Pockets of Light
STEM Education
STEM provides a mechanism to educate young people about Lighting as a career with practical learning and development of necessary skills. The learning teaches young people about STEM education and is an approach that integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
Kristina Allison, capability lead for environmental and sustainability lighting at WSP, and is the President-Elect of CIBSE Society of Light & Lighting. Kristina has organised a Society of Light & Lighting (SLL) STEM event called ‘Pockets of Light’ in her local village including local secondary schools too. This is a passion project in her own time, designed to teach school pupils some concepts in lighting and lighting design. In November 2023, Kristina approached local schools to see if they would be interested in taking part. This isn’t the first STEM school event Kristina has worked on, and she has been asked to return next year too.
“Sharing knowledge about lighting and lighting design with school age pupils is critical. It can inspire and guide the next stage of their learning journey, whether that is further education or in work life, the engagement can support their critical thinking, team building and creative insight into the world around them.”
Pockets of Light
Over 3 weeks, Kristina has visited 3 local schools to teach groups of GCSE students studying design, technology or art about the importance of lighting. “I start the lesson asking the question - 'do you know what architectural lighting is?' Mostly they don't know the answer, so I re-phrase the question to 'who has heard of architecture?' – many replies are yes, so then I add - so architectural lighting is lighting for architecture!”.
“The lesson included asking the questions 'What is light?', 'When do we need light?', lighting techniques i.e. beam angles, materials and textures, lighting effects, examples of what architectural lighting involves for buildings. And showing examples of previous Pockets of Light events.”
After a lesson in lighting, each student is asked to look at lighting samples and design lighting displays for different façades of a church. A select few winners be chosen from these designs, and at the event the pupils designs will be realised. Kristina has arranged for the event to be sponsored by Warner Brother Studio Tour. The winners from each school will receive tickets to visit the Making of Harry Potter Studio tour.
Lighting The Event
The winning designs will be selected based on three criteria: creative merit, technical, theme and buildability. Kristina has enlisted manufacturers, such as iGuzzini, Architectural FX, TRYKA, Architainment, Urbis, Martin Lighting, Thorlux, GoBo Plus, to provide samples for the lessons. Depending on the winning designs, the chosen lighting manufacturers will be supplying the products to the event. Kristina and volunteers will spend the day setting up these lighting displays and hosting the event.
On the 9th of November 2024, at St Lawrence church, Abbots Langley 18:00-21:00, the church will be lit up with the winning designs and open for viewing, free to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
Everyone is invited to see the result of some young minds’ creativity and the hard work of volunteers and Kristina. This event highlights not only the importance of lighting with architecture, but also the aesthetics, science, and feasibility of lighting that must be considered. It is a great opportunity to show the public and younger generations how amazing the lighting industry is! Hopefully, events like these bring to light (no pun intended!) the wonders of the industry and draw attention to the importance of lighting.
