Women in STEM Stories

West College Scotland Clydebank graduate Dr Samantha Le Sommer has been setting a fantastic example to her peers by not only contributing to ground breaking research into autoimmune disease, Lupus but most recently helping support the COVID response in her now local area of Utica, upstate New York.

Ella Thomson (19) from Orkney, originally planned to go to university before she applied to Petrofac to become a Modern Apprentice Instrument and Control Technician.

St Peter the Apostle High School pupil, Joanne Durnan started her College experience on the National 5 Engineering Skills for Work course in S4 as part of our Senior Phase Schools Programme in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council.

Former Science student Courtney Gordon says Forth Valley College never gave up on her when she had just about given up on herself – so now she is delighted to help inspire primary school pupils to enjoy STEM subjects.

Former Grangemouth High School pupil Emma Dawson (18) believes that completing a Foundation Apprenticeship in Scientific Technologies, has been one of the best things she has ever done.

Ana Mendoza Cruz (40) from Linlithgow, completed the Preparation for Laboratory Technician Work at Forth Valley College and is now studying for her HNC Biological Science.

The Finnart Street campus Science team had no hesitation nominating 20 year old Beth who has demonstrated an exceptional level of achievement during her time at the College.

21-year-old, Aimee Cooke from Greenock has excelled in her apprenticeship with Diodes Incorporated, now graduating this summer with her HNC Engineering Systems. With EQUATE Scotland estimating that only 25% of employees within the STEM sector are women, Engineering could have been a challenging career choice for Aimee.