In August, FSC tutor Christina Sinclair mentored two students from London universities for a three-week virtual placement which is able to take place due to the Sheina Marshall Fund.
Sheina Marshall was a famous Marine Biologist who spent her life working at the University Marine Biology Station (now FSC Millport) researching plankton. During the second world war she organised the mass collection of seaweed for the war effort, involving school children and boy scouts, due to its value in developing medicines. She also became one of the first women to be elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. After she passed in 1977 her sister Dorothy Marshall set up the fund in her name to help young scientists develop and progress in their skills.
Part of the placement required the students to complete a project with a report or poster to present at the end. Deniz Turkoglu, who studying at the Queen Mary University of London, wrote a report on ‘Connecting with nature post covid-19’. You can read it here.
Miles Smith, who is studying at the Royal Veterinary College, produced this poster on how ‘How are sea surface temperatures affecting populations of wetland birds on Millport?’. You can read it here.
“It was a brilliant experience working with these students over the course of their placement. As a result of Covid-19 they were no longer able to join us in person at the centre but they didn’t let that stop them and I was so impressed by their hard work, attitude and positivity. Seeing their progress over the weeks was fantastic and they deserve a massive congratulations for their achievements! I hope to meet them in person one day soon!”
Christina Sinclair, FSC Tutor at FSC Millport