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Links to Space Artists & Creative Activities

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Links to Space Artists & Creative Activities

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Why is there so much junk up in space? Why does that matter? What can be done to clean up space?

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Humans have been sending probes, people and satellites into space since the 1950s, but a lot of junk has been left behind.

Orbiting around our planet are bits of rockets, dead satellites, even tools that astronauts have dropped over the years.

So, as space travel happens more often and we continue to explore our solar system, the space around our planet is getting messier.

What is space junk?

Space junk is any human made stuff that has been left behind. Most of it is floating around the planet, but some equipment was also left on the Moon during the 60s and 70s.

It includes big objects like discarded rockets, pieces of machinery and old satellites that have failed or aren't in use any more.

But it can also mean objects that are much, much smaller like flecks of paint that have fallen off spaceships.

How much space junk is there?

Science Photo Library

There are more than 30,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10 centimetres in orbit around the Earth and that number goes into millions when you count all the tiny pieces floating about too. It's estimated that there are 128 million pieces of debris smaller than 1cm.

And while there are about 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth at the moment, there are also 3,000 inactive ones.

Getty Images

More space junk means more problems. The bigger the space junk, the bigger problems it can cause.

Most of the objects pose very little threat to us here on Earth because a lot of chunks of space rubbish would just burn up and disappear if they ever entered the atmosphere.

However, the problems start in space. There's a risk of space debris crashing into important satellites, which provide vital services like map GPS and weather warnings.

Even small bits of junk are travelling in orbit at a speed of five miles per second, meaning any collision can cause a lot of damage.

Every year, hundreds of collision avoidance manoeuvres are made by satellites and even by the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts live and work.

We're tracking over 26000 objects, ranging in size from a smart phone to the space station. Maybe 35000 are working satellites, things that have some purpose, but everything else is rubbish.

A piece of space junk was seen close to the SpaceX Dragon capsule as it prepared to dock with the ISS this week.

The four astronauts inside the capsule also heard an alarm, warning of a potential collision.

The astronauts were told to put on their spacesuits because of the possible impact last Friday but later it turned out to be a false alarm.

Lieutenant Colonel Erin Dick, a spokeswoman for Space Command, said it was a system "reporting error", and that there was "no threat" to the crew.

There are concerns that eventually more and more space objects will collide creating new space junk, making Earth's orbit more difficult to navigate or travel through.

Prof Moriba Jah and his colleagues built AstriaGraph - a near real-time map of where each object is located in space around the Earth.

"We're tracking over 26000 objects, ranging in size from a smart phone to the space station. Maybe 35000 are working satellites, things that have some purpose, but everything else is rubbish," said Prof Moriba Jah.

"Large rocket bodies that have been up there for decades, at some point they will either explode, or something will hit them and they will become many tens of thousands of pieces."

ASTROSCALE

With companies such as SpaceX and Amazon sending more satellites into orbit, the space around the planet is getting even more crowded.

The United Nations says all companies should remove their satellites from orbit within 25 years after the end of their mission.

So now companies and spaces agencies are looking at ways to clear up the litter left behind.

They include devices that can catch satellites and pull them back down to burn up in the atmosphere. Lasers to knock objects out of orbit and big magnets or claws that can grab the pieces of junk.

Prof Moriba Jah wonders whether countries investing money into space travel will also spend money on clearing the junk left behind.

"Given all the other problems facing humanity - Will those countries spend resources to remove these big rocket bodies?" He said.

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Space junk: What is it and why is it a problem? - CBBC Newsround

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Humans have been sending probes, people and satellites into space since the 1950s, but a lot of junk has been left behind. Orbiting around our planet are bits of rockets, dead satellites, even tools that astronauts have dropped over the years.

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Longitudinal research project studying young people's science and career aspirations.

The ASPIRES research is currently in its third stage of funding, ASPIRES 3.

ASPIRES and ASPIRES 2 were first based at King's College London, moving to IOE in March 2017 during ASPIRES 2.

ASPIRES 3 is funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (grant number ES/S01599X/1) with additional support from our impact collaborators, including the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

YouTube Widget Placeholder https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Ub7js7vVGFo

In 2019, Professor Louise Archer and her team were awarded the ESRC Celebrating Impact Panel's Choice prize for this research. More recently, in 2022, the research group was awarded the Royal Society Athena Prize.

Research aims

ASPIRES 3 aims to address the following questions, both generally and in relation to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM):

1. How do 20 to 23 year olds make education and career choices, and how do they change, over time?

2. How do early aspirations and factors, at age 10 and 16, relate to later outcomes?

3. What factors relate most closely to different employment trajectories?

4. How are aspirations and outcomes shaped by gender, class and ethnic identities?

5. Who participates in formal and informal STEM learning at age 20-23, in what way, and what influences these patterns?

We will actively share our findings with a range of different audiences. Specifically policymakers, teachers and educators, STEM engagement professionals, students, and parents/families.

You can see the research aims and outcomes for ASPIRES and ASPIRES 2 in our project summary reports, listed below.

Background

Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is an international priority for government, industry and the science education policy and practice community. There is widespread concern that participation in STEM needs to be improved for reasons of both national economic competitiveness and social equity.

The first phase of the ASPIRES study tracked the development of young people's science and career aspirations from age 10 to 14 (from 2009 to 2013).

ASPIRES 2 continued to track young people until age 19, to understand the changing influences of the family, school, careers education and social identities and inequalities on young people's science and career aspirations.

The third stage of the research, ASPIRES 3, will continue to track the young people as they move into adulthood and employment, from age 20 to 23.

Phase one: ASPIRES

The first ASPIRES study tracked the development of young people's science and career aspirations from age 10 to 14 (from 2009-2013).

We found that most young people, from primary through to secondary school, find school science interesting. However, interest in science does not translate into post-16 participation and careers - with only 15% of 10 to 14 year-olds interested in becoming a scientist.

Full findings:

Phase two: ASPIRES 2

ASPIRES 2 continued to track young people until age 19 to understand the changing influences of the family, school, careers education and social identities and inequalities on young people's science and career aspirations.

Crucially, this research related these aspirations to students' attainment in national examinations and their post-16 and post-18 choices. This tracking of young people's aspirations and educational outcomes until age 19 comprises a crucial link in our longitudinal study, and has had a strong bearing on educational policy and practice.

Full findings:

Phase three: ASPIRES 3

Building on our previous research, we are continuing to track our young people in order to understand the changing influences of the family, school, careers education and social identities and inequalities on young people's science and career aspirations.

Methodology

The ASPIRES research has created a unique dataset, which tracks the development of young people's science and career aspirations from age 10 to 23. The project follows the same cohort of students from our first study.

Quantitative and qualitative data

The study uses both quantitative and qualitative data, which includes:

Large-scale student surveys collecting data from a nationally representative sample of students (approximately 7,000-14,000)
We have gathered data from our cohort of students in Year 6, Year 8, Year 9, Year 11 and Year 13 via surveys. Our two most recent surveys, from when the students were in Year 11 and Year 13. The Year 11 survey was distributed online from September to December 2014, administered by the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER). It was completed by over 13,445 students recruited from 340 secondary schools in England (296 state schools and 44 independent). Our most recent survey took place whilst the student were in Year 13, and was live from October 2016 to February 2017. The survey, administered by EdComs, collected data from over 7,000 students studying in sixth forms and higher education institutions around the country' from students in Year 13 (age 17/18).

We are currently planning to release the next survey to be distributed online to 21 and 22 year-olds later in 2020.

Interviews with approximately 80 pupils and approximately 60 of their parents (all tracked from Years 6-13, age 10-19)

ASPIRES 3 will interview our cohort of young people and their parents in Summer 2020 and Autumn 2020 respectively. These interviews will take at least an hour each and will be conducted by members of the research team. This will establish a qualitative data set which spans thirteen years of individuals' aspirations, experiences and influences.

All project data will be made available via the UK Data Service at the end of the project. For more information about our data or data storage policy please please email us at aspires@ucl.ac.uk

Over the duration of our research, we've made considerable discoveries relating to English young people's views on science, STEM and careers. Our key findings are summarised here and full reports for each completed phase of the research are available for download:

Additionally, there are full lists of all the ASPIRES research policy reports and academic publications available.

Students with low Science Capital are unlikely to see science as 'for me'

In the first phase of our project, we introduced the term Science Capital to refer to someone's science-related qualifications, understanding, knowledge (about science and 'how it works'), interest and social contacts (e.g. knowing someone who works in a science-related job).

You can find more information about Science Capital using the links below:

Enjoyment of science doesn't translate into science aspirations

Students consistently agree that science is interesting, important and that scientist do valuable work across our study but this doesn't translate into science career aspirations.

Current careers education is patterned by existing social inequalities

The stratification of science at Key Stage 4 may be contributing to the STEM skills gap

Girls pursuing the physical sciences post-16 are exceptional

Read our blog posts summarising our findings on the subject of girls, or femininity, and science:

Young people's career aspirations are relatively unchanged over time

Survey data from over 40,000 students aged 10-18 was used to produce this summary of young people's career aspirations by age. It shows statistically consistent percentages of young people agreeing that they would consider a career in different industries at ages 10/11, 12/13, 13/14, 15/16, and 17/18.

Note: *The data from students aged 17/18 is weighted to national A Level science entries.

Read a text-only version of the infographic.

We have a number of resources translated into other languages. Please get in touch to request a digital copy or if you'd like to discuss translating any of our material. Email: ioe.stemparticipationsocialjustice@ucl.ac.uk

Advisory group and collaborations

The ASPIRES research is informed by our Advisory Group. This group is formed of individuals from sectors we hope our research can impact such as education policy, schools and teaching, informal science learning, and STEM engagement.

The ASPIRES 3 project is also supported by a number of impact collaborations which aim to focus in on specific elements of our research. These collaborators include the Royal Society, the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Physics.

ASPIRES 3 reports

Summary reports and resources Publications ASPIRES Blog

UCL facilities

UCL locations

Connect with UCL

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Longitudinal research project studying young people's science and career aspirations.

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"Though I'm a Flight Director and the leader of that team, especially in Houston, I'm not significant unless there is a team behind me. Unity was the symbol I wanted because no matter how many different pieces there are to the puzzle, we all have to act as one.

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Microsoft PowerPoint - PowerPoint Slide Show - [KCourtney CPD Welcome]

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To what extent is STEAM careers education embedded in your school and what are you hoping to get from this course?

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To what extent is STEAM careers education embedded in your school and what are you hoping to get from this course?

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An interesting blog integrating art into the STEM equation.

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Engineering is all around us. It's in the devices we use, the cars we drive, and the bridges we drive over. Examples of engineering feats can be seen in many aspects of everyday life. Even though the signs of engineering are everywhere, students are often not inspired to enter this rewarding field. Many students are unaware of career possibilities or, even worse, are taught engineering in a dry, uninspiring way.

For many years education has focused on promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and pigeon holing individuals into either a STEM or an ​"art" subject. Creating self-limiting beliefs that we cannot be good at both, restricting individual's so they don't reach their full potential and ultimately suppressing the development of the next generation of technologies.

Arts education is a source of inspiration and creativity, broadening people perspectives. Creativity and critical thinking are crucial for both invention and innovation of new technologies.

In the UK we have many issues plaguing the STEM field; an overall lack of students recruited to these fields and a wide gender gap. The demand for engineers is greater than the number of engineers available to fill these jobs. Not only are these jobs plentiful, they are intellectually and creatively stimulating, and financially rewarding.

A group at The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in the United Kingdom produced an enlightening research report ( Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers) on parent and student views of engineering. Understanding how engineering is viewed can offer direction about how to change this view from distaste to a lifelong love of engineering.

Interest and take up of STEM subjects

Of course, some will never be interested in, or suited to, an engineering career; a good indicator is their enthusiasm for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. There has been much discussion about this in educational circles but the consensus is that enthusiasm for these subjects needs to be nurtured at a young age. CPI has over 20 STEM ambassadors and their role is to share their experience of STEM and encourage young male and females into a engineering career. Having that reality of sharing your own personal experience benefits the students because they can see the end goal and the possibilities.

What are STEM Ambassadors?

STEM Ambassadors use their enthusiasm and commitment to encourage young people to enjoy STEM and STEAM subjects. They open the doors to a world of opportunities and possibilities which come from pursuing STEM subjects and careers. STEM Ambassadors not only inspire young people, they also support teachers in the classroom by explaining current applications of STEM in industry or research.

CPI STEM Ambassadors include: Apprentices, fermentation scientists, process engineers, lab technicians, engineers, chemistry technicians, Our STEM Ambassadors are across all ages and backgrounds, ranging from 18 years old - 60 years old.

Children like STEM subjects for different reasons

Science involves experiments, finding how things work, is interesting and fun, creative, practical/​hands on, exciting, involves making things.

Design and Technology is about making things, designing, creativity, drawing, building, it is fun, they find how things work, challenging, makes them think hard, is graphical and technological.

ICT / Computing involves computers, also playing games, the technology is fun and interesting, it involves designing / making / building / programming in code, they are good at it, they find out how things work.

Maths they feel they are good at, they like numbers, working things out, solving problems, it is easy but still challenging, makes them think hard, interesting, logical, involves puzzles and games.

What they don't like

Many tend to dislike STEM subjects because they are classed as boring, while girls say they are hard or difficult, but on many occasions this is down to the teaching style of these subjects and having STEM ambassador's helps change perception of these subjects.

In a recent UK report Inspiring the next generation of Engineers it was highlighted what school children aged between 9 - 12 think of STEM subjects and the results are surprising!

When asked what subjects they enjoy at school, STEM subjects top children's list, particularly ICT/​Computing, enjoyed by more than half of children (52%). More than two in five also enjoy Science (46%), Design and Technology (45%) and Maths (44%).

However, the difference between girls and boys is very apparent - STEM subjects are enjoyed far less by girls. Girls enjoy Art (57%), Music (41%) and English (40%), all more than any of the STEM subjects, while even PE/​Sports (39%) are enjoyed more than some STEM subjects.

Girls have some awareness that STEM subjects can lead to a career in engineering, focusing mainly on Design and Technology, and Maths. Art, Music and English however tend to be of more interest to girls overall.

Those girls who enjoy any STEM subjects do so because they like making things, like computers, it is fun, they like maths, find it interesting, and like the experiments

With a major skill gap in the UK manufacturing industry and the industry crying out for female apprentices and engineers surely the time has come to integrate art into stem education? Stimulating and developing the imagination and critical thinking skills, refining cognitive and creative skills. The ​"arts" fuel inquisitiveness which provides the scientific mind with a larger context.

Both sides of the brain contribute to our personality traits and more importantly our personal abilities. The left controls language, maths, logic, speech, analytical functions and focuses on deductive reasoning, problem solving, inductive reasoning and problem sensitivity. The right controls emotions, creativity, visual imagery, spatial abilities and focuses on creativity, innovation, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, flexibility, adaptability, social and cross cultural skills.

Recent developments in neuroscience confirm, what has always been believed, that individuals learn using both sides of the brain and all their senses. For example pictures encourage us to think about and understand the world visually, instead of restricting learning and the acquisition of knowledge to words and numbers alone, so our challenge is now to bridge the divide we have created.

Art is often touted as a method of adding creativity to STEM - but keep in mind that engineers are rarely lacking for creativity and ingenuity. Just look at the world around you for proof. The purpose of STEAM should not be so much to teach art but to apply art in real situations. Applied knowledge leads to deeper learning.

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Educating Future Engineers: STEM vs STEAM | CPI

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Engineering is all around us. It's in the devices we use, the cars we drive, and the bridges we drive over. Examples of engineering feats can be seen in many aspects of everyday life. Even though the signs of engineering are everywhere, students are often not inspired to enter this rewarding field.

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It's no surprise that family support is critical when children are choosing subjects at secondary school - and it turns out family attitudes to science and engineering have a measurable impact on the choices children make. Those attitudes, and the nature and shape of family discussions, start to be formed all the way back in primary school.

Teachers and schools can use these online NUSTEM activities to support parental engagement in their children's learning.

STEM@Home

NUSTEM has produced STEM@Home activities for families with children aged 3+ to do together. They are designed to be straight-forward and use easily available materials. Each activity also includes information about the science and a career related to it.

Me, You and Science Too

Reading is a key skill that children need to do well. Me, You and Science Too (MYST) is a library of children's picture books with a linked activity. Parents and carers read the book together and can then work on a shared activity to explore the science ideas in the book more.

The resources were developed in collaboration with Battle Hill Primary School and funded by the SHINE trust.

Engineering for Families

Engineering for families is a 6-session course suitable for an after school club or at home activities. Working together over several weekly sessions, parents and carers explore STEM ideas and careers in depth, and parents will gain confidence in supporting their child's interest and involvement in science and engineering.

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It's no surprise that family support is critical when children are choosing subjects at secondary school - and it turns out family attitudes to science and engineering have a measurable impact on the choices children make. Those attitudes, and the nature and shape of family discussions, start to be formed all the way back in primary school.

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A great video that may inspire students to work in cyber security

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Are you logical, analytical and good at solving problems? Are you interested in how computers and software work? If you think you'd like to write the computer programmes that control aircraft systems, make sure that financial data is secure or design and install big computer networks, then this could be the industry for you.

Around 100,000 people are employed in technology roles, across all sectors, in Scotland. 40% of those are employed in technology businesses, with the remaining 60% in other sectors such as finance, engineering, health and creative industries. This represents 4% of Scottish workforce.

An important aspect of the information and communication technology industry is the high rate of change. While the actual power of computers grows every year, new applications are constantly being developed.

An important aspect of the information and communication technology industry is the high rate of change. While the actual power of computers grows every year, new applications are constantly being developed.

What areas can I work in?

There are many different sectors in the computing and ICT industry and you would usually specialise in a particular area. These include computer programming and software engineering, IT support, IT security, systems analysis and design, networks, database administration and web and multimedia.

Some areas of this industry are related to engineering, such as electrical and electronics work.

To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Pathway.

What kind of companies can I work for?

Almost all companies and industries use computing and information technology, so the range of firms that you could work for is vast. They could include:

large technology companies

finance and commerce companies

local government and the Civil Service

the National Health Service (NHS)

games development companies

web design and development agencies

aerospace companies

manufacturing and engineering firms

education.

What's the job market like?

The Scottish Tech Sector continues to grow and will become second fastest in Scotland between now and 2029, with only childcare services faster. The number of people needed to support the tech industry has increased, with 13,000 jobs available each year, this has seen a rise of more than 200 a year.

In the cyber security sector, the number of cyber security firms increased by 44% growing from 846 companies in 2017 to over 1,200 by the end of 2019. This sector now employs approximately 43,000 people across the UK, up 37% from 2017.

According to a report from the Digital Technologies Skills Group, the most in demand language skills are .NET, Java and SQL with New Technology skills such as cyber security, information security, data analytics and artificial intelligence being considered important.

The number of women in the industry increased by 5%, increasing the number of female digital technology professionals in Scotland to 23%. This must change if the industry is to stay competitive. Tech Future Girls, Stemettes and Next Tech Girls are just some of the initiatives encouraging more young women to consider a career in the industry.

Digital asset and currency provider GCEX (GC Exchange Limited) are creating 26 real living wage jobs in Glasgow as part of their plans to expand into Scotland.

Facts and figures

According to Digital Scotland's 2019 report there are around 62,500 people in Tech Businesses across Scotland.

The average salary for technology jobs in Scotland is £36,500, almost 26% higher than the average of £29,200.

From the academic year 2016/17, 75.7% of IT graduates were in employment six months after graduating.

Want to find out more?

If you are considering a career in IT, take a look at Tech Future Careers ( www.tpdegrees.com/careers) and the Screen Skills website ( www.screenskills.com), which has information on job roles in the computer games sector.

Sources

Scotland's Digital Technologies: Summary Report, Digital Technologies Skills Group (2019)

UK booming cyber security sector. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (January 2020)

What do graduates do? Prospects in association with HECSU and AGCAS (2018/19) (Latest data available)

Scottish Enterprise Media Centre (March 2020)

Skills Development Scotland (October 2019)

Video

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Are you logical, analytical and good at solving problems? Are you interested in how computers and software work? If you think you'd like to write the computer programmes that control aircraft systems, make sure that financial data is secure or design and install big computer networks, then this could be the industry for you.

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The National Space Academy invites you to a career’s hour! 

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The National Space Academy invites you to a career’s hour! 

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Students may enjoy finding out the sorts of projects civil engineers get involved in! https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/stem-awards/stem-hq/stem-hero-military-engineer-interview/

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If you want a job that will really make an impact on the world, look no further than the STEM industry, where jobs are set to skyrocket - even in uncertain times

In the movies, jobs of the future are often painted as being hi-tech and thrill-seeking. Think of Leonardo DiCaprio's dream hacker in Inception or Harrison Ford's haunted replicant hunter in Blade Runner - a film actually set in November 2019, though it was made in 1982. Even the ghostbusters had to manoeuvre their own proton packs.

While not every job in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) will offer the same levels of danger or adrenalin, they already sound pretty futuristic - and are well within reach. Today's companies need ethical hackers, atmospheric scientists, robotics engineers, virtual world creators, artificial intelligence (AI) trainers, sustainability experts, climatologists and many more. "There's an idea that you have to be 'brilliant' to work in STEM," says Dr Hilary Leevers, chief executive of EngineeringUK. "That's misplaced. There are so many roles. You've got to be interested and able to apply your knowledge, but you don't have to be that 'one in a million'."

"If you study STEM, the world really is your oyster," says Helen Wollaston, chief executive of WISE, which promotes women in STEM. "Growth in jobs is exponential. Tech has revolutionised every sector - media, music, fashion, health, transport - and they're all looking for people. The pace of change is genuinely exciting. That growth isn't going away - that we do know."

"A candidate's market"

Employment rates are higher for STEM graduates than all other graduates, says Simon Reichwald, strategic lead for emerging talent at mykindafuture.com, and some engineering areas are chronically short. "It's a candidate's market," he says. Employers know it will be difficult to recruit engineers, IT programmers and developers, IT in general and technical and analytical roles over the next five years. Mr Reichwald says: "Opportunities are great as all the professional services and consultancies want STEM talent. Analyst roles in all industry sectors are on the rise."

At Imperial College London, it's the computing students who fly off the shelves before they graduate, says careers consultant Mark Allen, member of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services. He anticipates demand for graduates in AI - and ethics linked to AI in data analytics and machine learning. And the UK's automotive and aerospace sectors remain big employers, despite Brexit uncertainty.

Mr Allen believes the UK's pharmaceutical sector will need more STEM graduates, as gene therapies and health technology develop and progress. And niche areas such as battery technology, renewable energy and the UK's gaming and special-effects industries all need STEM skills - and while the numbers are not huge, these sectors are growing.

Blurred lines

Most big employers would agree that the definitions of disciplines are evolving - new roles need people who can take a new look at a problem, who can encourage a group of individuals to work together, who can communicate, inspire and lead. "Employers tell us they want a blend of skills," says Ms Wollaston. "People with creativity, communication skills plus some knowledge of a STEM subject - that's the magic combination."

Creative and gaming industries need a mix of technical and behavioural skills, says Dr Charlie Ball, head of higher education intelligence at Graduate Prospects. "That means graduates who are not from traditional STEM backgrounds, from subjects such as psychology and sociology, or with visual design skills."

Working with a bunch of diverse colleagues has been a pleasant surprise to Professor Rebecca Shipley, a mathematician who now works in medical engineering. "Some of the most exciting challenges require people from many different disciplines," she says - that's typical of many STEM careers and part of their appeal. She's director of UCL's Institute of Healthcare Engineering and works to understand how cancer grows and responds to therapies. "I get to work on problems that have real impact and that's motivating," she says.

Rising demand

Prof Shipley is one of many STEM ambassadors on a mission to inspire others into STEM careers with the Tomorrow's Engineers campaign - and there's never been a more urgent time to do so. Every year, tens of thousands of STEM jobs go unfilled in the UK; uncertainty around Brexit threatens to make these shortages more acute. And as medicines and healthcare become more complex, as companies have ever greater amounts of data to analyse, as cyber threats mount and climate change demands innovation, even more roles are emerging.

But that does not mean industry is set to collapse. In 2017, the Government committed to raise spending on research and development from 1.7 to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027. "That comes with a health warning because of the uncertainty, but it could mean we will have another 200,000-odd STEM researchers in this country," says EngineeringUK's Dr Leevers.

Not everyone with a STEM degree will end up designing missions to Mars, but the rewards are high, she says. "People underestimate how well-paid STEM careers are." Indeed, research published by the New Scientist found the average UK science salary has risen to more than £40,000.

Get involved

Traditionally, STEM employers have been behind the curve when it comes to welcoming greater diversity - and they still need to work harder to attract women, BAME and people with disabilities, says Mr Allen. But the rising number of industry awards is helping to level the playing field by raising the profile of what the industry has to offer.

The Telegraph STEM Awards is now in its seventh year, and many past winners and runners-up have already secured fantastic roles in the industry. It is a fantastic chance to tackle a real-world problem and put forward your own innovative solution - and it's not just the £25,000 cash prize you're competing for: you could also secure a career-changing placement at one of our industry-leading sponsor companies.

But if you want some inspiration first, take a look at 10 of the most exciting STEM projects going on in the UK right now - from global programmes to eradicate deadly diseases to game-changing aircraft projects. We also speak to young STEM graduates, who tell us how they secured their roles and the amazing things they are working on. Whatever STEM role you decide to take, you can be sure this fast-paced, innovation-led industry will give you one of the most satisfying, rewarding careers out there.

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Why now is a fantastic time to work in STEM

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If you want a job that will really make an impact on the world, look no further than the STEM industry, where jobs are set to skyrocket - even in uncertain times In the movies, jobs of the future are often painted as being hi-tech and thrill-seeking.

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https://www.womeninstem.co.uk/# Inspiring women and girls into STEM careers.
https://www.planitplus.net/STEM/View/117 Lots of great information and statistics that encourages anyone to work in STEM from Planit (Scotland's most accurate and up-to-date resource of careers, learning and school information).
https://www.stemwomen.co.uk/blog/2021/01/women-in-stem-percentages-of-women-in-stem-statistics for useful statistics about women in STEM careers
www.RAS.ac.uk
www.stem.org.uk/esero
www.spaceschool.co.uk
www.britastro.org
www.popastro.com/main_spa1/youngstargazers

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Inspirational stories that will inspire children to follow STEAM careers and our top tips for using them.