The day, hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and organised by the Industrial Liaison Office, will engage Year 8 girls [aged 12-to-13-year-olds] with aerospace engineering activities.  The day will include sessions with world-leading academics and industry experts together with many hands-on activities, together with providing an opportunity for the students to discuss studies and career decisions.

The five schools in the Bristol area taking part are: Backwell, Badminton, Colston’s, Gordano and Marlwood.

Airbus Group is a close industrial partner of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and the aim of the Airbus Group Aerospace Day is to encourage more women to take up STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

During the event the girls will construct the best paper aeroplane and then compete in a fly-off competition to win the longest distance and duration of flight.  They will also have the opportunity to learn to fly an aircraft in a static flight simulator.

In advance of the event, the students have been asked to prepare a poster on what they think is the ‘coolest flying machine’ and to explain why.  The posters will be on display during the day and the students will have the opportunity to vote for the ‘coolest flying machine’.

Professor Andrew Nix, Dean of Engineering, said: “Our partnership with Airbus Group is committed to training, education and diversity.  This is the first of many outreach initiatives to encourage women into engineering and to address the goal across the UK of advancing women in sectors traditionally dominated by men.”