BioQuarter Community Engagement Activities June 2023
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.
In June, community engagement and activities with neighbouring schools celebrated Biomedical Sciences Day and we also recognised ‘future scientists’ at the Castlebrae Community Campus Awards.
INSPIRING YOUNG SCIENTISTS
On Edinburgh BioQuarter we are passionate about helping our local young people receive a world-class STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education.
Biomedical Sciences Day is an annual awareness day on 8th June, organised by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), that promotes biomedical science and celebrates the hard work and achievements of the profession which is “at the heart of healthcare”.
A team from IBMS Lothian and Borders Branch, led by Isla Able, alongside Claire Cameron and Tiffany Pietrek, together with volunteers who work in NHS labs, prepared some STEM activities to share the wonders of biomedical science with pupils at our neighbouring community schools.
Jobs and careers in biomedical science were talked about with students at Castlebrae Community Campus, followed by some hands on activities such as blood grouping, urinalysis and a microbiology masterclass.
At Niddrie Mill Primary School, P3b pupils learned what a biomedical scientist is and drew their version. They then had great fun creating bugs, plating fake poo and checking what was under the microscope.
The hardest task for the STEM team was the judging of the fantastic drawings from participating schools in the ‘Draw what you think a Biomedical Scientist looks like’ competition!
CASTLEBRAE COMMUNITY CAMPUS AWARDS
Edinburgh BioQuarter is very excited to be supporting two awards at the local Castlebrae Community Campus this year.
The Future Scientist Awards are presented to three junior students who have shown a passion for STEM and are the ‘ones to watch’ for future innovations and discoveries.
The BioQuarter Senior Dux Award will celebrate the top senior STEM student who has excelled in their studies and shown a true dedication to their academic endeavours.
The awards were announced and presented by Connie Aitkin, Edinburgh BioQuarter Programme Team, and Dom Cairns-Gibson, Education and Engagement Development Officer (Castlebrae Community Campus and Edinburgh BioQuarter).
Read more news from across Edinburgh BioQuarter in the BioQuarter Bulletin – June 2023 issue.
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