A collaboration between Lincoln University and the Johnson & Mukherjee Brothers Charitable Trust saw over 180 year 5 pupils from 16 primary schools across Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire take part in a special event at the end of March 2018 to commemorate the life of Professor Arthur Ridings, a key figure in local education and former Chairman of the Trust.

The event gave children an exciting opportunity to experience hands-on science using robotics and artificial intelligence as its theme with the aim of inspiring them. Led by Dr Paul Baxter, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and his team, the children took their first steps at programming a robot and learning how robotics and artificial intelligence will feature in their lives in the future.

The outcome of the event is a science design project for the children and staff to take back to their schools and to work on with other children and their local communities over the spring and summer. All children and staff will then return to the University in the autumn for a graduation event at which they will showcase their projects. At this event certificates acknowledging the efforts and work of every pupil involved will be presented by Mrs Alex Ridings wife of the late Professor Ridings.

Professor Arthur Ridings was a key figure in the initial stages of the creation of the University of Lincoln. He led the marketing initiative which culminated in the visit of Her Majesty the Queen who officially opened the new university. Professor Ridings made the address to the Queen, on behalf of the university, at that event.

A physics teacher by training, Arthur Ridings came to Lincoln as the newly appointed Principal of the Lincoln Technical College. He later became Director of Education for Lincolnshire before taking up his involvement in the development of this important addition to Lincolnshire life. His energy and love for education also led him to becoming Chairman of the Johnson and Mukherjee Brothers Charitable Trust which supports primary schools in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.