Forensic Investigation deliver science workshops to help inspire young people
Forensic Investigation students had the chance to showcase their knowledge at a STEM workshop in Glasgow, aimed at teaching young people about science subjects.
Abbie Connolly and Rachel Earlie were given the opportunity to take part in the STEM Summer Project, which led to them hosting a workshop as part of the North Glasgow Community Food Initiative’s Community Garden in Milton.
The North Glasgow Community Food Initiative is a non-profit organisation which encourages and supports sustainable food habits within the communities of the North of Glasgow. The organisation has different hubs around Glasgow, where families and residents can engage with community events and workshops around healthy food.
Abbie and Rachel had the opportunity to operate their own STEM stall at the Milton Food Hub, where they delivered workshops developed alongside the Milton’s Young Planters Group. Abbie Connolly decided to get involved in the hope to introduce young people into the world of science. She said: “This project involved designing an experiment to try and engage more people into STEM subjects, such as forensics.
We had to use a range of skills such as problem solving and team work to plan this out and put it into practice. The audience we had was primary school children and it was really rewarding seeing how involved they were getting with the experiment - especially the elephant toothpaste experiment!
I chose to get involved because I feel growing up there wasn’t much talk about STEM subjects in my school and it’s important for everyone to know about the opportunities that are out there.”
Abbie found the whole experience to be worthwhile and encourages other students to engage with extra-curricular events. She said: “I enjoyed how involved the kids were and the good feedback we received from them. They really loved guessing all the elements on the periodic table which was so good to see them so engaged!
I think it’s important to get involved in events like this to build on your own employability skills, such as teamwork and planning. It also shows employers that you can manage studying and extra-curricular events well.”
Find out more about the North Glasgow Community Food Initiative on their website
By Rachael McAlonan
Got a SCEBE or GSBS story? Email me at Rachael.McAlonan@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on social media