On Wednesday 3 October around 150 Sixth-Form and Year 11 science students gathered to hear a talk by David Pattinson, a recent University of Cambridge graduate.  

David was also presented with an award as the winner of the John Ray Trust Science Prize by the Chair of the trust, David Gask.  David’s talk, entitled Science after Sixth Form, included details of how David became interested in science, his experiences studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge as well as outlining his research in the field of biological classification.  Students appreciated the opportunity to hear a ‘real’ scientist talk about his work and to be encouraged by David’s story.

The John Ray Trust is an educational charity and is inspired by the work of the botanist John Ray.  John Ray was born in Braintree in 1627 and attended the University of Cambridge, going on to become a hugely influential figure in his field.  He is considered to be the founder of modern botany and is held in the same esteem as scientists such as Newton or Darwin.