The finalists all embody the commitment to and passion for science through their voluntary work in helping students, teachers and employers.

The Science Industry Ambassador of the Year Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on December 3.

Read more about the three finalists below.

Annabelle Nicholson (Victrex)

Over the last 12 months, Annabelle has mentored a student at Blackpool Sixth Form College as part of the Career Ready programme, sharing her insights from her educational and career journey to help them identify and pursue their own path in STEM.

She has also recently delivered a classroom session at The Highfurlong School, which teaches children with special educational needs, in which she focussed on ensuring all students with a range of abilities were included.

She has also represented her employer Victrex at careers fairs where she promotes STEM roles and discusses apprenticeships, which aligns with her role as a member of the SIP Careers Taskforce (for which she leads the innovation and sustainability workstream).

Annabelle is passionate about getting young people enthusiastic about science-based careers and is always first to volunteer to mentor work experience students at her workplace.

Annabelle has been an extraordinary asset to Victrex, demonstrating a strong commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists. Her passion for education and mentorship is evident through her involvement in 17 recorded activities this year, from work experience programmes and mentoring to participating in a female empowerment event and delivering classroom sessions. Annabelle’s ability to connect with students, particularly through her motivational speaking to sixth-formers, has left a lasting impact.

CSR Lead at Victrex, Georgia Thomas

Becca Hetherington (CSL Seqirus)

This year Becca has conducted extensive online mentoring for a number of students aged 11 to 19, including topics specific to STEM careers and wider support including CV skills, interview technique and revision tips.

This included supporting a student who had fled the war in Sudan and was experiencing significant difficulties in mapping out the next steps in their education and their longer-term career plan. With Becca’s help, they were able to identify which areas they were passionate about and ultimately secured a government-funded radiography degree apprenticeship.

She has also participated in a number of national mentoring initiatives and activity around encouraging girls and young women in STEM – including a speed ambassadors networking event for girls aged 14 to 16. She also acts as a mentor for the graduate programme at her workplace, guiding each student as the begin their career and helping them build relationships.

Becca is a really proactive STEM Ambassador who regularly attends our internal Ambassador forums to share ideas and inspire the other members. She is happy to share materials and ideas for others to use and build on and spends a lot of time tailoring what she does to make it relevant for specific groups.

Liverpool Site Communications Manager at CSL Seqirus, Layla Welsby

Charlotte Wilson (Victrex)

Charlotte has spent a great deal of time this year giving guidance and advice to young people through a number of careers fairs, mock interview sessions and other activity – all of which has reached more than 500 young people around the country.

Her work has also included the development of a number of videos and other digital content, which has broadened her outreach activities.

She led an experiment day at a local primary school as part of British Science Week, helping the pupils gain hands-on experience of science and enhancing their understanding of how science can be applied to the world around them.

Charlotte also helped Year 8 students develop their careers aspirations by opening up the range of roles available in STEM and drawing on her own experience. This included leading a design engineering project which aligned to the students PSHE lessons and was aimed at enhancing their future employability.

Charlotte’s contributions over the past 12 months have had a significant internal impact on both her colleagues and her employer, Victrex. Her dedication to STEM outreach and education has not only enhanced the company’s community engagement efforts but has also fostered a culture of learning, collaboration, and innovation within the organization.

Sustainability and ESG Manager at Victrex, Georgia Thomas