A RESEARCH project open to schoolchildren was launched by a Harwell company yesterday.

Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility, launched Project M to champion the importance of STEM skills at all levels and strengthen educational activities for students.

The company based at Harwell Campus is looking for 100 schools to take part to help develop an understanding of calcium carbonate.

A spokesman for Diamond said: “Each school will synthesise 10 samples of the compound using specially selected additives with the aim of understanding what effect the additives have on the structure of the compound.

“Once complete, the samples will be sent back for analysis using the laboratory Beamline I11 at Diamond.

“The aim is to then analyse all 1000 samples in a 24 hour period.”

The project is aimed at KS5 classes (A-level), or STEM clubs in KS4 (years 10-12), and registration is open until Wednesday, December 21.

The experiment will requires two 45-minute sessions, one week apart and Diamond will send out a kit containing everything that the students need.

Schools are invited to register at: diamond.ac.uk/ProjectM