Impact Report
Driving STEM inclusion through Cambridge LaunchPad
2023-24
Welcome to
our 2023-24 Impact Report: Driving STEM inclusion through Cambridge LaunchPad
Form the Future takes immense pride in managing and delivering Cambridge LaunchPad. In a time of rapid growth in life sciences and technology, it is essential to challenge and expand our community’s ideas about who can excel in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
By uniting industry leaders, educational institutions, and aspiring young minds within our community, Cambridge LaunchPad is collaboratively reshaping the narrative on STEM careers. Together, we are creating a more inclusive and diverse future in STEM, fostering a sense of belonging and opportunity for everyone.
Foreword
Cambridge LaunchPad connects students from diverse backgrounds with a variety of businesses, immersing them in hands-on experiences that bring their learning to life in real-life work scenarios. This report highlights our collective impact and transformative outcomes.
We are encouraged by new partnerships with Railpen, Socius, and Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, and the new project days from our existing partners Costello Medical, Illumina, and Sanofi. We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support of our longstanding partners, Marshall of Cambridge and TTP
We understand the social value of programmes like Cambridge LaunchPad. The Royal Academy of Engineering reports STEM engagement raises the likelihood of choosing a STEM subject at A level by 25%. The Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that a STEM graduate can earn £250,000 more in lifetime earnings than a non-STEM graduate. The economic case for engaging students with STEM is powerful.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Together, we are shaping a brighter future.
CEO, Form the Future
@anneubailey
Committee Partners Industry Partners
Our steering committee partners have been instrumental in driving the Cambridge LaunchPad programme to greater success. Their commitment to delivering highly-valuable project days and STEM resources has made a significant impact on the programme’s outcomes and reach.
Through engaging project days and invaluable access to STEM fields, our industry partners have provided inspiring opportunities for young people.
Additional Support
Other Organisations
Learning new skills with Railpen and Socius
The Railpen and Socius developments for Devonshire Gardens and Botanic Place held two project days with local students.
The first, in partnership with LDA Design and RHP, saw Year 5 students from Ridgefield Primary School talking to the team about careers within property development, including architecture, project management, and landscape architecture.
Students examined their school courtyard, envisioning changes from different perspectives. They created a bird’s-eye view plan for Devonshire Gardens, deciding what should be on-site, such as accommodation, office buildings, shops, playgrounds, and green spaces.
The second, in partnership with Hoare Lea, AKT II, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Bioregional, and Skanska, aimed to inspire Year 8 & 9 students from Cottenham Village College, linking classroom learning to real-world projects.
Hosted at partner Mills & Reeve’s offices overlooking the Botanic Place construction site, it provided insights into sustainable design and construction, emphasising environmentally-conscious buildings.
A ‘speed interview’ session allowed the students to explore roles and understand career paths. Using Lego, the students designed and built their own sustainable spaces, from gyms and cafeterias to outdoor spaces and science labs.
Katrina Lamberton, Senior Project Manager at Socius
I’ve had a fantastic day working with all the young adults here. I think the most exciting thing was the breadth of ideas that they had… I really enjoyed their different thought processes… how the building world meets with the natural world and what their future could look like. It’s really exciting!
Cutting-edge science at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute
The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute hosted its first-ever Project Day with twenty Year 9 students from Northstowe Secondary College and Sawston Village College.
Students were given a fascinating day of facility tours and interactive talks with life science professionals and operational staff.
Each student was given practical, hands-on opportunities to engage in the techniques used in cancer research, including histopathology, microscopy, and virtual reality technology to visualise tissue samples.
Experiencing the state-of-the-art facilities and laboratory environment, students gained valuable knowledge and insight into the day-to-day work of the research scientists at this cutting-edge Institute.
Karen Woodey, Director of Operations at the Institute
One of the most vital aspects of our work at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute is developing the next generation of researchers. This starts with inspiring young people to consider, and indeed feel excited to pursue, a career in this challenging but rewarding field.
Students attending the project day agreed that they now felt more motivated to pursue a career in STEM.
A student from Sawston Village College
There are more than just biologists working in cancer research, there is a way to apply so many different areas of STEM.
To achieve of attracting a wider range of students into STEM careers, we have worked hard, with our partners to…
Deliver hours spent with students in preparation for project days unique and invaluable project days
In 2023-24 Cambridge Launchpad had a
5,938
859 students from 23 schools attended project days on the lives of of which 97% of primary school students expressed that they had learnt something new And 98.3% of secondary school students felt that they had learnt something new
23
Schools from across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough attended project days
students who
engaged with the programme
Collaboration with
17
Industry and academic partners to deliver unique, tailormade, project days
Student feedback was highly positive, with primary schools scoring 4.64 stars and secondary schools scoring 4.56 stars
An opportunity to address stereotypes in science with Illumina
Volunteers from Illumina travelled to St Laurence Primary School in Cambridge, a school where over a third of students come from homes that have experienced economic disadvantage. Once there, the female scientists shared their journeys to their own STEM careers, and their roles in a world-leading STEM company.
The students were supported to work through a wonderfully engaging experiment – extracting DNA from dried strawberries. Using resources provided by Illumina, the students were able to see DNA for themselves, learn about how our DNA controls many of our physical features, and consider the opportunities for advances in medical and health sciences that studying DNA can provide.
A teacher at St Laurence told Cambridge LaunchPad:
It was great for the Illumina team to visit today. It was especially good for the girls to see female scientists. I liked the fact that they could easily relate to the body characteristics, such as the colour of the eyes and hair. The experiment was perfect, because there was enough help for the children and they could all relate to a strawberry.
It is important for the demographics of our pupils and the proximity to Cambridge University and the science park, that we foster links and experiences that encourage our pupils to view the world differently and give them opportunities to grow in the understanding of the world around them.
Discovering new careers with Costello Medical
A career that I didn’t know about which really interests me and could be my possible future.
Twenty Year 7 and Year 8 students from four Cambridgeshire secondary schools - Coleridge Community College, Impington Village College, Cottenham Village College, and Swavesey Village College - visited Costello Medical, discovering surprising alternative career opportunities within the region’s life sciences sector.
After an engaging presentation from the Costello experts exploring the varied roles in a medical communications company, the students were challenged to review original clinical trial reports and data, and use the information to create and present a sales pitch for a real-world medical therapy.
The students relished the opportunity to tackle complex scientific information, and experience the eye-opening work done by STEM professionals beyond the lab or workshop.
Amelia Frizell-Armitage, UK Head of Publications at Costello Medical, said:
Every student in the group was so enthusiastic and engaged with the project work; we were really impressed with how fast they got to grips with the complex information presented to them and the insightful questions they asked. The students brought so much energy to our offices and the Costello Medical team had a great time hosting them – we hope they had as much fun as we did!
TTP inspires students to turn ideas into prototypes
Year 10 students from Soham Village College and Northstowe Secondary College were taken on a day of exploration and prototyping at the all-new TTP technology campus on Melbourn Science Park.
As well as a tour of the campus, the students were given the chance to collaborate with designers, engineers and scientists from this world-leading technology consultancy.
Students from both schools undertook practical user design activities to build prototype surgical tools for fat-grafting, mimicking a real-life case study that the business had worked on in previous years.
To demonstrate the application of engineering technology, the students were treated to an inspirational talk by world speed record holder, Donald Wales, and his dual propulsion (jet/electric hybrid) prototype vehicle, Bluebird Sapheria.
Rebecca Bradley, Learning & Diversity Specialist at TTP, and LaunchPad Steering Committee member, said:
Why do we work with Cambridge LaunchPad? Firstly, to get more young people into STEM, including students from all backgrounds who may not have any personal connections to the science and engineering industry in Cambridge. We give them that chance to see for themselves and understand whether this is something they would be interested in exploring further.
LaunchPad gets students into workplaces. LaunchPad makes it real, they get to see the labs, they get the chance to experience the workplace for a day.
Looking ahead to 2024-25: STEM to STEAM
The Steering Committee is committed to including more young people in Cambridge LaunchPad and creating further collaborative opportunities with our industry partners and supporters.
Through our work, we recognise the importance of creative and problemsolving skills in STEM careers. In 2024, we will be moving to a STEAM approach, embracing the inclusion of the Arts with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Our ambition to engage more young people in STEAM activities will grow next year with an improved offer, taking our industry partners into schools, and introducing webinars to allow students to gain further insights about STEAM.
Cambridge LaunchPad thrives thanks to the exceptional support of our community of business partners and schools.
We continue to reach more young people, inspiring them to pursue a career in STEAM, and driving positive change in so many lives.
It is an honour to be part of this incredible journey, and I look forward to the continued enhancements to our programme in the year ahead.
Christopher Walkinshaw DL
Group Director External Relations & Communications, Marshall of Cambridge
Chair of Steering Committee, Cambridge LaunchPad
cambridge-launchpad.com
cambridge-launchpad@formthefuture.org.uk
@Camb_LaunchPad
@CambridgeLaunchPad