First Campus - Debra Croft Blog Entry: 'Science is Great'

Debra Croft Blog Entry: 'Science is Great'

Personal Profile

Name: Debra Croft
Age: 48
Location: Aberystwyth
Job: Projects Co-ordinator, University of Wales Aberystwyth

Education:

Left school 17
Open University BA degree (part time) 1980-86
BSc Hons – Royal Holloway Univ of London as a mature student 1995-98
(Geology with Environmental Science)
MSc in Mining Geology – Camborne School of Mines, Exeter University 1999
PhD – Development of Techniques in Forensic Soil Analysis 1999-2002

Date: April 19th
Time: 4.10pm
Location: Work (shhhh!!!) Title:   A recent conversation with a student (or “Science is Great”)

J.   I don’t like science
B. Yeah, science is boring

D. Do you play football? Ever thought about how you know how to hard to kick the ball, how to swerve around a defensive wall, compensate for the wind ….J. Well, yeah but ….

D. Do you ride a bike? Do you swing your leg over the saddle to get on and off? Ever thought about how your wonderful brain calculates how to do that? The force, the momentum, the angles..

B. What?

D. Do you drink tea or coffee? If you’re pushed for time before you rush out to catch the bus, would you put the milk in straight away to cool it down – or would you wait as long as possible and then put the milk in? Which would be best?

J.   Ummmmm…….

D. Do you watch CSI? Is forensic science really like that? I’ve worked in a forensic lab, been to crime scenes, helped the police with their enquiries, seen four post-mortems, collected crime scene samples, looked at continuity of evidence, seen how to present evidence in court, looked at what makes a good case, worked on the defence and the prosecution.

But not before I’d thought about and answered some of those other questions …..

Any questions for me?   Send me a question.

Activities & Events
The Science Date 3.0 Apr 12, 2011 On 5th April 2011 five scientists working in South East Wales came face-to-face with 60 pupils from local secondary schools at the third annual Science Date event at UWIC's Cyncoed Campus. Woodland Walk Project Apr 12, 2011 Pupils from St Michael's Primary School in Treforest have recently taken part in a sustainability workshop programme with Hands on Science inspired by the Woodland Walk at the University of Glamorgan's Treforest Campus. Science Rap Video Competition Awards 2011 Apr 11, 2011 On Wednesday 30th March, pupils, parents and teachers gathered at the University of Glamorgan's Students' Union to find out the winners of the Science Rap Video Competition 2011.

Activities & Events

The Science Date 3.0 Apr 12, 2011
On 5th April 2011 five scientists working in South East Wales came face-to-face with 60 pupils from local secondary schools at the third annual Science Date event at UWIC's Cyncoed Campus.

Woodland Walk Project Apr 12, 2011
Pupils from St Michael's Primary School in Treforest have recently taken part in a sustainability workshop programme with Hands on Science inspired by the Woodland Walk at the University of Glamorgan's Treforest Campus.

Science Rap Video Competition Awards 2011 Apr 11, 2011
On Wednesday 30th March, pupils, parents and teachers gathered at the University of Glamorgan's Students' Union to find out the winners of the Science Rap Video Competition 2011.