Over 600 school children aged 11 to 18 years old from 9 council areas in Scotland attended the ‘Your Plant-Your Future’ event at Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh on 5th March 2024. The aim of the event was to engage young people, raise awareness of the many environmental issues facing Scotland today, and inspire them to consider a future in a STEM related career- in an attempt to address the skills gap that currently exists. Pupils explored the amazing opportunities that can be unlocked through STEM pathways at school and beyond.
In this blog, hear more about the event which bought together >20 partners across research, industry, further and higher education to showcase exhibits and inspire the next generation of scientists through enthusiastic discussion and interactive displays.
Sowing Seeds for the Next generation Careers for People and the Environment
The James Hutton Institute was represented by the Hydro Nation International Centre, the Centre of Expertise for Waters and us (HNIC/CREW/SEFARI Gateway) under the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience Environment and Society (SAGES) umbrella and we highlighted the importance of water as a limited resource through a exhibits and a quiz.
Posters were displayed, on the hydrological cycle and how different sectors such as agriculture, industry and society impact on water quantity and quality. There was a particular emphasis on the changing demand on water as a consequence of climate change.
Image: Four Water Posters. Find out more at: Water Words | SEFARI
The day was a great success with over 100 pupils engaging with the stall, some were attracted by the quiz prizes(!) but a surprisingly large number of pupils were genuinely interested and keen to simply engage.