A decade of STEM innovation at Glasgow Caledonian

More than 500 school pupils from across central Scotland took part in a dynamic day of discovery and innovation at Glasgow Caledonian today (June 13), marking ten years of partnership between the University and the national charity SmartSTEMs.

The event, supported by the University’s School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, brought together pupils aged 10–14 for a full-day programme designed to break down barriers to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) education. Pupils engaged in hands-on workshops, keynote talks and interactive exhibitions − culminating in a prize ceremony celebrating creativity and curiosity.

Dr Salma Mohamed and Dr Yan Zhang played key roles in coordinating the event, working closely with the SmartSTEMs team to ensure a rich and inclusive experience. With support from teachers, university staff and industry volunteers, pupils explored everything from robotics to computer science, gaining insights into future careers and hearing directly from professionals in the field.

The event also paid tribute to SmartSTEMs’ remarkable impact over the past decade. From humble beginnings in 2015 − when 500 pupils attended a one-day event at Glasgow Caledonian − SmartSTEMs has grown into a national movement. It has now reached more than 70,000 young people and partnered with more than 5,500 schools across the UK.

Glasgow Caledonian and SmartSTEMs continue to share a core mission: to make STEM education accessible to all young people, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. This partnership has not only helped inspire pupils to imagine themselves in STEM, but also contributed to more equitable access to opportunities in the field.

Dr Salma Mohamed, Lecturer in the Department of Cyber Security and Networks, said: “The values of Glasgow Caledonian are perfectly aligned with SmartSTEMs as we are the University of the Common Good, focusing on accessibility to education for all. By attracting as many people as possible to a STEM career, we are helping to shape the future of both Scotland and the UK.”

Dr Yan Zhang, Lecturer, Department of Computing, said: “SmartSTEMs have done a great job. They know exactly how to encourage young people to understand STEM and that university is a place where they can develop that understanding.”

Paula Hastie, a chemistry teacher at St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock, said: “We love the science experiences we can give the children in the classroom, but there is something invaluable about giving the children an opportunity to experience a university lecture theatre, a university laboratory and giving them the opportunity to speak to industry professionals. They get so much out of it.”

Tristan Jones, an S2 pupil at St Ninian’s High School, said: “STEM subjects are what our future is going to built upon, so an event like this is important for us to understand and build upon those subjects.”

Lucy O’Callaghan, also an S2 pupil at St Ninian’s High School said: “This event lets us see what opportunities await us when we leave school and the different paths available to us.”

Stuart Macdonald, founder of SmartSTEMs, said: “What began as a one-off idea to support young people into STEM careers quickly revealed a gap far wider than we expected. We didn’t set out to start a charity, but the response from schools, young people and industry partners made it clear, this work was needed. We know that great things happen when great people get involved; ten years later, we and our partners have had the privilege of working with tens of thousands of young people, and we’re only just getting started.”