Swansea University at the Brecon and Radnor Urdd Eisteddfod 2018
Swansea University was pleased once again to sponsor one of the main attractions at the Urdd National Eisteddfod, the GwyddonLe pavilion and to offer a whole week of fun educational activities for the whole family. Visitors to the Eisteddfod, which was held at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells from 28 May to 2 June 2018, were able to enjoy a diverse range of science, technology and digital activities led by scientists at Swansea University. The GwyddonLe attracts thousands of visitors during the week and offers an exciting program of scientific activities, competitions and events for people of all ages.
For the first time in 2018, a new public speaking competition was held at the GwyddonLe. The Morgan Academy Challenge is a competition for older school pupils and the set text is 'Nuclear power is essential to ensure a sustainable energy supply for Wales'. The competition was organised by Academi Morgan, Swansea University's public policy research center, in conjunction with the Department of Geography and Academi Hywel Teifi. The aim of the competition is to give pupils the opportunity to demonstrate their reasoning and argumentation skills as well as to receive feedback from the leading policy and politics judges, Simon Thomas AM and Helen Mary Jones, Deputy Director of Academi Morgan. The best speaker for and against the set text receive £250 each for their schools and the winning individual wins the Morgan Academy Scholarship and has the opportunity to go on work experience organised by Academi Morgan.
Other attractions in the GwyddonLe included the opportunity to code robots, do DNA detective work, test race car driving skills, learn more about the wonders of the stars and much more. There was also be an opportunity for visitors to win prizes in daily competitions and find out more about the courses and opportunities that Swansea University can offer. The GwyddonLe partners, Creative Wales, National Parks Wales, sustainable engineering firm Riversimple, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust and the Institute of Physics in Wales, also provided various activities during the week.
