Here we present a number of open-source geophysics projects suitable for school/college students or citizen scientists.

All open-source they are low cost yet capable of producing research grade data with the real opportunity to contribute to original research,

Some Recent Works
Aurora Monitor	Infrasound Monitor	Microbarometer
R.Pi Seismic Monitor Code	Learning Physics by Coding	F.P.G.A."Chip Design"

I have over 30 years experience teaching A-level Physics, A-level Computing, Electronics, various applied science courses, engineering and some adult physics. For the past 15 years I have been actively involved in computational physics research at M.Sc, Ph.D and post-doc levels whilst teaching predominantly A-level physics.

“Curiosity and passion determine success” - Pat Hanrahan

There should be a joy in learning and enthusiasm in teaching. In the English state-sector these have been eroded by a relentless drive to achieve often baseless numeric metrics at the behest of OfSted - a standards organisation whose reports are regarded by many in teaching as meaningless. Little wonder so many of our political leaders choose a private traditional education for their own children whilst encouraging businesspeople such as supermarket executives to run chains of state schools.

In my direct experience there is considerable merit in giving students the opportunity to develop their science interests in extra-curricula science 'clubs'. I have lost track of the number who explained how their university interview was dominated by discussion of such extra-curricula work. Whilst regrettably rare in UK state schools advanced science project work is common in much of Europe and the US. Here it is not unusual for pre-university students to engage in original research. There is no reason why an ordinary UK school cannot make a big impact for little resourcing.

I am committed to setting up national/international class STEM programmes in the sort of geophysics/space-science projects described here. These are well suited to school or college science clubs/enrichment activities either on one site or as part of a distributed network between schools. The projects here are cheap, research-level and released entirely open-source. Feel free to have a go at them, I am happy to help if possible.

Drop me a line if interested.

ian@schoolphysicsprojects.org