This year’s CREST Scottish regional final took place at the end of April and was hosted by the University of Dundee. There were over thirty bronze, silver and gold level projects divided into three different categories: AstraZeneca Life Sciences, Environmental and Open. Projects ranged from an analysis of fruit extraction in apples and how fishy prawn crackers really are to an investigation into memory and old age.
The judges also awarded the Bill Bryce Memorial Trophy, which was presented in memory of the late Dr Bill Bryce who was a great supporter of CREST in Scotland. This award was established to recognise the project that best represents the spirit of CREST. Creativity, enthusiasm, communication skills and student initiative are some of the criteria that make a good CREST project and looking at the standard of this year’s entries the judges had a very hard time picking the winner for this trophy.
The event was a success and students from all over Scotland had the chance to have their hard work recognised. The award ceremony itself was preceded by a very interesting presentation by Professor Sue Black from the department of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Dundee. She discussed her work with the students and there is no doubt that she inspired at least some of them to consider a career in science.