Motherwell and Wishaw MSP Clare Adamson is urging young people to go for a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Ms Adamson’s push for science came as she spoke of her honour at receiving the 2024 SSERC Honorary Fellowship Award.
SSERC is a not-for-profit company and registered charity which provides support for STEM education across all 32 Scottish education authorities.
According to SSERC, the honorary fellowship is a prestigious award given to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to STEM learning and training in Scotland throughout their careers and demonstrate the values associated with the organisation.
SSERC offers a wide range of STEM engagement and enrichment programmes to further increase access to, and participation in STEM, well beyond the classroom setting.
SSERC’s STEM engagement portfolio offers individual educators and their institutions, young people and partners in industry to collaborate to create learning activities and opportunities in STEM for children, young people and adults in Scotland.
This week, at SSERC’s Research Placements Celebration Event which took place at Glasgow University’s Advanced Research Centre, Ms Adamson was presented with an honorary fellowship award.
SSERC’s research placements enable students to deepen their understanding of STEM and STEM- related subjects, skills, and research in conjunction with universities and companies including Babcock International and Ocean Winds.
Ms Adamson said: “This news came as a wonderful surprise and a profound honour. I am deeply passionate about STEM learning.
“At every turn, I want to encourage young people to get involved in science careers because these are not the careers of the future; they are the present. The rapid developments in science and technology require Scotland to keep pace.
“We know the challenges we are facing. We need more diversity in the sector. We particularly need more women in science. We need all of the incredible potential of Scotland’s young people to contribute to the next generation of innovation.
“We face existential crises as a species and science will be the fulcrum to addressing those challenges.
“I have worked with SSERC for many years and I have seen first-hand the incredible impact of their work. It is a privilege and a necessity to champion science and innovation.
“I was delighted to present research placement pupils with their certificates and I hope that any young person reading this will consider the wealth of opportunities that exist in STEM careers.”
Alastair MacGregor, chief executive officer of SSERC, added: “The Board of Directors and Trustees of SSERC were pleased to bestow upon Clare Adamson, MSP, the 2024 SSERC Honorary Fellowship Award.
“This prestigious accolade acknowledges Clare’s dedicated support to the SSERC board during her tenure as vice-chair from 2015 to 2023, her unwavering advocacy for the organisation, and her consistent promotion of the significance of STEM education within the 3-18 curriculum and beyond.”
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