Brilliant rubbish sTEM- creating global communities of young scientists and Engineers
Brilliant sTEM proJects using rubbish
Join our global collaboration of schools and individuals solving authentic problems using scientific design thinking. Help create food, water and health security using only rubbish. Try our live online lessons or online course.
Developing Brilliant Rubbish Scientists
Where is the evidence?
We are possibly living in the scariest time of disinformation. What is real and what is fake and how might you decide?
We teach our students of all ages how to be sceptical (and we need to reclaim this word), to search for evidence, and to know what good evidence looks like.
We believe that knowledge is crucial. Scientists and engineers also need to apply that knowledge to unfamiliar contexts in a supported and structured way. We celebrate failure as a learning experience and this facilitates our students to become resilient problem solvers, equipped for the challenges of the 21st century. They will need these skills.
Global collaboration
Rubbish Science workshops have been delivered worldwide to some of the richest and poorest. What is clear is not the differences, between us, but the similarities.
Our aim is to build bridges between these communities. To carry out activities at the same time and share ideas. We also aim to go intergenerational so the youngest and oldest members of our communities can discuss shared projects.
As our activities do not require buying equipment, it provides a level playing field. The only limits are your imagination.
Please join us to help make this happen
Rethinking Rubbish
When we see rubbish we see a resource
A plastic bag is a potential fishing line or net. An area of wall space can host a vertical bottle garden. A plastic bottle a crisp packet and a few sticks and we can provide warm sterile water as a hand wash station.
We are facing a global crisisand Rubbish Science can help produce a degree of water, food and health security.
Its NOT THE DESTINATION, it’s the Learning journey
All our activities are easy to do, but hard to do well. They can be done by anyone and will push them to the limits of their ability. Unlike most school science, Rubbish STEM activities have multiple variables and no one can predict the exact outcome. We are often dealing with novice scientists and fearless engineers, but what they create and learn can be astounding.
From our Blog
Who we are
OUR PROGRAMS
We run programs for governments, schools, homeschoolers, corporate challenges and individuals. We support some of the most vulnerable communities
Scroll down to see the links
ABOUT US
Registering as a non-profit CIC and Rubbish Science is part of the charity Operation Orphan. We connect some of the poorest and richest people to do collaborative projects where everyone has access to the same equipment – Rubbish/trash
GET INVOLVED
Please join us and be part of our Rubbish Science community. We also welcome sponsors to enable us to expand our reach.
GET INVOLVED
Online live lessons and own pace courses
Live lessons thrOugh outschool
Live lessons are scheduled through our account at Outschool. You can contact us for your own bespoke sessions. Click on the link
own pace online courses
We run online courses through Teachable that allow you to study at your own pace, Click on the link below to see what we offer as well as our e-book.
Sponsor our enablers
We are funding Rubbish Science trainers in Kenya and Sierra Leone in order to develop scientific literacy within vulnerable communities. Please contribute to this using the link below
Example projects – Bird Feeder
How might you make the best bird feeder from a plastic bottle? What size, colour, food or design works best? No one knows so it’s up to you to find out using our design thinking structured method. What do we need to know? How might we find out? what ideas do we have? Which might be the best? Real science involves exploring with multiple variables. It is messy, but so is life!
inclusivity – Ladder of Role models
Cartoon scientists are stereotypical crazy old white males in white coats. Kids cannot relate to these and often feel science is ‘not for people like me’ We run unconscious bias training and programs where we train older students from underrepresented groups to be train younger students to deliver workshops for even younger ones. Thus setting up a ladder of role models and encouraging all to think science is accessible. Contact us if you want to know more.
a brilliant young Rubbish scientist/Engineer
This novice scientist/engineer, a Rohingya refugee, took part in one of our workshops. She decided a funnel fly trap would fill with water so built one with a side entry. She found flies were not going in it so she hung bait in front of the entrance (using a fishing line made from a plastic bag ) This brought flies in, but they then escaped, so she lined the trap with glue.
We need to connect these brilliant minds to ensure we do not lose them and this is our mission. Undoubtedly the World is at a point of an environmental catastrophe. Scientists and engineers are the ones who may be able to save us all, but we must give them the opportunity to develop their thinking and problem-solving strategies. By connecting them doing joint projects we are helping to build understanding and collaboration regardless of who you are or where you come from.
SO FAR WE HAVE done
11
COUNTRIES
215
PEOPLE TRAINED
4839
STUDENTS ENGAGED
Neil Aulehla -Atkin Director
Neil has taught as one of the first Advanced Skills Teachers (terrible title but wonderful role!) for over 30 years in possibly more situations than anyone else. He is a physics specialist and works supporting teachers delivering physics as well as worked as a Gender Balance Officer trying to increase the engagement of girls in physics. He is an expert at training students to be scientists as opposed to just learning science. He has taught both the poorest and richest kids in the World and learned that kids are kids and what makes us similar far outweighs our differences. He has delivered training to many governments on science, learning, girls in STEM and also as a digital learning consultant for the DfE program teaching live lessons to primary and secondary students
Garrod Musto – Primary Consultant
English