STEM in the Community (at home and abroad)
This exciting event (organised by Physics Outreach, CADSTI and BFUWI) aims to encourage more young students –
especially those of African and Caribbean heritage – to pursue further study in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths). Not only will attendees be exposed to some leading areas of research, they will also be left with a ‘yes you can attitude’ when it comes to STEM thinking.
* Attendance is free of charge but please register here*
When: Saturday 8th November 2014 Time: 10:30 – 12:00
Where: Lecture Theatre 1, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, SW7 2BZ
No. of Attendees: Up to 150 (age 14+), teachers & parents are also welcome
10:00 – 10:30 Registration
10:30 – 10:50 Welcome & Opening Address – Dr Mark Richards Physics Department, Imperial College London
10:50 – 11:30 Key Note Speech – Prof Cardinal Warde Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
11:30 – 11:50 Q& A Session
11:50 – 12:00 Closing Remarks – Elizabeth Mullings – Smith (BFUWI)
Prof. The Hon. Cardinal Warde is President of CADSTI Intl, Interim Executive Director of the Caribbean Science Foundation, and a professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research focuses on the development of optoelectronic neural coprocessors for brain-like computing, multispectral -polarimetric imaging sensors, infrared projection displaysand holographic displays.
He is an inventor on twelve patents, and has published three book chapters in addition to over one – hundred – fifty technical papers on optical materials, devices and systems. Since 1997, Professor Warde has served as the Faculty Director of the MITES program at MIT (a six week intensive program in science and engineering for gifted underrepresented minority high-school seniors). Professor Warde is a fellow of the Optical Society of America, and a former Associate Editor of the Journal of Display Technology. He is the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees in science from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and the University of the West Indies. He has served on the US National Science Foundation Small Business Advisory Committee, on the Board of Trustees of Stevens Institute of Technology, and on the boards of several small high-technology companies. Dr. Warde founded Optron Systems, Inc. in 1982, and in 1999 co-founded Radiant Images, Inc. which was subsequently acquired by Hoya Corp. of Japan.
Warde is a native of Barbados, and received the Companion of Honour Award (the second highest honour awarded by the Government of Barbados) in 2003. He serves as a scientific advisor to the Governments of Barbados and Belize. He graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology (with high honor) in 1969, and received the M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in physics in 1971 and 1974, respectively, from Yale University.
Dr Mark Richards has a BSc in Chemistry (Manchester) and a PhD in Physics from Imperial College London. His research centered on the spectroscopic study of nitric acid vapour for atmospheric remote sensing retrievals. After working in finance for a while, Richards returned to Imperial in 2002 as a Post Doctoral Researcher within the High Energy Physics Group to manage a Technology Transfer program. He has since co-founded Duvas Technologies, an Imperial spin-out company specialising in wireless air sensing networks for real – time pollution mapping. He is currently a member of the Physics Teaching Staff and also the Departments Head of Outreach.
Dr. Richards actively works to encourage minority students from underrepresented groups to inspire them to consider careers in STEM through exposure to the achievements of other minority leaders in these fields. To this end, Richards is a member of the Imperial Colleges Equality and Diversity Committee and also sits on the Board of Trustees for the British Foundation for University of the West Indies (BFUWI); he is also a member of the Jamaican Education task Force (JET- UK).
Through outreach, he has fostered strong links with external institutions such as NASA/JPL, the US Embassy, and community based charities such as Generating Genius, and the Baroness Amos Bursary. Mark has also contributed to several media related projects for organisations such as the Institute of Physics, Royal Society, British Council, British Library, plus several local councils across London. Mark is also a DJ and producer, known as DJ Kemist, and in 2004 he founded a remix company called Xtremix Records.
About BFUWI
The British Foundation for the University of the West Indies (BFUWI) is a UK–based charity that aims to encourage students to consider UWI as a viable option for their education path. BFUWI seeks to support scholarships to UWI and actively seeks ways in which UWI can engage more effectively with global institutions across, education, research, business, and Industry.
About CADSTI.
The Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology & Innovation (CADSTI) is an international body of professionals who have an interest in the development of the Caribbean region. CADSTI recognizes that there is a vast talent pool within the larger Diaspora whose skills go untapped by the Caribbean community.
About Imperial College London.
Consistently rated amongst the world’s best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and innovation