It was a great honor to run an interactive workshop for the Women@Work Wick STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) event. The Women@Work project provides information, learning and support for women as part of a wider network across the Scottish Highlands. The aim of the event was to provide a variety of role models and information for women to access STEM education and employment. For the 82 people that attended, including 52 pupils from Thurso, Wick and Golspie High Schools, my aims were to get everyone involved in a ‘hands on’ workshop entitled ‘investigating the minutiae of life’. It was a busy day for me and Barbara Bremner, Outreach Coordinator at the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) based in Thurso. A lot of organisation and
effort went into the workshop. We took along microscopes, mosses and plenty of microbes to show how different organisms can be used as indicators in our environment.
There were 2 workshops, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I began with a short introductory talk about my role as TCV Natural Talent Apprentice in Soil Ecology based at ERI. Some of the pupils were interested to hear more about the apprenticeship scheme. After this, I had the more difficult task of trying to put the workshop in the context of the wider environment. I went from talking about the vast Flow Country peatlands to explaining how microorganisms could be used as indicators of environmental conditions. The participants were provided with two samples, one from an area of open blanket bog and another from an area of plantation forestry. Using a worksheet the task was to identify which sample was from which habitat. The workshop was a success as both groups came to the right answer.
In between the two workshops I had the opportunity to be part of the audience and listen to some truly inspirational guest speakers including: Dyan Foss Deputy Managing Director at Dounreay, Alison McLure National Officer (Scotland) Institute of Physics and Dr Elizabeth Masden from the Environmental Research Institute. It was a real eye opener to listen to the career paths of these influential women and hear how they got to be where they are today. The marketplace stalls were bustling with people of all ages and were a great opportunity to network with others. Overall, it was a really positive and rewarding day.
All photographs are courtesy of Women@Work.