STEM Activities with Young People

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are at the heart of the Met Office.  We want to inspire the next generation to study STEM subjects, attract a diverse and inclusive workforce and enable our employees to develop their professional skills during their careers.

To help us do this the Met Office participates in and coordinates a wide range of education and outreach activities aimed at young people and the general public, as part of our sustainability commitments. The aim of these activities is to increase interest in Met Office science and technology (and STEM more generally) and encourage interest in STEM careers both here at the Met Office and further afield.

We work towards these goals with help from an active group of volunteers, a large proportion of whom are enrolled as STEM Ambassadors, part of a national programme coordinated by STEM Learning. We currently have more than 270 STEM Ambassadors at the Met Office, many call our head office in Exeter home, but around 100 are based throughout the UK and further afield. Our Ambassadors attend a wide range of events throughout the year, and we also run Science Camp at our head office.

What our STEM ambassadors do?

Every STEM activity done by our STEM ambassadors is different, but all activities have the same aim, to inspire future generations of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.  Though many of our activities are based around the work of the Met Office, that doesn't just mean science and meteorology, but technology, engineering and maths as well.

Just some of the types of activities we regularly take part in:

• Visits to schools (all ages 3-18) including interactive workshops, talks, careers events.
• Activities and demonstrations at home education groups.
• Running sessions at STEM and code clubs.
• We are involved in various aspects of the Big Bang fair, including exhibiting and judging at both local and national events.
• Visits to Scouting, Guiding  and other youth groups.
• Having stalls at music and arts festivals - such as Einstein's Garden at the Green Man festival, Bluedot,  Deershed Festival, Arts by the Sea and more.
• Running interactive sessions at tourist attractions up and down the country.
• Many of our ambassadors stationed at RAF airfields get involved in open days, offering fun science demonstrations for young and old alike.
• We also coach and mentor young people, exhibit at careers fairs, hold mock interviews, support computing groups, speak at Science Cafes...and much more.

How to request a visit from one of our STEM ambassadors:

If you'd like one of our STEM ambassadors come and visit your school or youth group, you'd like us to attend an event you are holding, or have any other enquiries, please email us: [email protected].

When contacting us please provide as much detail as possible, for example, to request a visit to your school or youth group please ensure you include:

1. School/group name and location
2. Date/time of proposed visit (being as flexible as possible makes it more likely an Ambassador can be found)
3. Length of session (1hr, 1/2 a day etc.)
4. Age/year group of the young people
5. Number of young people
6. Any specific topics the session should focus on - if you don't specify, this can be mutually agreed if an ambassador is found

Upon receiving a request, we send it out to the STEM Ambassadors in the area, and if anyone is able to do it, will put them in touch with you.  Please be as flexible as possible with dates and gave as much notice as possible.  We do try to meet all of the requests we receive however unfortunately are not able to meet them all.