Collingwood engineers support STEM event

Naval engineers from HMS Collingwood recently provided support to the local community when they provided a stance at the ‘Chemistry at Work’ day at Winchester Science Centre.

As ambassadors for STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths), Lieutenant Kieran Lewis and Petty Officer Alan Bates were asked to attend the event, which they gladly did.

Lieutenant Lewis came up with the idea of drawing on their combined explosive knowledge and they decided to conduct an interactive presentation on Naval Ordnance and the chemical reactions involved in making things go bang.

Petty Officer Bates said “We structured our presentation around 3 main areas, naval systems, how something explodes (the chemistry bit) and explosive safety/incidents.

The display was well received by the students due in part to the sheer amount of demonstration pieces we could provide with plenty of interaction throughout.

Yet again it was a fulfilling enterprise and allowed us to show off different aspects of our job in the RN to potential future Weapon Engineers.” 

He went on to say “As with all STEM events, we are trying to deliver the message that there are many different flavours of engineering out in the public sector; but in the RN, the stakes are higher; the end result more fulfilling, the discipline and professionalism needed stands us apart from any other STEM employer.”