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Equinor UK welcomes Aberdeen Science Centre’s collaboration with Norway’s Vitenfabrikken

(UTC)
Group photo
Elaine Holland (left), head of operations/deputy CEO at Aberdeen Science Centre, Bryan Snelling, chief executive officer at Aberdeen Science Centre, John Arne Frafjord, head of Vitenfabrikken, Steph McCann, fundraising manager at Aberdeen Science Centre, and Oddvar Victorzon Moss, museum lecturer at Vitenfabrikken.
Photo: Aberdeen Science Centre

Aberdeen Science Centre has joined forces with Norway’s Vitenfabrikken (The Science Factory) to form the North Sea Collaboration Project.

The partnership, which is also supported by Equinor, will explore the innovative carbon emissions reduction solutions being developed by Scotland and Norway.

Aberdeen Science Centre and Vitenfabrikken will work together to develop a range of STEM activities and educational tools to increase awareness of the global climate crisis within schools and communities in both countries.

The ‘Platforms of Tomorrow Challenge’, a competition for school pupils in Aberdeen city and shire, and in Rogoland, Norway, will task select classes of P5-P7 and S1-S3 aged children with inventing methods to reuse decommissioned oil platforms for a new and sustainable purpose. They will then present their ideas to a panel of judges using Lego models.

The judges will determine the competition winner, who will receive £1,000 for a green initiative within their school or local area. The pupils behind the judge’s favourite entries will also each receive a VIP-pass to their respective local science centre.

Arne Gürtner -portrait
Arne Gürtner, senior vice president upstream at Equinor UK
Photo: Michal Wachucik

Alongside the competition, the project partners will also produce a series of educational videos, the first of which will highlight the similarities between Scotland and Norway’s energy sectors, their shared and individual climate-related challenges, and the plans that each country has in place to meet net zero targets.

Arne Gürtner, senior vice president upstream at Equinor UK, said: “We are proud to work with the Aberdeen Science Centre to build excitement and new capabilities in STEM – and this partnership between the centre and Norway’s Vitenfabrikken is a great example of collaboration in action.

“As we journey to net zero, encouraging an early interest in STEM subjects is vital, and exposure to new technology and innovation for young people will be crucial as we work towards a low carbon economy.

“Knowledge and resource-sharing between the UK and Norway is key as we develop solutions to decarbonise. The North Sea Collaboration Project is a brilliant new alliance for Aberdeen Science Centre which puts that at its heart.”