Talented secondary school pupils from across the North gathered at Robert Gordon University (RGU) last week to compete in the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Schools’ Analyst competition.
RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, partnering with the University of Aberdeen, hosted the competition’s North Scotland heats on Friday 9 March, which was open to all AS level or Higher level chemistry pupils and aimed at encouraging scientific interest among the young.
More than 30 pupils from 10 schools worked hard to solve a number of analytical puzzles, to see who would advance to the national finals later this year.
The International School of Aberdeen won the competition, showing exceptional skills and earning the chance to represent the North of Scotland at the national finals, which will be held at Bangor University this summer.
The runner-up teams were Aboyne Academy and Robert Gordon’s College.
The teams were required to undertake various practical analytical exercises and were judged on their skill, as well as team work, understanding, safety and accuracy within the laboratory.
Dr Graeme Kay, academic strategic lead in chemical sciences at RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, has worked with colleagues to organise the event for a number of years.
He said: “All of us at RGU were delighted to host the North Scotland heats again this year. It was great to see how engaged and interested all of the pupils were about each of the tasks.
“The School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences has long made it a core priority to work with young people across the North and encourage scientific interest, with the hope that the scientists of tomorrow can have a real impact on society.”
“I would like to once again congratulate the International School and wish them the best of luck at the finals later this year. We are sure they will do the North of Scotland proud.”
The RSC, the world’s leading chemistry community, has a proud heritage of investing in educating future generations of scientists for over 175 years. It has been running the Schools’ Analyst competition since 1982.
International School winners – (left to right) Gregor Stolte, Rua Ramli, Scott Degraw