Kilmarnock Academy pupils visited SAC’s Ayr campus at the end of March. Biology teachers, Heather Christie and Helen Rintoul, both former Applied Bioscience graduates from SAC Ayr, took a party of their Higher level Biology pupils back to SAC for a taste of the experiences they had enjoyed as students.

Kilmarnock Academy pupils (Brogan McAdam and Ashleigh Lindsay) culturing yeast

The 28 pupils explored the power of living cells in a practical laboratory workshop investigating the biotransformations involved in the production of beer and bioethanol. They also considered evidence concerning the health effects of fat consumption and found out about SAC research into how the feeding of dairy cows affects milk fat composition, and how this might be used to produce a ’healthier’ milk.

Even as an undergraduate student, Heather had been interested in a teaching career, and had been a group leader for school pupils attending an Easter Science school at the Ayr campus, which involved a day of interactive workshops designed to encourage more pupils to choose science subjects for their Highers.

Before departing, the Kilmarnock Academy pupils were given information on the wide range of courses and careers in the biological sciences. Perhaps one day some of the pupils may in turn become Biology teachers!

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