We recently took a trip out into the local community to visit Fair Oak Junior School, a primary school located close to our Southampton base in the UK, to explain to an eager group of 10 – 11-year-olds what we do at Oil Spill Response and demonstrate some of the equipment we use.
The day was spent explaining to the students about oil spills, how they occur, and how our organisation supports energy companies if an incident arises to mitigate the impact an oil spill may have on the surrounding environment. They were also given the opportunity to attempt to clean up an oil spill (cooking oil) using our absorbent pads and the mini oleophilic disc skimmer.
As an organisation, we understand the importance of education when it comes to our industry, from training and exercises to the lessons we learn from each incident and how we can continuously improve our service.
Educating young people about oil spill response and the part we play in reducing the impact of a spill on our blue spaces and wildlife is also a great way to give back to our community as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It also inspires future generations to look at wider career prospects and potentially a role within Oil Spill Response.
STSE key services
Earlier this year, we introduced a new department within our organisation, the Science, Technology and Stakeholder Engagement (STSE) Team. This department has been built on the foundations of the extensive outreach and engagement work that we have carried out over the last decade to connect the response world to the science, research and academic community.
One of the key objectives of the STSE functions is the development and maintenance of long-term trusted relationships, educating and influencing multiple stakeholders through a managed programme of external engagement opportunities.
The STSE mission will be delivered through various methods, including developing and sustaining long-term trusted relationships and educating and influencing regulatory, scientific, and academic communities on response and best practices. The team will also be responsible for shaping our conference and technical engagement agendas, overseeing the publication of technical materials whilst also collaborating with industry-wide initiatives.
If you would like us to visit your school/college/university or other educational facility, please get in touch with one of our three STSE Officers;
Rhea Shears EMEA
Paul Schuler AMER
James Tan Zhi Hao APAC