STEM event draws the crowds to Moray College UHI

A showcase that highlights the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) was held at the Alexander Graham Bell Centre in Moray College UHI.

Teachers from all sectors attended to celebrate examples of STEM work in Moray, and to engage with partners that support young people in Moray in these subjects.

STEM Moray is a partnership between Moray Council, Moray College UHI, DYW Moray, Skills Development Scotland and RAF Lossiemouth.

Organised by Janey Irving, Moray's RAiSE officer funded through a collaboration with the Wood Foundation/Education Scotland and Moray Council, the event heard of success stories from delegates.

Tilly Letch from Lossiemouth High School - one of Moray’s Year of Young People ambassadors – opened the event.

Erin Callan from Diageo delivered a presentation about the importance of STEM in Moray’s local economy.

Pupils from the Keith Grammar school’s impROVise STEM club shared their experiences with their MATE STEM challenge, and demonstrated their remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

Pupils from Hythehill Primary gave a talk about their taking part in the Young Engineers’ competition, and students from Aberlour Primary and Keith Grammar schools shared their experience of the their engineer projects.

Jennifer Walker from Milne’s High School and winner of the National Career Ready STEM award inspired everyone with a talk about her journey through the career ready programme, and her experiences as an intern with Chivas.

Thanks to her experience with Chivas she will shortly be starting at Heriot-Watt University in September to study brewing & distilling.

Attendees took advantage of the impromptu ‘marketplace’ populated with 28 stands from STEM partners, such as Aberdeen Science Centre, Royal Academy of Engineering, RAF Lossiemouth, Whale & Dolphin Centre, Moray College STEM Departments, Keep Scotland Beautiful, SDS and The T-Exchange (a local makerspace in Moray) mixed with inspiration STEM Showcases from Garmouth & Kingston Playgroup, Kinloss Primary School, Lossiemouth ASG, St Sylvester’s Primary School and Keith Grammar School.

The event concluded with the formal launch of the STEM Moray Partnership; putting the National STEM Education & Training Strategy into a Moray context.

Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live. Nestling between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Moray stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Brodie Castle in the west.