Materials Matter

In a week that sees a UK team attempting to break the diesel land speed record in the USA, Year 12 students from across the country are discovering how innovations in material design can make all the difference.

The Sutton Trust MATERIALSMATTER@cam summer school allows young people to find out for themselves what Cambridge has to offer, whilst exploring the world of materials science, a subject they may not have encountered before.

The sixth formers’ first day was spent largely in King’s College, where they are based, finding out about the chapel and discovering more about the history of the University. They also took part in a competition to build a structure from simple materials.

Today – the summer school’s first full day – the group have enjoyed a hands-on practical session looking at the mechanical properties of various materials such as metal, polymers and wood.

Course organisers, Rob Wallach and Lianne Sallows explained: “This gives a basis for the afternoon's visit to the air museum at Duxford. The different types of aircraft on show will demonstrate how improvements in our understanding of materials have contributed to the faster, larger and more efficient machines that have evolved since the Wright brothers first got off the ground in 1903.”

The summer school culminates with a project in which students are put into teams and challenged to design and build a racing car powered only by a mouse trap. The winning entry will be judged on distance travelled, top speed, and aesthetics.

The summer school is hosted by the University’s Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy and funded by the Sutton Trust. Whilst some priority was given to students from UK state schools who are the first in their family to consider applying to university, students from a wide range of backgrounds have taken part.