Christine clinches First Class Honours

Working as a research scientist, helping teenagers with drink and drug problems, and studying part-time at the University of Teesside. Christine Thompson has combined all of these. Today Christine’s achievements will continue, when she graduates from the University of Teesside with a First Class BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry, and receives two academic prizes, the Teesside Science Award and the ICI Science and Engineering Award.

Christine, 24, from Redcar first joined ICI as a trainee scientist at the age of 18, after achieving three A’ levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry at South Park Sixth Form College. ICI sponsored Christine to study first for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Chemistry at the University, followed by the degree. Her success comes at the end of six years of part-time study.

Christine said: “I’ve had to cut back on some of my social life, but to get a First was absolutely fantastic. When I came to collect my results my tutor Jo McGuinness shook my hand and gave me a big hug. All of the lecturers were supportive and there were absolutely no problems in being a part-time student. If you missed a lecture the full-time students would take time out to explain what you’d missed, and we all socialised together. I also met a lot of international students who were really friendly.

“It’s been good to see the changes on campus over the last six years, the Learning Resource Centre is brilliant, with its lines of computers, and I know a lot of people who are choosing the University because of the new technology. I’d like to thank my parents James and Marlene for their support and encouragement; they’re absolutely over the moon about the degree and the prizes. I was shocked myself about the prizes, I thought ‘why have they given them to me?’”

Christine now works as a Research Scientist for Synetix in Billingham. Despite her busy life, Christine found time to become involved in local charity work. For two years she worked with a project initiated by her church, the East Cleveland Baptists. The Church drove an ‘out-reach’ bus into Redcar, where Christine and other volunteers advised teenagers who were suffering drug or alcohol problems. She has also worked for Nightstop, a nationally recognised charity, which provides shelter for homeless teenagers.

“I feel I’m giving something back to the local community. It’s so sad seeing kids on the street without backing from their families. But it’s also rewarding to see people getting through their problems and making changes in their lives”, added Christine.

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