Darlington students build weather stations as part of sustainable engineering project

SIXTH form college students from Darlington have been building their own weather stations as part of a sustainable engineering project.

The Future Engineer students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College have teamed up with the University of Sunderland for the project which was funded with a grant from the Royal Society to promote STEM subjects. 

The students have attended workshops at the University of Sunderland to learn more about engineering careers and to build and code their own weather stations with a humidity and temperature sensor.

Using these, and more complex stations which have been purchased, the students have been collecting weather data around the College site since January.

The students recently visited the University of Sunderland again to take part in a workshop on how to analyse data from a professional data analyst.

They have subsequently been researching sustainable buildings worldwide, and are now analysing their data to determine renewable energy sources for the College.

This project has allowed students to look at all branches of engineering, from electronic and electrical, to civil engineering.

Emma Hurry, HE Coach and Work Experience Co-ordinator Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, said: “We are always looking for new and innovative projects for our students to take part in while they are studying with us.

“This has been a fantastic initiative which has really allowed our students to flourish.

“The skills they have developed will not only help them with future applications to university or apprenticeships, but will also be beneficial after they graduate and help them to showcase engineering competency requirements.”