Ideas for 'enrichment' around physics and engineering

[VeronicaVanHoopen]

A lot is being made at my DC's school of the importance of demonstrating extended interest in and commitment to your intended university subject. Does anyone have examples of what their children have done to do this around physics/engineering?

I was an arts student (and a long time ago when university entry wasn't so competitive!) so this is all like a foreign language to me.

Any ideas/suggestions would be welcome.

A friend of DS' who went on to study EEE took part, with a classmate, in a Raspberry Pi contest:

www.paconsulting.com/events/raspberry-pi-competition-uk/

As Errol suggests upthread, some knowledge of coding is likely to be useful when you get to University, especially if studying engineering, though actually DS used it when studying mathematical economics. This is a good place to start.

Some level of coding is likely to be useful in any STEM subject.

DS & a lot of his science friends have done at least one MOOC as free and accessible in lockdown. DS did his biology one with Duke University in Carolina!

www.nuffieldfoundation.org/students-teachers/nuffield-research-placements nuffield research placements are good if theres are any placements nearby you.

DD1 is second year physics, particle physics and cosmology student at uni. She did the following things:
Was a member of the Nottingham astronomical society and we would go to the monthly meet ups where qualified speakers would come and talk about what projects they did. Be it juno mission, or the sun and its properties etc.
She also did science club at school and helped out other younger students during 6th form.
Listened to podcasts such as PBS spacetime.
Had books like professor poveys perplexing problems which is physics and maths based.
Went to UNIQ summer school at Oxford (its all free) which was a residential for state school students for a week.
Did an online MOOC which is a free course (no you dont have to get the certificate at the end and pay for it)
Work experience at Bio city which was biochem based, but she still loved it.
Work experience at Nottingham uni doing particle physics and cosmology for a week (they take on about 25 students doing all manner of physics work)

DD1 is at Lancaster, and im pretty sure they also do a residential as well for physics. Worth checking out :)

Not free, but looks interesting?

www.spaceschool.co.uk/#our-programme

Volunteer at a heritage steam railway or vintage motor museum?

DS did a headstart course. It gave him a small taste of uni & what studying engineering was about. Unfortunately he was allocated a general engineering one rather than the field he had chosen but it didn't really matter.

Again, thanks so much everyone. Some brill suggestions.

My boys both got a lot out of First Lego League. I think the maximum age might be 16 though, so no good for 6th form, though my elder son still helped out with the school team as a 6th former.
People tend to roll their eyes a bit when Lego is mentioned, but it is a serious competition with lots of elements to it. If you've got children in the age range with a STEM interest it's well worth doing. Most entries are school teams but there's nothing to stop you forming a private team if your school isn't interested.
My sons went to the national finals several times and internationals once, which was a phenomenal experience.
education.theiet.org/first-lego-league-programmes/

The first week labs on DDs MEng was an icebreaker of group projects to design and build something with certain criteria using Lego (the mindstorms type stuff iirc).