St Albans scientist scoops awards (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

St Albans scientist scoops awards

1:41pm Friday 23rd July 2010 in

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A budding young scientist and film maker is walking on air after his inventive documentary exploring the force of gravity scooped two industry awards.

Oliver Madgwick, 17, from St Albans School won two Planet SciCast awards for his film Gravity, Mass and Weight - a Lego animation explaining the difference between mass and weight, in relation to gravity.

Oliver was presented with the Technical and Artistic Achievement award and Best Film award by The One Show’s technology reporter, Marty Jopson, at a ceremony at London’s Royal Institution last Friday.

Judges were impressed by the creativity and scientific value in Oliver's film - selected from more than 160 entries in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Planet SciCast, supported by NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), EngineeringUK and the Institute of Physics, is a film making competition designed to enthuse children and young people aross the UK and Ireland about science.

All the films entered were judged by a celebrity panel across 12 categories. The films had to be short, original, and depict fascinating scientific facts or demonstrations.

Marty Jopson said: “Some of the films this year are entirely crazy, but they make you laugh and they make you think. It’s terrific to see teams of young people, families, teachers, technicians, and professional scientists engaging with science and engineering in this way."