BioQuarter Community Engagement Activities February 2024
Connections with our neighbouring communities are important to organisations and individuals at Edinburgh BioQuarter.
BioQuarter is located in the South of Edinburgh, close to the neighbouring communities of Craigmillar, Niddrie, Moredun and Gilmerton. The aim of our community engagement is for these areas to benefit directly from our location, with access to top researchers, clinicians, students, scientists and entrepreneurs.
SUMMER INTERNSHIP
Watch our video with Kuba Skarzynski, an S5 pupil from Castlebrae Community Campus, who shares his experience of a four-week paid summer internship at the Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR).
Kuba spent time in various labs which provided hands-on experience of DNA separation and PCR, used to produce multiple copies of a gene or DNA.
Edinburgh BioQuarter presents opportunities for young people in our local community to develop employment skills. Each year four-week paid internships are offered to local pupils motivated by science.
ROYAL APPROVAL
During the visit from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, at the opening of the Institute for Regeneration and Repair South building (IRR South); Castlebrae students took the opportunity to show a uniquely designed wooden table that was created and crafted by pupils and takes pride of place in the building’s boardroom.
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh said: “The event highlighted the Institute’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists and its important work with the local community, including a long-standing partnership with Castlebrae Community Campus.”
GRADUATE PROJECT DEVELOPS SCHOOL SCIENCE WORKSHOP
Public outreach and engagement are a significant part of a scientist’s role, and many researchers enjoy hosting activities to share their research and knowledge with students.
Bingjie Sun, a student from China and a recent graduate of the Biological Science (Development and Regeneration of Stem Cells) Programme, worked with the Edinburgh BioQuarter Community Engagement Team to develop an outreach activity for primary pupils in the local community.
We asked to Bingjie share this experience and tells us what inspired her to pursue public engagement and outreach as part of her final year project.
INSPIRING SCHOOL BIOLOGY STUDENTS
Two Professors, Rod Mitchell and Evelyn Telfe, from the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Reproductive Health, ran an interactive outreach session with Higher Biologists at Liberton High School, covering key reproductive health themes such as Future Fertility and Fertility Preservation.
A science talk explored everything from creating eggs in a dish to generating mice with two dads. We wish the students the best of luck with their future studies and STEM learning.
DISCOVER!
Some creative LEGO models about the needs of living creatures were built during the ‘Discover!’ community programme at Gracemount Primary School, led by Kenneth Wong, University of Edinburgh MSc grad in science communication and public engagement, STEM Ambassador and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY facilitator!
SCIENCE BUDDIES
Edinburgh BioQuarter Science Buddies visited Prestonfield Primary School, one of our neighbouring schools, for STEM engagement activities and fun experiments.
The young people enjoyed making – and launching – rockets with bicarbonate soda and vinegar and creating some designs.
And St Francis Primary School pupils enjoyed a BIG challenge with Science Buddies, make Elephants Toothpaste in this fun workshop session.
Read more news from across Edinburgh BioQuarter in BioQuarter Bulletin – February 2024.
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