Homecoming Scotland 2009 - Minds & Innovation

Over the centuries, and right up to the present day, the people of Aberdeen City and Shire can be found at the forefront of learning and innovation.

A trip to the north-east of Scotland will give you the chance to absorb the history and achievement of the area and see for yourself why the area is recognised across the world as a leader in the energy industry.

Education

Written at St. Drostan’s Monastery of Deer, Scotland’s oldest book, The Book of Deer, includes the earliest examples of Gaelic script – turn the pages virtually at the Book of Deer Centre.

Bishop Elphinstone petitioning to the Pope led to foundation of King’s College in Aberdeen in 1495, while in 1593 the 4th Earl Marischal established Marischal College, the second largest granite structure in Europe when built. 

 

Marischal’s last Professor of Natural Philosophy, James Clerk Maxwell, was Scotland’s finest ever physicist. Albert Einstein himself acknowledged his debt to Maxwell’s theoretical work. Before space probes reached Saturn’s orbit in 1980s, Maxwell had predicted the composition of planet’s famous rings. As a result, Venus’ highest mountain is named in his honour.

The University also includes the internationally renowned Rowett Research Institute, established by Nutritionist John Boyd Orr, later a Nobel Laureate.

Industry

North East Scotland is still noted as a centre of quality fish and meat processing.

From Scotland’s longest surviving business, Aberdeen Harbour Board, to cutting-edge Oil Recovery and Renewable industries centred on Aberdeen, Portlethen, Westhill, and Peterhead that together make Aberdeen City and Shire the Energy Centre of Europe and home to largest cluster of Subsea engineering companies in the world.

Renewable windpower runs Mackies Ice Cream, while sustainable woodchips fuel a 600Kw boiler at Aboyne Academy. In the forefront of provision of complementary commercial and technological courses is The Robert Gordon University.

Up the coast, Peterhead is now Europe’s largest white fish port. Still guiding the boats home, is Scotland’s first mainland Lighthouse now Fraserburgh’s Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

A native of Fraserburgh, or 'Brocher', Thomas Blake Glover established global giant Mitsubishi, and Richard Henry Brunton Japan’s Lighthouse Service. Ability to survive hostile environments led to recruitment to Hudson’s Bay trading posts, and more recently North Sea oil platforms.

Inland, Aberdeenshire’s farmland became pre-eminent for selective breeding and production of premium quality livestock, to the extent that William McCombie’s Aberdeen-Angus cattle breed is still an international Scottish icon for quality, from the prairies of Canada to the pampas of Argentina.

Aberdeen’s shipbuilding tradition, including the record-breaking Tea Clipper 'Thermopylae', stood it in good stead for onshore platform module fabrication and oil field supply shipping services.

New drilling technology required deep-sea diving, made safer by Aberdeen’s National Hyperbaric Centre (estb.1987).

As Oil Capital of Europe,  Aberdeen City and Shire is the home of natural pioneers.

Find out more at Homecoming Scotland's official website www.homecomingscotland2009.com