Community science engagement

Castlebrae Community High School Mentors

Our mentoring project sees PhD students and postdoctoral scientists mentor Castlebrae Community High School senior pupils in science, technology and mathematics subjects. The project was the brainchild of Sabrine Gogolok, a past post-doctoral scientist at CRM.

Video: Sabine Gogolok and Cathy Southworth discuss the Castlebrae High School pupil mentoring project.

School Pupil Laboratory Internship

In June 2016, at the end of a visit by pupils from our neighbouring school Kelsey Wallace plucked up the courage to ask if we had any vacancies for work during the summer. Encouraged by her drive and enthusiasm the spark was lit for the beginnings of an internship programme, now offered annually by the Centre for Regenerative Medicine to a pupil from Castlebrae Community High School.

I never really liked biology until I came here. School science is so different to science at the centre; it’s more interesting and feels more relevant and real to that which we do in school. It’s made me feel more confident about what I want to do when I leave school. I’ve not decided yet but I have ideas of biochemical science or nursing, so the work here was very relevant. I told my classmates about the work and they all felt it was inspirational. It’s made biology easier for me, I understand it now, especially the cell work as at the centre it was so much more advanced. When I first came to the centre I felt awkward, I didn’t know what to do with myself, now I know what I’m doing, I know exactly what to do and when to do it, I feel more natural. I feel like I could go to another science building and get into it, feeling more confident.

Kelsey Wallace

Community Science Festival

The Craigmillar Community Science Festival is held on the last Friday in March in the run up to the Edinburgh International Science Festival. Held in partnership with The Community Alliance Trust at The White House Kitchen Community Cafe, the festival sees young people in the community demonstrating science to Festival-goers alongside scientists from the Institute and elsewhere at The University of Edinburgh.

The White House Holiday Science Club

2019 saw the first Holiday Science Club developed to support our local Castleview Primary Schools in support of the Rolls Royce Science Award Competition Entry. This was run in partnership with The Community Alliance Trust at The White House Kitchen Community Cafe. The two day club was open to 8-12 year olds and their parent/carers from the wider Craigmillar community.