Clean water is essential for people, plants and animals. Rivers, burns, ponds and lochs provide homes for wildlife, water for communities and spaces for us to enjoy. Keeping this water clean is really important, but pollution from roads, towns, agriculture and construction can easily be washed into watercourses when it rains. Understanding how this happens and how we can prevent it is a key part of protecting the environment. At
Tag Archives: Environmental
The Academy9 Sustainable Solutions 2026 Final is near, and so we wanted to give our shortlisted teams an insight into the Sustainable Solutions Final Judging Ceremony from the Perspective of one of our judges, Gary Kinniburgh. Gary is a Project Manager and works with large teams of professionals to deliver large scale infrastructure projects. He is currently one of the Project Managers working on the A9 Dualling Project in Scotland.
My name is Ruth and I am currently working as a Graduate Ecologist. Before working as an ecologist, I studied Ecology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Aberdeen. I have always loved animals and working outdoors making ecology an ideal career choice. My work involves conducting surveys to understand the potential impact of development projects, particularly roads, on Scotland’s protected species. One of these
Join the Academy9 Sustainable Solutions Challenge, kicking off on the 19th of January 2026! Are you ready to inspire the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers? Academy9 is thrilled to announce the launch of our annual Sustainable Solutions Challenge – a dynamic STEM competition. This exciting 10-week programme offers young minds the opportunity to dive into the world of sustainable engineering and make a real impact on their communities. What
Earlier this year, one of our Academy9 corridor schools reached out to us with a challenge: how could we bring fresh energy and perspective to their annual S2 STEM learning event? The answer came in the form of a dynamic, hands-on STEM Day and serves as an inspiring example of what’s possible when education and industry come together with purpose. In response to the school’s request, a diverse team of
As this week is National Walk to School week, the Academy9 team wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some of the benefits of Active Travel to inspire you to get active! Meet Rachel Rachel Schulberg is a Transport Planner working on the A9 Dualling project. As a Transport Planner, Rachel has supported local authorities, assisting a broad range of projects, including travel planning, active travel, public transport feasibility, and
Have you ever wondered what happens to trees when new roads are built? Trees are critical for our environment, and it’s crucial to protect them, even during big construction projects like the A9 Dualling programme. Let’s explore how we take care of trees during road construction in Scotland. Why Are Trees Important? Trees are very special because they have so many of nature’s superpowers! Trees at the Heart of Our
Imagine a world where buildings, bridges, and cities aren’t just eye catching, but also work in harmony with the Earth – that is the power of sustainability in infrastructure. Sustainable design means planning things in a way which meets our needs today without harming the planet, so future generations can enjoy clean air, water, and energy. But where do we get the ideas to make this happen? Surprisingly, we can
Have you ever wondered just how much math and numeracy you use every single day? From counting your steps to school, to measuring ingredients for a yummy recipe, or even figuring out how much time you have left to play before bedtime—math is everywhere! Our recent Gateway events at Grantown Grammar and Kingussie High Schools also included lots of hidden maths for the primary 5 pupils who attended from the
Academy9 took the Roadshow Event to Alvie, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Aviemore, Strathdearn and Daviot Primary Schools last month. As part of the Roadshow, pupils are taken on a journey of exploration and discovery while they research local animals and ground conditions that must be considered before designing and developing a large-scale infrastructure project. Evidence shows that children start to form ideas about their future as they start primary school[1]. The paper ‘Career-Related
