Update - Spring 2026

[patrick]

We continue to work hard bringing the InSECT Project to life in various ways, including academic papers (currently being refereed), resources for students and teachers, school and conference talks, and more. Here are some highlights from the last three months plus a taste of what’s to come later in the year:

Cranleigh School

Kindly invited by the science department at Cranleigh School in Surrey, Patrick recently visited the school’s science department for their end of term event for Sixth Formers and interested GCSE students. Following three excellent science-inspired presentations by Lower Sixth students, Patrick gave a talk entitled The Search for Gravitational Waves - Seeing the biggest things that ever happen by measuring the smallest changes that have ever been measured, which included a look at the social processes intertwined with frontier science and also considered the potential for AI in science and the differences and similarities between the products of art and science. The talk was followed by some excellent and perceptive questions from students, who had clearly been listening attentively!


National Science Teaching Conference (NSTA)

We’re very pleased that Elizabeth - who is curriculum leader and chair of the Upper School science department at The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania - will shortly be speaking about the InSECT Project at the NSTA Conference in Anaheim, CA. Details of her workshop are below (she will also be presenting a poster session on Thursday between 12 and 1pm in the Anaheim Convention Center Exhibit Hall):

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Hands-On Workshop
The interdisciplinary experience: teaching about science with humanities
Thursday, April 16 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM
Anaheim Convention Center - 260 A, North Building

Inspired by InSECT, we propose courses that include both science and humanities. Elizabeth Zodda has five years of experience teaching an interdisciplinary course that blends science and social studies and includes students who may not see themselves as science students. In this session you will see how such a course was developed and how it runs. As students investigate current or historical issues that make use of scientific knowledge, we analyze the differences between science and other disciplines such as literature or political science. How do they compare in their approach to knowledge production, interpretation, and communication? Through this unusual classroom experience, students develop an appreciation for science and its role in providing trustworthy and reliable knowledge about the world and come to understand the arts and humanities. Stand-alone lesson suggestions will be included for use in your own classroom to enhance your science students’ connection to current events.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a better understanding of how science and other subjects differ in terms of building up, evaluating and using knowledge. You will be introduced to interdisciplinary methods for discussing the nature of science with your students.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Zodda

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Conferences for Teachers

Looking ahead, we are making plans for short conferences for teachers to introduce InSECT Project teaching materials and approaches. We are planning at least one online conference in the early summer, and hope that we will be able to run an in-person conference in London later in the year (possibly with the option to join online too). More details in our next email update.

With our warmest wishes for the holiday season.

The InSECT Project Team
Harry, Ryan, Elizabeth, Patrick & Michael