Projects

The Observatory Science Centre has been selected to be a key national partner in a new UK-wide project Hands-on DNA: Exploring Evolution.

The project will enable students across the UK to use cutting edge equipment and the latest molecular techniques to explore evolution and their own DNA.

Hands-on DNA is a collaboration between the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) and three partner centres, At-Bristol. Nowgen in Manchester and the Centre for Life in Newcastle and is supported by the Wellcome Trust. A panel of members from the project team and the Wellcome Trust considered applications from a variety of organisations nationwide and were pleased to announce that The Observatory Science Centre is one of the 15 organisations selected.

Being a part of this project will enable staff to be trained and The Centre to be equipped in order to deliver excellent hands-on experimental science to local school students. The two hour DNA workshop will cover bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

To help celebrate International Year of Chemistry, The Centre is offering optional chemistry activities as part of your school visit during October and November 2011. Different activities will be geared towards Lower & Upper KS1, KS2 and KS3 and will above all be half an hour of fun, learning basic chemistry skills.

These activities have been partly funded by the Holmes Hines Memorial Fund (EPSRC). Please ring The Centre to discuss options.   

The Centre has recently become involved with two local projects organised through the Eastbourne Education Business Parnership: Eastbourne Youth Radio and Eastbourne in Bloom.

Eastbourne Youth Radio launched in 2000 and is organised by Eastbourne Business Partnership in association with Sussex Downs College. Each year it presents a fantastic opportunity for up to 2.500 local young people from schools, colleges and youth organisations.  They present programmes they have planned and created themselves.

The station is on-air in the local Eastbourne and Hailsham area, plus it is streamed on the internet via the station's website.

The Centre is proud to be involved with EYR and supports a local school for their one-hour programme.

In 2009 we supported Shinewater Primary School.
Four pupils visited The Centre as part of their preparation work for the radio programme.  The team spent an hour exploring the hands-on exhibits and then met Jo Harris.  They had prepared questions to ask her about the aims and activities of The Centre (the recording of this discussion was played on the show).


In 2010 we supported Pevensey and Westham Primary School.


In 2011 we supported Heron Park Community Primary School.
The pupils visited The Centre to research their Space Theme.  They explored the hands-on exhibits and were taken for a Telescope Tour.

Primary schools across Eastbourne are invited to enter 'Holywell in Bloom', a competition to design a scheme for a circular flower bed.

2010 is the 16th year of this event organised by Simon Hurt from Eastbourne Borough Council Parks and Gardens and Tim Sorenson of Eastbourne Education Business Partnership.

The theme for 2010 was 'Science in Bloom' and judging took place at The Town Hall on Friday 12th March to coincide with the start of National Science and Engineering Week.

The judges were:
Greg Szanto - The Worshipful Mayor of Eastbourne
David Henry - Eastbourne Borough Council
Darren Pillar / Keith Laurence - Wyevale Grounds Maintenance Ltd
Jo Harris - The Observatory Science Centre
Steven Goss-Turner - Chair Eastbourne EBP
Stephanie Cash-Reed- St Andrew's School, Meads

Pupils from the schools presented their ideas to the judges and it was evident that a huge amount of thought, hard work and effort had been made.  The final displays were the culmination of either work in class, homework projects, or school clubs. The standard was extremely high and gave the judges much to consider.

The winning design, featuring The Butterfly Effect on a Solar System background, will be planted at the Holywell Retreat as a seasonal display from June to October 2010.