Martha Gavan has plans to scale-up TechFest across Scotland

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Words that take me back to endless hours of dull equations, boring experiments and the monotonous drone of a stuffy science teacher in a hot classroom, covering the subjects commonly know as STEM.

That negative perception of STEM is what the new managing director at TechFest, Martha Gavan, sets out to solve every day.

“As a charity and as an organisation, our mission is to promote all aspects of STEM education to young people, but also to the wider community,” Gavan tells Holyrood. 

“It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but I'm so delighted because I really love this organisation. It is really exciting because it's such an exciting time for TechFest. We've got so much going on, so much happening, so I'm delighted.” 

Gavan became managing director in September, stepping up from her previous role as deputy managing director, and succeeding Sarah Chew, who led the organisation for 15 years. 

Based in Aberdeen, TechFest has been promoting engagement in STEM subjects for over 20 years, offering a range of festivals, workshops,and outreach programmes designed to increase participation while keeping children and adults engaged. Its annual week-long science festival, hosted at Robert Gordon University, is catered towards primary school children and attracts schools from Fife to Inverness. 

“It's a real celebration of all things STEM and getting primary school students excited about STEM,” says Gavan. 

“It's such a wonderful celebration to be part of. We have our own workshops as a part of it, but we also invite providers and all sorts of delivery partners from across the UK to come and be part of it. So, we're really trying to highlight the diversity of STEM and get young people excited to be involved.” 

Gavan started out at TechFest after finding a love for science outreach while completing her PhD in biology at the University of Aberdeen. She began as a STEM lead, developing and designing courses for TechFest, before evolving into more managerial positions. 

“I think if you told me in high school that this is what I would enjoy, I would have very much doubted it,” says Gavan.  

“But it’s nice to be able to talk to young people about this. I think they often have a vision in their mind of a pathway where they have to go from point A to point B, but most people I work with, this hasn’t been the case. 

"That’s one of the things that I’m really passionate about, and I use my role at TechFest to talk about. Because I do think there’s brilliant opportunities out there and there are young people who need to know about them.” 

In her new role, Gavan wants to diversify the charity’s funding streams, working with a range of companies across Scotland to increase TechFest’s reach outside of Aberdeenshire and the northeast. Currently, the charity runs a series of tours and events across the country, but she plans to increase its reach on a more permanent basis. 

Gavan is also working to strengthen TechFest’s partnerships with universities, companies, and organisations to create a complete framework for STEM education throughout a child’s educational journey. The key to their success is the practicality of the events, which are designed in a way that takes children and young people out of the classroom and into the real world. 

“It’s all about taking a subject like maths and showing how it’s used in different industries,” says Gavan.  

“For example, we do a project with Police Scotland where the children come into a lecture hall and there’s been a murder and with blood splatter all over the walls. They then try to use Pythagoras to figure out who the shooter was. 

“It’s showing how forensic scientists are using those maths' skills that they’re learning in the classroom in a very real way within their jobs.” 

The thank you cards from previous attendees that blanket the walls of TechFest’s office are a testament to the success of the programme. But one message Gavan received during the pandemic sticks out. 

“I got this video message from three young boys that had been just bouncing off the walls,” says Gavan. 

“But they had found something that they could sit down at their kitchen table and do some science experiments. I just remember the message from the mum at the end saying ‘you don’t know how much this means to me’ because her kids had been running around wanting nothing but the iPad for weeks, but they had finally sat down to do some science. I remember thinking it was all so worth it then.”