Who we are and what we do

 

 

Science, technology, engineering, maths, (STEM), dominates today’s world and is a powerful influence in society both in the past and the present.  Our TV, newspapers and social media are full of stories dependent on these disciplines. Without STEM today’s world would be a very different place. In our group, we want to broaden our knowledge in these areas and try to understand some of the factors that have shaped our past and are shaping the future.

We are part of York U3A and membership of our group is open to U3A members. We meet fortnightly from 2pm to 4pm in the Penn Room at the Friends Meeting House on Friargate.  Attendees at meetings are asked to contribute £3 towards the room hire. Refreshments are available with a voluntary donation of £1.

In each session we have a speaker on a relevant and interesting topic followed by questions and discussion. Our speakers come from among the members of the group or are external volunteers from research, industry, or allied fields. 

Our 2022-23 programme included a wide range of subjects; from the Universe revealed by the James Webb telescope to the visit by pygmies to Edwardian Yorkshire; from the UK Space Industry to cultural contrasts in Japanese society. For more details look at the blog pages for 2022-23.

You don’t need to be a scientist or engineer to enjoy our sessions. We welcome members who are curious about our world, how we got here and what’s ahead! The sessions are an opportunity to learn something new and interesting and meet people who have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.