Welcome to the very first edition of the Tormead STEM Newsletter! We have absolutely loved putting together the first edition which is full of enticing opportunities, relaxing activities as well as discussions about our favourite STEM articles in the news. Our aim is to educate and immerse more students in the exciting world of STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics - while also celebrating the incredible achievements of our Tormead community in these fields.
In each edition, we’ll explore current affairs in STEM, keeping you up to date with the latest discoveries and debates. We’ll look at pure science, which is all about understanding the fundamental principles of the universe including the school subjects biology, chemistry and physics. We’ll also examine applied science, where knowledge is put into practice to solve real-world problems, examples include medicine, engineering, and technology.
By covering both of these, we hope to show how scientific understanding and practical application work together to shape our world.
Alongside news and discoveries, this newsletter will be a platform to highlight Tormead’s own achievements in STEM, from student projects and competitions to inspiring research and creative innovations. Whether you’re a budding scientist, or simply curious about how STEM shapes our lives, there’s something here for you.
We hope this newsletter sparks curiosity and inspires you to explore the wonders of STEM in and beyond Tormead.
Happy reading for the first edition that is out now for Science Week 2026, and welcome to the start of an exciting journey.
Kind Regards, Sanaa and Sophia, Editors & STEM Mentors
STEM in the News
Summary of some of the latest STEM developments written by our subject mentors:
Hannah (Maths Mentor) “Digital twins: How a mathematical model can revolutionise patient care”
Aoife (Engineering Mentor) – “An old jeweller’s trick could change nuclear timekeeping”
Ines (Chemistry Mentor) – “One protein may decide whether brain chemistry heals or harms”
Bee (Psychology Mentor) “Exciting psychology updates in the news”
Natalie (Biology Mentor) “We are living in a golden age of species discovery”
Zara (Physics Mentor) “Artemis – To the moon and beyond”
Sanaa (STEM Mentor) “New Prostate Cancer Drug”
Psychology in the News
▶ Psychological research in a wide variety of fields is constantly being carried out. Recently, in the field of educational psychology, there has been encouragement to provide teachers with training to identify and support refugee and asylum-seeking children struggling with trauma. At the British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology conference in Bath, Dr Cynthia Pinto spoke about how, “Growing evidence shows that many refugee and asylum-seeking children are deeply traumatised by their experience in their country of origin and by their journey here”. This doesn't disappear overnight and can manifest itself in longterm trauma, with research suggesting that “up to 90% can suffer from PTSD”. In 2025, the UK received 89,509 asylum applications in just the first nine months, a 13% increase from the previous year. This rising number of asylum-seekers and refugees arriving and living in the UK adds weight to the words of Dr Cynthia Pinto, as it is likely that many of those asylum
applicants will develop PTSD from their past experiences, meaning it is more important than ever to be able to identify the signs of trauma as early as possible.
▶ Last month, the Outstanding Doctoral Research Contributions to Psychology award for 2025 was awarded to Dr Evelyn MaryAnn Antony, for her research in the interesting and relatively unknown area of psychology: middle childhood and emotion dysregulation. This condition involves difficulties regulating emotional responses, and extreme reactions caused by this difficulty. Her research was carried out at the University of Durham where she analysed the links between emotional dysregulation, parenting practices and ADHD in children aged six to twelve years. This period of childhood is often considered overlooked in psychological research, adding to the significance of her work.
▶ The British Psychological Society (BPS) has reacted to the new government’s proposal of abolishing jury trials for crimes
in England and Wales resulting in prison sentences less than three years. Dr Hannah Fawcett from the Forensic Psychology division of the BPS has warned that jurors, “Are potentially going to be exposed to material far beyond what they are used to seeing. Jurors may see graphic detail and images about extreme physical, sexual, and emotional harm, as well as further contextual information, which creates a strong potential for people to experience vicarious trauma.” She suggested that such a change would require, “proper psychological support”, for all jurors after a trial has been completed. This would reduce the negative psychological effects of taking part in more severe and distressing trials. These trials would be particularly harmful for jurors as the content and detail they must consider would likely go far beyond what they are exposed to in everyday life, so it is important that the mental health of the jurors is considered before any permanent changes are made. British Psychological Society UK
Artemis – To the moon and beyond
Artemis is a multistage programme conducted by NASA (“National Aeronautics and Space Administration”, the U.S. government’s space agency.)
NASA is currently, and will be, working with many agencies such as SpaceX, ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), Axiom Space, and even Prada (who is helping with suit-making).
Artemis I launched back in 2022; an unmanned, 25-day test flight used to test Orion’s spacecraft systems. This was a prerequisite to Artemis II which is using the same systems, but this time it will be crewed.
6th of February marks the first day for the launch window of Artemis II. The four astronauts, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen, are currently in quarantine, and will soon be on their way out of our atmosphere. This year, humanity will return to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions. However, the astronauts will not be landing on it, rather they will enter its orbit, and engage in a lunar flyby just short 10.5km above its surface. The 10-day trip will commence in the following 14 step plan:
1. Launch from the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida
2. Solid rocket boosters, fairings, and launch abort system jettisoned (thrown from the spacecraft).
3. Core stage main-engine cutoff and separation.
4. *Perigee raise burn to low Earth orbit.
5. **Apogee raise burn to high Earth orbit.
6. Orion separates from ICPS (Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage) and performs proximity operations demo.
7. Perigee raise burn.
8. Trans-lunar injection burn.
9. Four-day trip to the Moon on a free return trajectory.
10. Lunar flyby 6,479 miles (10,427 km) above surface.
11. Four-day return trip to Earth.
12. Crew Module separates from Service Module.
13. Crew Module re-enters atmosphere.
14. Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
SOURCES:
*/**Perigee and apogee are terms describing the closest and farthest points in an object’s elliptical orbit around Earth. Perigee is the nearest point (faster speed), while apogee is the farthest point (slower speed).
The Artemis III lunar landing mission is the first planned crewed landing on the Moon since Apollo and will boast the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS), which will be placed in lunar orbit, where it will stay for up to 100 days. Here it will await the arrival of the crew aboard an Orion spacecraft.
Up to four moonwalks are planned during the 6.5-day stay. Instruments carried to the surface will investigate the seismic and physical properties of the Moon, which will provide valuable data and information in research. After liftoff, the Starship HLS will rendezvous with the orbiting Orion, and all four astronauts will return to Earth aboard the Orion.
Following Artemis 4, a small space station called the Lunar Gateway will circle the Moon in a six-day orbit and serve as a staging point for lunar landings. The initial two Gateway modules will be launched aboard a rocket supplied by SpaceX. The following Artemis missions (5-7) will take additional Gateway modules with the Orion spacecraft.
If the lunar landings go well, we should expect to see subsequent ones at regular, yearly intervals, each using the Lunar Gateway system.
However, due to significant financial and technical problems, we are witnessing these plans being constantly pushed back.
Overall, the success of the Artemis program paves the way to the future of space habitation, including future prospects on Mars. The years to come will prove exciting for humanity, as we look towards establishing lunar colonies or sustaining populations on other planets.
“One protein may decide whether brain chemistry heals or harms”
Tryptophan is a known amino acid for stimulating melatonin production, helping us sleep. However, it does far more as the compounds it produces help build proteins, generate energy for cells and produce materials for neurotransmitters like serotonin (which regulates mood, digestion, sleep patterns and cognitive functions). These biochemical processes show how one metabolite can affect a wide range of bodily functions including mood, learning and sleep stability. Tryptophan also aids the support of learning, mood and healthy sleep. The new research focused on how when the brain ages or encounters neurological disease, this system goes away, pushing tryptophan toward harmful byproducts linked to memory loss, mood changes, and sleep problems. Many studies have been made into how tryptophan is processed in older brains compared to younger brains as well as those affected by neurodegenerative or psychiatric disorders. Studies showed effects were stronger in people with neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders as there was a greater production of metabolites associated with neurotoxicity and inflammation and a lower production of protective neurotransmitters. These effects generally resulted in unstable moods, learning difficulties and disrupted sleep. However, until now researchers did not know the molecular cause of the shift in the brain’s use of tryptophan. The work carried out towards
this investigation directs to the loss of a protein called Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) which is involved in DNA damage repair, metabolic regulation, inflammation and aging. SIRT was identified as an important regulator of brain chemistry leading to tryptophan being directed into useful biochemical processes in younger brains. Researchers used mouse models to show that when SIRT6 levels are lowered (to represent the declining levels with age or neurological disease), the regulation breaks down. This leads to the reduction of the production of melatonin as there is a shift in the brain's use of tryptophan, leading to the production of neurotoxic compounds which can be toxic at high levels as well as contributing to stress and inflammation. The studies also resulted in the conclusion that the damage caused by the shift in the brain’s use of tryptophan is not permanent so can be reversed as an enzyme (TDO2) can be blocked, restoring healthy brain chemistry and reducing neurodegeneration, allowing for normal mood, uninterrupted sleep and learning. By focusing on SIRT6 and enzymes that control tryptophan, scientists may be able to develop strategies to reduce cognitive decline and mood changes due to aging and neurodegenerative diseases. “Our research positions SIRT6 as a critical, upstream drug target for combating neurodegenerative pathology,” says Prof. Toiber.
SOURCES:
One protein may decide whether brain chemistry heals or harms | ScienceDaily
Hear from the staff
Each edition, we will be interviewing different members of staff to find out what inspired them in their subjects.
Ms. Watson: Chemistry
Teacher & Director of STEM
Q: What did you enjoy about chemistry when you were learning it at school?
At school, I thoroughly enjoyed how chemistry becomes a problem solving exercise. You can learn and understand a concept and apply it to different scenarios, like solving a puzzle or riddle. I also found the practical aspects a lot of fun.
Q: What do you enjoy about teaching chemistry?
When a student is finding it difficult, and then you get the light bulb moment when explanations and examples click. From there students start to solve the problems and puzzles themselves and become more and more confident in something they originally found challenging.
Mr. Gaitan: Physics Teacher
Q: What did you enjoy about physics when you were learning it at school?
I loved how physics helped me understand how simple things worked. Also, its link with Classics, I enjoyed seeing how the Classic thinkers came up with ideas that are the fundamentals of modern physics.
Q: What do you enjoy about teaching physics?
I love it when my students are having fun and discovering new things, also when students realise that they can understand tough things that they thought they would never be able to do.
We are living in a golden age of species discovery
Many species on Earth, especially insects and microbes, have not yet been discovered. Some scientists have suggested that the pace of new species description has slowed, indicating that we may be running out of species to discover. However, the identification and discovery of new species across animals, plants, fungi, and beyond is at its fastest rate yet, with scientists describing more than 16,000 species annually. This rate of discovery is said to far outpace the rate of species extinction, which has been estimated at approximately 10 species per year.
New discoveries suggest that groups such as plants, fungi, arachnids, fishes, and amphibians are far more diverse than previously believed. Projections indicate there could be as many as 115,000 fish species and 41,000 amphibian species, compared with about 42,000 fish and 9,000 amphibians currently described.
As the famous ecologist Robert May said, “If visiting aliens asked us how many species live on our planet, we would have no definitive answer. Right now, we know of about 2.5 million species, but the true number may be in the tens or hundreds of millions, or even the low billions.”
NEW SPECIES DISCOVERED IN 2025
An ancient sea cow
A species known as the ‘sea cow’ has been found to be long extinct, having lived more than 20 million years ago. However, rich fossil remains of this species were discovered in Al Maszhabiya, Qatar. It primarily lived in the Persian Gulf and, like today’s manatees and dugongs, mainly grazed on seagrass. This mammal was described as browsing the seafloor with its fleshy muzzle, gripping plants and using their tusks to snip the roots before eating them. By doing this, sea cows lifted nutrients from the seafloor, which other animals in the ecosystem could use. This helped create a healthier and more diverse ecosystem, earning sea cows the label of ‘ecosystem engineers.’
Live-birthing toads
Different species of toads, including this newly discovered species from Tanzania, all belong to the same genus called Nectrophrynoides. Scientists have continued to discover new species within this genus for over 100 years, with the first species described in the early 1900s.
However, these live-birthing toads have a very unusual feature for this group. Normally, the life cycle of frogs and toads begins from eggs that hatch into tadpoles, which later develop into adults. Scientists have discovered that this species instead gives birth to live young.
WHY DISCOVERING NEW SPECIES MATTERS
The increasing rate of species discovery opens doors to conservation and medical breakthroughs. Describing a species is the first step in protecting it, helping safeguard it from extinction. New discoveries also benefit human health, as many natural products, including substances produced by plants and fungi, come from living organisms. These extracts can be studied for their potential to treat pain, cancer, and other conditions.
So much about life on Earth remains unknown, and each new discovery brings us closer to understanding and protecting the incredible biodiversity of our planet.
SOURCES:
A Lost Sea Cow World Resurfaces Beneath Qatar’s Desert
Three new toad species skip the tadpole phase and give birth to live toadlets – University of Copenhagen
An old jeweller’s trick could change nuclear timekeeping
Last year, researchers led by UCLA achieved something that physicists have been working on for half a century. They managed to successfully make a radioactive thorium nuclei absorb and emit photons in a controlled way. This is like how electrons do inside the atomic clocks. The achievement, first thought of by the team in 2008, marked a critical step toward building nuclear clocks (timekeeping devices expected to be far more precise and stable than today’s best atomic clocks).
These clocks could transform navigation, communications, and fundamental physics. Because nuclear energy levels are much less sensitive to environmental changes than electronic ones, nuclear clocks may allow scientists to test whether fundamental constants of nature change over time and will improve systems that rely on precise timing.
However, this came with a major limitation. The key isotope, thorium-229, is very rare and is found only as a byproduct of weapons-grade uranium. Researchers estimate that only about 40 grams exist worldwide which makes it super important to use it as efficiently as possible.
Now, an international collaboration led by UCLA physicist Eric Hudson has found a way around this. In a
new study reported in Nature, the team showed that the nuclear excitation can be achieved using a tiny fraction of the thorium previously required. The method is simple, not expensive and relies on a centuries-old industrial technique called electroplating.
In their earlier experiments, the researchers spent 15 years developing thorium-doped fluoride crystals. These crystals stabilised the thorium atoms while remaining transparent to the laser light used to excite the nucleus. The approach worked, however the crystals were extremely difficult to fabricate and required at least a milligram of thorium which is a lot especially due to how little there is.
The new method takes a different approach. Instead of embedding thorium in transparent crystals, the team electroplated an ultra-thin layer of thorium onto stainless steel, like how gold or silver is applied when making jewellery. This reduced the amount of thorium needed by a factor of 1,000 and produced a robust, durable sample rather than a fragile crystal.
The key was realising that even though scientists had believed that thorium must sit in a transparent material so laser light could reach the nucleus it was wrong. Hudson’s team showed that enough light can
penetrate opaque materials to excite nuclei near the surface. Instead of emitting photons, as they do in crystals, the excited nuclei release electrons, which can be detected by measuring an electrical current.
Nuclear clocks could have wide-ranging impacts. Precise timekeeping underpins GPS, power grids, cell phone networks, and radar systems. More importantly, nuclear clocks could enable accurate navigation without GPS for submarines, deep-space missions, or if satellite signals are disrupted.
Researchers also think it will have long-term implications for space exploration and fundamental physics. Highly stable clocks could support navigation across the solar system and allow tests of Einstein’s theory of relativity.
If you are interested in DT, Physics and Computer Science pop on over to Engineering Club each week on a Wednesday first lunch. It is held in the DT room and Computer Science room. We are currently building a robot to compete in a competition.
The CHIMERA Digital Twins: how a mathematical model can revolutionise the ICU
The digital twin model is a mathematically based virtual representation of a real system, closely mirroring it in sufficient detail to act as a ‘sandbox’, allowing experimental changes to be tested without real-world consequences. PhD students working in the CHIMERA hub based at UCL are exploring how this model can be used in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The essential role that this model could have in healthcare is briefly described by the CHIMERA team: “If a ventilated patient’s oxygen levels start dropping, doctors need to know quickly whether changing a ventilator setting or giving a drug will help or hurt.” Mathematical modelling enables the creation of the digital twins by calculating probable outcomes that can aid clinical decision-making.
A digital twin isn’t just a series of equations; it’s a suite of mathematical and computational models combined with statistical techniques that together simulate a living system in detail, such as a patient’s physiology. In CHIMERA, model parameters are calibrated using data from 40,000 patients, allowing the digital twin to be personalised to the individual. At its core, the model uses equations from physics to describe how biological systems operate. Taking the cardiac digital twins as an example, differential
equations, equations that describe the derivative of an unknown function, describe how variables change over time, and so can be used to calculate how blood pressure and volume evolve in different parts of the heart. Additionally, equations from fluid dynamics and mechanics model how blood flows through the heart and vessels, including changes caused by disease. These equations are rooted in biophysical principles, such as how electrical signals propagate through the heart, creating a detailed simulation of physiological function that reaches beyond what has been used before in ICU care.
The defining feature of the CHIMERA digital twin model is its ‘dynamic’ nature. Unlike previous models that were fixed once built, dynamic means the model can adapt to the fastmoving changes that are often experienced by ICU patients. This ability to anticipate outcomes could reduce the trial and error in critical care, therefore improving patient safety and wellbeing.
However, if digital twins are integrated into clinical settings, situations may arise where a doctor, under severe timepressure, may have to rely on the model’s predictions to inform a life-or-death decision. If the patient subsequently dies, the question of responsibility arises: should the clinician or
the mathematical model be held accountable? While this is an ongoing legal and moral debate, fundamentally, the model calculates probabilities used to estimate the likelihood of outcomes, therefore cannot be used as stand-alone evidence for a decision. As a result, responsibility falls on the clinician who acted, even if the model predicted a high probability of success. This highlights a key risk of the use of the digital twins model: trust calibration. If model predictions are highly accurate, medical staff will naturally begin to hold increasingly more value towards the evidence provided by it, potentially resulting in a probability model holding large influence over critical decisions. Therefore, despite digital twins having essential benefits in the ICU, the possible future integration of the model must be strictly monitored and understood by all staff using it to ensure patient safety.
The CHIMERA team has had early success with trials of digital twins in a few cases; this highlights the growing potential of modern mathematical models to advance medicine.
On 16th January 2026, the BBC reported that the NHS in England will soon offer a life-extending prostate cancer drug called abiraterone to thousands more men than before — including those whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. Previously, the treatment was restricted to patients with advanced, metastatic disease. Under the new guidelines, roughly 2,000 men already diagnosed and around 7,000 more each year will be eligible to receive the drug within weeks, with data showing improved survival rates compared with standard treatment. Trials indicated that six-year survival increases from about 77 % to 86 % with the addition of abiraterone, and the risk of death may be reduced substantially in high-risk cases. Campaigners and clinicians hailed the policy change as a major boost to life expectancy and quality of life for men with high-risk prostate cancer.
WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER?
Prostate cancer forms in the prostate gland — a small, walnutshaped organ below the bladder that helps make seminal fluid. It is one of the most common cancers in men: in the UK alone, tens of thousands are diagnosed annually. The disease can be slow-growing and symptomless at first, which is why many cases are detected through screening or checks. If cancer cells spread outside the prostate to tissues or bones (metastatic cancer), it becomes harder to treat and more life-threatening. Common treatments include surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapies that suppress or block male sex hormones (androgens) that fuel tumour growth.
HOW ABIRATERONE WORKS AND ITS EFFECTS:
Abiraterone acetate, taken as a tablet (often with a steroid like prednisolone), acts by suppressing the body’s production of androgens such as testosterone — essentially “starving” cancer cells of the hormones they need to grow and spread. It inhibits an enzyme (CYP17A1) involved in androgen synthesis, lowering hormone levels to very low amounts. Because prostate cancer growth is usually driven by these hormones, their reduction slows disease progression and improves survival. Common side effects can include fatigue, high blood pressure and changes in liver enzymes, so patients are monitored regularly during treatment.
Developing a drug like abiraterone takes years and moves through several stages:
1. Discovery and preclinical research: Scientists identify a promising molecule and test it in lab cells or animal models to see if it affects disease processes.
2. Clinical trials (Phases I–III): Small safety trials in humans (Phase I), followed by larger studies for effectiveness and dosing (Phase II), and broad trials comparing the drug to current treatments (Phase III).
3. Regulatory approval: Agencies (e.g., MHRA, FDA) review all data to decide if benefits outweigh risks.
4. Post-approval and monitoring: Once approved, ongoing surveillance ensures long-term safety and realworld effectiveness.
5. This rigorous process ensures new medicines are both safe and beneficial.
The Matilda Effect –
The women missing from history
The Matilda Effect describes the pattern in which women scientists’ discoveries and achievements are overlooked, minimised, or credited to male colleagues instead. Coined by historian of science Margaret W. Rossiter, and named after Matilda Joslyn Gage, who noticed the pattern first, the term highlights how systemic bias in STEM has historically erased or diminished women’s contributions — even when their work was groundbreaking.
THE CHEMIST WHO CURED — BUT WAS NEARLY ERASED: ALICE BALL
Who was she?
Alice Ball was a brilliant chemist who, at just 23 years old, developed the first effective treatment for leprosy (Hansen’s disease). Working at the University of Hawaiʻi in 1915, she created a
method to chemically modify chaulmoogra oil so it could be safely injected and absorbed by the body — something scientists had struggled to achieve.
The Matilda Effect:
After her early death at age 24, the president of the university, Arthur L. Dean, published her findings without properly crediting her and renamed the technique the “Dean Method”. For years, her contribution was overshadowed, and recognition of her role in developing the treatment was largely erased from scientific records.
Why she matters:
Ball’s treatment became the best available therapy for leprosy until the 1940s and helped thousands of patients. Today, she is recognised as a pioneer in medicinal chemistry and as a powerful example of how women — especially women of colour — have shaped science despite systemic barriers.
THE PHYSICIST WHO EXPLAINED THE SPLIT: LISE MEITNER
Who was she?
Lise Meitner was a pioneering physicist who helped discover and explain nuclear fission in 1938. After experiments conducted with her longtime collaborator Otto Hahn showed
unusual results when uranium atoms were bombarded with neutrons, Meitner — working in exile after fleeing Nazi Germany — provided the theoretical explanation that the atom had split. She also helped calculate the enormous energy released in the process.
The Matilda Effect:
Although Meitner played a crucial role in interpreting the results and co-discovered fission, the 1944 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded solely to Hahn. Meitner’s contribution was largely overlooked by the Nobel committee, despite widespread acknowledgment from fellow scientists that her explanation made the discovery possible.
Why she matters:
Her work fundamentally changed modern physics. Nuclear fission led to developments in energy production, nuclear medicine, and atomic research.
Activity Corner
Tools that turn raw data into evidence for patterns, trends, and uncertainty.
A crystalline form of water whose solid state is less dense than its liquid.
A machine that senses its environment, processes information, and acts on it.
One of several molecules sharing a formula but differing in atomic arrangement.
A component that converts a physical quantity into a measurable signal.
A shaped medium that bends light to form images or focus energy.
The step where human-readable code becomes machine-executable instructions.
A device sent into unknown environments to gather data directly.
Describing substances that resist chemical reaction under normal conditions.
The process by which atoms gain or lose electrons to become charged.
A DNA sequence that encodes instructions for building proteins.
A protein that speeds up life-sustaining chemical reactions without being consumed.
A network device that chooses optimal paths for data packets across the internet. Quantities that measure how forces cause objects to rotate.
A mathematical relationship expresssing how quantities compare in size or scale.
Answers on page 19
Guess The Phenomena
SScience Technology
Subatomic: Refers to the particles that make up an atom, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Velocity: The speed of an object combined with its direction of motion.
Osmosis: The net movement of water particles from a region of high to low water potential across a partially permeable membrane.
Biomass: The total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area.
T E MCybernetics: The science of how systems (biological or mechanical) use information to control themselves and communicate.
Programming: The act of creating a set of instructions that tells a computer how to perform a specific task.
Engineering
Prototype: The first or preliminary version of a device or vehicle from which other forms are developed.
Mathematics
Symmetry: When an object or shape is exactly the same on both sides when split by a line or rotated around a centre.
Hypotenuse: The longest side of a right-angled triangle, found directly opposite the right angle.
Movies and books in STEM recommendations
Thrilling films to watch
Hidden Figures
(Editor’s choice)
Tells the true story of African American women mathematicians at NASA whose calculations were critical to early space missions. The film highlights themes of perseverance, equality, and the vital role of STEM in overcoming both technical and social barriers. PG rating
Interstellar (Editor’s choice)
Follows a former NASA pilot who travels through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity as Earth becomes uninhabitable. The film blends real astrophysics with themes of time, sacrifice, and the powerful bond between parent and child.
PG rating
The Imitation Game
Tells the story of mathematician Alan Turing and his team as they work to break the Nazi Enigma code during World War II. The film highlights the power of mathematics, early computing, and perseverance, while also addressing themes of secrecy, prejudice, and the personal cost of scientific achievement. 12 rating
Gripping books to read
Gattaca
Set in a future where people’s lives are determined by their DNA, and genetic “perfection” dictates career and social opportunities. The film explores themes of biology, ethics, and human potential, showing how determination and spirit can challenge a society built on genetic discrimination. PG rating
One, Two, Three… Infinity
by George Gamow (Editor’s
choice)
A classic popular science book that explains big ideas in mathematics and science in a fun and accessible way. It covers topics from numbers and atoms to the cosmos, using clear language and illustrations to make complex concepts understandable for curious teens.
A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson (Editor’s
choice)
This bestselling science book takes readers on a journey from the Big Bang to the present, explaining chemistry, geology, astronomy, and biology with humour and clarity. It is written for general readers, so the big ideas of science are made accessible without heavy technical detail.
Gripping books to read continued...
George’s Secret Key to the Universe
by Lucy and Stephen Hawking
Written as an adventure story, this book mixes fiction with real science to teach readers about space, stars, planets, black holes, and the universe. As the characters explore outer space, scientific facts are explained in ways that are exciting and easy to grasp.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William
Kamkwamba
and Bryan Mealer
This true story follows William, a young inventor in Malawi who uses science, ingenuity, and books from a local library to build a windmill that brings electricity and water to his village after drought devastates crops. It shows how curiosity and engineering can solve real world problems and improve lives. Next edition:
In our next edition, we will be:
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by
Caroline Criado Perez
This eye-opening nonfiction book reveals how much of the world is built using data that largely reflects male experiences, while women’s needs and realities are often overlooked. Drawing on research from medicine, technology, transport, workplace policy, and more, Criado Perez shows how data gaps can lead to realworld consequences — from ill-fitting safety equipment to misdiagnosed medical conditions. The book highlights the importance of inclusive research and better data collection, demonstrating how more representative science and design can create a fairer, safer world for everyone.
n Taking you inside our classrooms to share a closer look at the exciting learning, creativity and day-to-day activities happening across Tormead.
n Taking a dive into some of the careers in STEM that you may not have thought about.
If you have any further suggestions of what you would like to hear more about please contact the STEM mentors via Miss Watson. jwatson@tormeadschool.org.uk
Debate and discuss Competitions
Here are some suggested current topics and issues in STEM to spark discussion, along with key ideas and perspectives you may want to explore further or examine in greater depth.
Can science solve climate change, or is behaviour change more important?
• Technology like carbon capture could mitigate damage without requiring global austerity.
• Behavioural shifts tackle the root cause of overconsumption that technology may only mask.
• Scientific “fixes” may create a moral hazard, reducing the urgency for lifestyle reforms.
Should governments use data to predict and prevent crime?
• Predictive analytics could optimise limited resources to protect high-risk communities effectively.
• Data-driven models risk automating historical biases and infringing on the “presumption of innocence”.
• Constant surveillance to gather data may fundamentally erode the psychological sense of privacy.
Is extending the human lifespan a good idea?
• Longer lives allow for the accumulation of wisdom and extended periods of economic productivity.
• Significant life extension could lead to extreme wealth stagnation and generational inequality.
• Infinite lifespans might diminish the “scarcity value” of time that drives human ambition.
Is technology making us more intelligent or more dependent?
• Outsourcing rote tasks to AI frees the human mind for higher-level creative synthesis.
• Relying on “black box” algorithms may atrophy our ability to think through first principles.
• We may be developing a “distributed intelligence” where the collective is smarter, but the individual is weaker.
Should we prioritise curing diseases over preventing them?
• Prioritising cures fulfils a moral obligation to those currently suffering from acute illness.
• Prevention offers a higher “return on investment” for global health and longterm stability.
• Focusing on cures can lead to high-cost “rescue medicine” that is inaccessible to the poor.
Should private companies control space travel?
• Competition and private capital significantly accelerate the pace of aerospace innovation.
• Corporations lack the clear legal accountability that sovereign states have under international law.
• Private control may prioritise short-term resource extraction over scientific discovery.
Major Annual Competitions
BIEA International Youth STEM Innovation Competition
Description: A global challenge for students aged 11–18+. The 2026 theme is “Reducing Food Waste for a Sustainable Future.”
Deadline: Project submission by March 30, 2026.
Website: bieacompetition.org.uk
Specialised Essay & Academic Challenges
Minds Underground™ STEM Essay Competition
Description: For students in Year 12 (and ambitious Years 10–11). Categories include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science.
Deadline: April 3, 2026.
Website: mindsunderground.com
TechFest STEM Next Essay Competition
Description: An essay competition for students aged 16–18 in Scotland/UK to engage with realworld STEM issues and earn a CREST Award.
Website: techfest.org.uk
Innovation & Engineering
Rotary Club of Canterbury Innovation Competition
Description: Open to secondary and sixth-form students to present innovative ideas to a panel of experts.
Deadline: April 2, 2026.
Website: thestemhub.org.uk
STEMATHLON (International)
Description: An international contest focusing on robotics and AI with the theme “From Human Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence.”
”Science isn’t about getting the right answer. It’s about asking the best question.”
3 March P5&6��
Magic… or Chemistry?
Y7-8 Chemistry lecture
Tuesday whole school Assembly Curiosity: What’s your question?
Tuesday lunchtime in C2 ��
Can You Crack the Case? Forensics workshop (open to all)
Wednesday Beacon Enrichment JCS ��
How Does the Brain Really Work? Sheep’s Head dissection demo (open to all)
Wednesday Beacon Enrichment
Sixth Form lecture theatre �� Future Medic? What’s Your Route? (Y9-11)
Wednesday Beacon Enrichment in G1
Are You Ready for the Arduino Programming Challenge? (open to all)
Wednesday Beacon Enrichment in sports hall
Can you break Physics? (open to all)
Wednesday lunchtime P2 ��
Beacon Physics challenge – Can You Beat Gravity? Help the egg survive the fall Open to all
Thursday form time ��
What’s New in STEM — and Why Should You Care? Read and discuss the newly published STEM newsletter
Thursday 2nd lunch lecture theatre
Which Science Wins? The ultimate debate, biology, chemistry or physics? (open to all)
Thursday P4 Hall
Where Could STEM Take You? Women in STEM talk and panel during PSHE (Year 9)
Thursday 4.15-5.15 KS3
What’s happening beneath the surface? KS3 Beacon Challenge, Dissection (Y7-9 - spaces are limited, sign up on SOCS)
Friday form time in house ��
Think You Know Science? House science quiz
Friday 2nd lunch F&N room��
Is Baking Just Edible Chemistry?
Bring along your contributions for judging at the science bake off (open to all)
All week in lessons ��
What Happens When You Ask Why? Curiosity themed activities in science lessons
All week breaktimes B1 ��
How Does Life Begin? Chick hatching and handling
Is Baking Just Edible Chemistry? Science themed bake-off competition
Drop off between 8.15 - 8.25 in F&N room. Judging 2nd lunch. Reminder no nuts, and please write an ingredients list and supply in a named container. Entries should be in the form of biscuits/traybakes/cupcakes (no large cakes).
1. REFRACTION & DISPERSION: Light bending and splitting
