16 June 2009

Big year for computer film-makers

*** Photo opportunity - School of Computing, Queen Mother Building (Balfour Street) between 1200 and 1230 to meet the teams and at 1255 for the prizegiving by Mary, Dowager Countess of Strathmore. ***

School pupils from across Tayside and Fife are today [Tuesday 16th June 2009] testing out their film-making skills in the Strathmore Trophy competition at the University of Dundee’s School of Computing. Pupils have just two hours to try out new miniature digital cameras, shoot and edit a 90-second film to answer the question 'What does a computer scientist actually do to help people?'

20 secondary schools teams from across Tayside are taking part in the competition, the biggest entry ever to the competition, which is now in its fourteenth year.

The teams are hoping to collect the Strathmore Trophy, a cheque for £75 - and one of the digital cameras they are using to make their winning film! Mary, Dowager Countess of Strathmore, has donated the magnificent trophy for the competition and will present it to the winners.

Lecturer Iain Murray, one of the competition organisers, said 'Computers are now making all sorts of technology cheaper and easier to use, and the digital movie cameras we were using today cost well under £100 and are simple to use, so they’re great for this sort of event'.

The Countess of Strathmore is due to retire later in the year, so this is the last time that she will be directly involved in the competition. Staff of the School of Computing are holding a farewell lunch for her after the close of the competition.

The Strathmore Trophy competition is held annually by the School of Computing to get local school pupils thinking about applications of computer technology to help people.

For further information, please contact:
Louisa Cross, School of Computing, University of Dundee.
(01382) 384151 Fax: (01382) 385509
e-mail: lcross@computing.dundee.ac.uk.

Iain Murray, School of Computing, University of Dundee.
(01382) 384155 Fax: (01382) 385509
e-mail: irmurray@computing.dundee.ac.uk.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk