Students and Flamingos

Newcastle Sixth Form College student is named top scientist

19 March

Emily was awarded the prestigious title by renowned scientist Brian Cox after two days of gruelling judging and interviews, which pitted her against some of the UK’s brightest and best young people.

Emily, from Gateshead, wowed the celebrity judging panel with an in-depth research project she carried out on a captive flock of Chilean flamingos at Washington Wetland Centre.

She spent weeks working with the endangered species in an effort to discover why they stopped breeding seven years ago. Emily spoke to a number of experts in the field to try to find out if it had happened before and if anything could be done to reinstate their mating habits. She monitored the flock, their living conditions and courtship and discovered not only that there was a correlation between temperature and breeding, but that their breeding habits changed when there was an increased seagull population in the area.

Emily, who hopes to go on to study zoology at university, said: “I’m ecstatic to have won. I’ve loved science since I was little and even filmed homemade nature documentaries in my garden.

“Science is such a male dominated field and I’m delighted to be an ambassador for girls who want to break into the industry.”

Emily carried out the flamingo research project during her Nuffield Research Placement Programme, which is co-ordinated by Newcastle Sixth FormCollege’s STEM Outreach programme. It offers around 1,000 funded student summer placements across the north east at a range of businesses, research institutes and universities.

It gives budding young scientists the opportunity to explore their chosen field of science, technology, engineering or maths and pays them £80 a week to help fund transport and other costs.

It is not the first time Emily has been honoured for her talents in science. Last year she was a gold winner in Environmental Science at the UK World Skills Competition, along with her fellow student Matthew Otubu.

Steve Gibson, Newcastle Sixth Form College Principal, is extremely proud of Emily’s achievements.

He said: “Emily is an extremely hardworking, committed student, whose love of science and nature is evident in her tenacity and enthusiasm for whatever project she is working on.

“She has an impressive knowledge of environmental science and enhances the learning of others by sharing her knowledge in class. I believe she will go on and make a positive change in the conservation world. She has a great future ahead of her.”

Owen Joiner, Aviculture and Captive Animal Manager at Washington Wetlands Centre, said: “Emily’s a prime example of a girl who came for some brief work experience, followed with volunteer work and then grabbed this research project and ran with it. We were extremely impressed by her commitment and enthusiasm.

“We are delighted that she won UK Young Scientist of the Year. She thoroughly deserves it.”