We are thrilled to announce that a team from St Margaret's School for Girls has emerged as the overall winner of STEM in the Pipeline – Energising the Transition 2024, a flagship event in TechFest’s annual programme.
This prestigious competition challenges S6 pupils to work collaboratively on a realistic project set within the energy industry. Designed to inspire and develop a passion for STEM subjects, the competition also helps students enhance their transferable skills such as communication, teamwork and project management.
Reflecting the local economy's long history with the oil and gas industry, the project provided an invaluable opportunity for pupils to explore the contributions of this sector to the region. At the same time, the St Margaret's team demonstrated an acute awareness of the pressing need to transition towards a more sustainable and green future.
The project involved creating and designing a Field Development Plan (FDP) for the STEM Oil Field. Sustainability was central to the project, and the fictitious company, QIS Energy, created by the team, emphasised its commitment to achieving Net Zero by prioritising sustainable practices across its operations. The team stated that QIS Energy was dedicated to incorporating carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies and adhering to circular economy principles for material procurement and waste management. Additionally, the company committed to decarbonising transportation by exploring the use of low-carbon fuels for the supply of oil and gas to the economy.
Following an introduction day participating teams were equipped with all the necessary tools and information to get their project underway. Over several weeks, the teams conducted independent research, working through a challenging Task Book with guidance from industry mentors. St Margaret’s pupils benefited from the insights and advice provided by their mentors from Harbour Energy.
The competition culminated in a day of presentations, where the 15 teams presented their completed projects to a panel of assessors. The St Margaret’s team impressed the judges securing the top prize.
Head teacher, Miss Tomlinson, was delighted with the pupils’ performance commenting “Women make up only 29% of the STEM workforce in the UK so it is fantastic to see our all-female team from St Margaret's win this challenging competition”.
Congratulations to our winning team for their exceptional achievement! We are incredibly proud of their hard work, creativity, and dedication. This achievement underscores the strength of STEM education at St Margaret’s.