Science Insights

July 2017: IGMM welcomes local high-school students for the Science Insights work experience programme.

The University’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine welcomed 38 pupils from 26 local high schools to its week-long Science Insights work experience programme. The pupils, about to start their final year at high schools in Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, Fife and Scottish Borders, spent five busy days finding out about careers in science, medicine and veterinary medicine as part of a packed programme of workshops, tours and “research taster sessions”.

Science Insights is an annual programme that was launched in 2014 by the MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine and The Roslin Institute. This placement programme aims to provide invaluable insights into the work and life of research scientists. Since 2016, it has involved all five research institutes within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, with pupil undertaking activities at four different University of Edinburgh campuses.

Pupils shadowed researchers in their workplaces and running wet and dry experiments and took part in tours of a range of specialist research facilities. These S5 pupils also met a variety of University of Edinburgh staff and students and discussed topics, including research ethics, the use of animals in research and careers in science. The University’s Widening Participation team also ran a skills session to help pupils with future university and job applications.