Britain’s first astronaut to launch new STEM initiative in Hartlepool
Helen Sharman OBE, the first Briton to enter space and the only British member of the Russian scientific space mission Project Juno in 1991, is set to visit Hartlepool Tuesday 6 October to help officially launch the new STEM initiative at High Tunstall College of Science.
The initiative has resulted in four ‘houses’ being set up, each named after a celebrated figure including Helen, the other three being Stephen Hawking, Marie Curie, and Alan Turing.
High Tunstall College of Science Head Teacher Mark Tilling said: “As a specialist science College it is fantastic to host the first Briton to go into space and I am sure her story will inspire our students.
“The lecture at the Borough Hall will become an annual event and is part of our ongoing work to raise the expectations of children and young people in Hartlepool.”
After responding to a radio advertisement, Helen was one of two Britons selected for astronaut training out of almost 13,000 candidates. Once in space, her tasks included medical, agricultural and chemical experiments, materials’ testing, Earth observation work and operating an amateur radio link with British pupils.
Helen will also give a lecture at the Hartlepool Borough Hall. Rightly timed, the event will take place during World Space Week (4-10 October).