Semefab Dr John Bruce Memorial Awards 2021

24 Jun 2021

Semefab Dr John Bruce Memorial Awards 2021

Semefab awarded its 2021 'Dr John Bruce Memorial Awards' last week to twelve youngsters from Glenrothes, Auchmuty and Glenwood High Schools, all in Glenrothes. Each school selected a winner – based on grades and achievements in STEM subjects – from S4 and S6, and a runner up for each of the years. 

The awards were introduced in honour of the firm’s late director, Dr John Bruce, himself a lover of STEM subjects. As well as marking his memory, the awards aim to promote STEM subjects and related careers, and spark an interest in those in youngsters. George Smith, the company’s production manager, said: “It’s a big thing for the company.

“The staff love seeing the awards go out to the students and Alison, John’s wife, enjoys seeing the pictures of them with their awards. “It’s a great way to remember John and to promote STEM subjects – some of our staff are STEM ambassadors and involved in promoting science, not just Semefab, so it’s something that’s important to us as a company.” The firm also welcomes school tours into their factory and carries out school visits, in a bid to promote STEM subjects, and engineering and manufacturing trades.

GLENROTHES HIGH SCHOOL


Pupils Callum Clark, Rachel Lee, Dakota McGregor and
Erin Wardrope, from Glenrothes High School.


Glenrothes High School pupil Rachel Lee with her award.

Rachel, from Rimbleton, in Glenrothes, said: “I was excited when I found out I’d won. I didn’t know anything about it before so it was a great surprise.

“I’ve had awards in school for some of my Highers and doing well in exams – none of them had money so that was a nice surprise.”

Rachel studied four Advanced Highers this year – maths, chemistry, physics and biology – and she will attend the University of Glasgow, from September, studying mechanical engineering with aeronautics.

She said: “I’ve always preferred maths and physics and my brother does engineering and speaking to him I thought ‘I’d like to do that’.”

AUCHMUTY HIGH SCHOOL
At Auchmuty High School the S6 winner was Callan Black, with Ciara McCulloch as runner up, and the S4 winner was Craig McGowan, with Maria Dastgir as runner up.

Ciara, who has just finished S6, was given the runner up prize in her school after excelling in her STEM subjects.


Auchmuty High School pupils Maria Dastgir, Ciara McCulloch, Craig McGowan
and Callan Black with their awards.


Auchmuty High School pupil, Ciara McCulloch.

The 18-year-old, from Pitteuchar, in Glenrothes, studied Advanced Higher maths and biology this year, and a crash Higher in chemistry.

She said: “I’m delighted. I’ve worked hard throughout the year and you only find out the week before you get it so it makes it all feel worthwhile."

Ciara also said: “Bio medical engineers are the people who do the machinery in medicine, they make things like the MRI scanning machines. They’ve been doing a lot of studies into growing limbs at the moment – ears – that’s what I’m interested in. I’d like to do research related to that and help develop medicine.”

Ciara will also take up a student summer job at Semefab, where she will experience various roles within the company.

GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Winner of the S6 prize at Glenwood High School was gifted to Georrel Keith and Daniel Mills won the S4 award.

Runners up for each years are still to be decided by the school.

Pictures and text courtesy of The Courier, DC Thomson Media

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/schools-family/2317345/awards-given-to-fife-pupils-who-are-excelling-in-stem-subjects-from-local-tech-firm/