaboration and Instrumentation Te project was a collaborative effort between several insti-
tutions. Te Hitachi High-Tech America Inspire STEM Educa- tion Outreach Programme (
inspirestemeducation.us), as well as Hitachi High-Tech Europe GmbH, provided the SEMs and the remote training and technical support. Both project leads are also part of the Education and Outreach committee for the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS), which acted as an organizational base to coordinate the instrument loan program and to assist in the logistical elements of the project. Te Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS) provided a point of contact for schools wishing to engage with the program through accepting and evaluating research proposals and offering students the chance to partici- pate in their summer conference. Finally, Oxford Instruments provided an AZtecLive One Xplore EDS system for use with one of the SEMs, along with training and technical support on their analytical soſtware, to ensure that the schools could effectively use the features to their full potential. Electron microscopy allows the operator to visualize
samples at much higher magnification than traditional light microscopy. Using a beam of accelerated electrons, with much shorter wavelengths than photons, can illuminate far smaller objects in greater detail, giving clearer images of samples such as organic and inorganic materials, microorganisms, and cells. Tey are widely used in a range of STEM disciplines to inves- tigate structure and composition and are an advanced piece of equipment with many research applications. Te instrument provided to the schools was the Hitachi
TM4000Plus portable SEM with secondary and backscattered electron detectors. Te microscope can magnify samples up to 250,000× and has a variable pressure, low-vacuum design. Tis reduces the amount of sample preparation required. Oſten samples
www.microscopy-today.com • 2022 July
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