Blue Fusion 2011

As it is National Science and Engineering week, IBM Hursley are running Blue Fusion 2011 – The official press release summed it up quite well, and also contains a list of this year’s activities:

HURSLEY, U.K. – 11 Mar 2011: More than 450 students from 80 schools across the South of England will be celebrating National Science and Engineering Week at IBM’s 16th annual Blue Fusion event. The students will need to use quick thinking, scientific knowledge and teamwork in a number of fun activities, designed to inspire and encourage young people to develop their interest in Science, Technology and Engineering.

“Communication” is the theme for National Science and Engineering Week 2011 and volunteers from IBM Hursley, Europe’s largest software development lab, have put together a wealth of fun, inspiring and engaging activities.

Each day, teams from 16 schools will participate in a variety of specially-designed activities promoting innovation, teamwork, problem solving and communication skills. Students solve puzzles and technological challenges that explore basic concepts in some of the most interesting areas of modern technology. The activities will include building network communications to cracking codes to designing an ecologically friendly house. The students will experience first hand how science benefits our everyday lives and how instrumented, interconnected and intelligent technology can help build a smarter planet.

Approximately 200 IBM employees volunteer their time and experience to Blue Fusion, many of whom are recent graduates who can share their passion and experience of working in the industry with the next generation. Local dignitaries will be attending the event throughout the week to see the impact and success of Blue Fusion in inspiring young people into Science, Technology and Engineering.

I look forward to hosting schools on Thursday – it has been fun being involved for the last five years, so should be great this year too! I wrote briefly about Blue Fusion and Bright Sparks in 2007 (I can’t remember if that was the year I organised and ran Blue Fusion with Dan)

There are one or two videos about Blue Fusion which really show what the event is about: