Former SpaceX Director Catriona Chambers returns home to Inverness to inspire young girls about science
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Female secondary school pupils in the Highlands are being given an exclusive opportunity by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to quiz a former SpaceX director and an Oxford University professor about careers in science and technology.
Those attending “Girls do Science”, a mini-STEM festival taking place on Friday 3 and Saturday February 4 at SDS’s Digital Studio in Inverness, will also learn about engineering skills through building a giant spaghetti tower; crime scene forensics, 3D printing and seafood biodiversity.
The first keynote speech will be given by Professor Dame Fiona Powrie, who heads up the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at Oxford, who will talk about careers and skills relating to immunology, an area of science which is now starkly in focus because of the pandemic.
The second keynote address will be made by former SpaceX director Catriona Chambers, who is from Inverness originally, and spent 16 years working in the US on Elon Musk’s world-famous rocket project.
She will talk about her career journey to date as well as giving pupils unrivalled insight into the opportunities offered in the growing Scottish space sector for young women.
Anthony Standing, head of operations for SDS north region, said: “We are so excited and honoured to have these guest speakers agree to join us in our event designed to inspire our future female innovators.
“This is a great chance to hear about the exciting careers available in science, technology and engineering, and to hear about them directly from women who have valuable real-world experience in these sectors.”
The event is free to attend. Book a place through the Eventbrite ticket website by searching ‘Girls do Science’ or by getting in touch with studioinv@sds.co.uk
