Science duo pioneer new qualification
Posted: Friday, 4th May 2012
Julia Bostock and Gill Halton
TWO technicians in the Institute of Education are the first in the UK to gain the new award of Registered Science Technician
Julia Bostock and Gill Halton, who help prepare the best possible teaching and learning environment for trainee science teachers, were in the first ‘graduation’ of 10 science professionals under the new framework launched recently by the universities and science minister David Willetts.
RSciTech is part of the Science Council's aim to build a framework of professional standards and recognition across the science workforce and comes after years of Association for Science Education campaigning for better recognition of the valuable work done by technicians, particularly in the facilitation of meaningful practical science.
Julia and Gill are both members of the ASE National Laboratory Technicians' Committee. They took part in the pilot scheme and worked with other committee members and the Science Council to develop the implementation of this award.
External assessors
They will now be external assessors, evaluating future applications, recommending the successful ones to the Registration Board.
Russell Thompson, technical team leader, said: "The new Registered Science Technician is recognition of the commitment our technicians have made to science in education. Julia and Gill can feel proud that they have set a standard of professionalism that I am sure others will want to follow."
Stephen Duffy, head of technical services, also sent the pair his congratulations: “I have been aware this registration scheme has been in the planning for quite some time now and it is good news that technical staff from MMU are the first to be registered, well done!”
Julia is a technical officer at Crewe and Gill a technical officer at Didsbury.