Monday 20th August 2018, 4:00pm
Midlothian Council representatives visited The Roslin Institute to see how research and public outreach can benefit the region and local communities.
On 16 August representatives of Midlothian Council visited The Roslin Institute. They heard about research, partnerships with Industry and the Institute's initiatives to support the local community.
The Institute's public engagement activities and initiatives to support young people, as well as "Centres of Excellence and STEM" in the region were some of the topics discussed with Grace Vickers (Chief Executive of Midlothian Council), Ian Johnson (Head of Communities and Economy) and Maria Lloyd (Acting Head of Education) and Mary Smith (Director of Education, Communities and Economy).
After a tour of the Institute, the visitors undertook a tour of the Easter Bush Science Outreach Centre (EBSOC) a teaching laboratory built to deliver interactive scientific workshops for school pupils from age 10 to 18 and for local communities. During school workshops, pupils get hands-on experience of real scientific experiments, embedding their understanding of topics linked to the school curriculum and raising their aspirations for pursuing a career in science.
This summer, EBSOC hosted lab skills sessions for local high school pupils who were at the Institute for 4-week Nuffield Research Placements, as part of the University of Edinburgh's Widening Participation programme and the Science Insights programme. In October, EBSOC will be coordinating the Midlothian Science Festival Schools Programme, providing workshops and talks for primary and high schools across Midlothian.
Visitors from Midlothian Council also heard about the Roslin Innovation Centre, which provides laboratory and office space for animal and veterinary science companies, and met the Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
"We are delighted to welcome representatives from Midlothian Council to The Roslin Institute. The research conducted here not only helps farmers in the region and beyond to improve agricultural productivity and the welfare of farmed animals but also acts as a magnet for attracting agri-tech businesses and growing the Midlothian Science Zone. Our Science Outreach Centre plays an important role in raising the aspirations of local school students and introducing them to the possibility of a career in science and technology."
Professor Eleanor Riley, Director, The Roslin Institute"This visit was a wonderful opportunity to discuss initiatives on the Easter Bush Campus that support young people. We have Silver Investors in Young People Silver accreditation, and remain committed to providing opportunities to develop the young workforce in Scotland through apprenticeships, career ready internships and other work experience initiatives for young people."
Mrs Val Hughes-White, Campus Operating OfficerSource: The Roslin Institute
Roslin Innovation Centre
The University of Edinburgh
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian EH25 9RG
