A dedicated group of six S4 pupils from James Gillespie’s High School are racing their way into the national final of the global STEM Racing Challenge.
STEM Racing is a worldwide competition that inspires young people aged 9–19 to design, build, test, and race miniature cars, putting them on the fast track to STEM success.
The team, Cirrus Racing, formed in 2024, comprises of Olly Montgomery (15), Calvin Martin (15), Erin Booth (16), Archer Chen (15), Calum Wignall (15), and Seamus Eglinton (15). Last year, they placed second in Scotland, outpacing hundreds of pupils from across the country.
The national finals will take place from 24th–26th March at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, where over 100 teams will compete to become UK champions.
Participants are assessed on design, speed, pit displays, verbal presentation, project management, and brand identity, culminating in the thrilling race of their expertly engineered cars down a 20-metre track. Students also gain invaluable opportunities to engage with industry professionals.
Each team needs to raise over £2,000 to fund their route to the final and Cirrus Racing have already secured fantastic support from large technical firm NXP ( https://www.nxp.com ), local design consultancy business GoMerry Studio (https://www.gomerry.co.uk ), local architecture firm Jefcoate Anderson (https://jefcoate-anderson.com ) and neighbourhood restaurant and bar McLarens on the Corner (https://mclarensonthecorner.co.uk ).
As Cirrus Racing heads towards the national finals, the team is actively encouraging businesses and individuals to become part of their exciting journey.
Those interested in sponsoring or collaborating are invited to get in touch directly and help support Edinburgh’s next generation of STEM talent.
More than 40 firms across Scotland are in the running to secure a prestigious VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Award.
A record number of entrants for the 2022 awards have been narrowed down to 45 finalists – from across a range of industries including food and drink, construction and life sciences. They will all be considered for one or more categories ahead of the award ceremony later this year.
Scotland is famous for its culture of innovation, making it ideally positioned to play a leading role in the journey to a more sustainable, low carbon future.
The VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards are a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot.
Since 1999, the VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards has recognised more than 270 businesses that have championed sustainability by identifying ways to tackle the impact on the planet by reducing consumption of its resources.
From increasing recycling and facilitating active travel to reducing consumption of raw materials by adopting a more circular approach, the dedication and drive of companies in Scotland at the forefront of tackling environmental change has been recognised by the VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.
Gillian Bruce, chair of VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards, said: “Every year, the VIBES Awards highlight the progress made across Scotland to help move towards net zero.
“We see more and more firms and organisations who recognise environmental innovation and best practice can also bring economic benefits and it is always inspiring to hear entrants tell us about their work.
“Scotland is a leader in climate change action and every business can play a part in leading Scotland to Net Zero. We hope the finalists will encourage others to improve their environmental practices and help to safeguard Scotland for future generations.”
Environment Minister, Mairi McAllan, said: “Businesses have a huge role to play in protecting our environment and tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss and I would like to congratulate all those that have been shortlisted.
“The VIBES awards are a great opportunity to recognise businesses that are showing leadership in making their operations more sustainable as part of Scotland’s journey to net zero.”
Around three quarters of this year’s applicants have entered VIBES for the first time. Two of the 12 categories – Nature Rich Scotland and Energy Transition Scotland – are new awards.
In the next stage, judges will interview each finalist or take part in a site visit, where finalists will be able to demonstrate their work. This will be fed back to the head judging panel, who will select the 2022 winners.
