Congratulations go to Varndean College’s longstanding Chemistry tutor, John Luton, who has just been awarded The IOM3’s (Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining) Sir Colin Humphreys Education Award.
John has been a member of the Schools Affiliate Scheme since 2002 and has taken an active role in the organisation’s activities, attending a number of SAS conferences for teachers, arranging visits by guest speakers to Varndean College, as well as attending a Polymer Study Tour. He has represented the Sixth Form College sector and Chemistry on their Education Committee since 2013 and has made many valuable contributions in that time.
John, who has taught A Level Chemistry at Varndean since 1993, has also been the lead organiser of the annual Chemistry Conference at Brighton University for the past 20 years; offers students invaluable support each year with their BMAT exams for entry into medicine; arranges visits and talks with Brighton & Sussex Medical School; coaches students for competitions such as the RSC Chemistry Olympiad, Analytical Competition and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and runs the College’s own weekly ChemSoc Society.
John has seen many changes and developments take place at Varndean throughout the years, but with the opening of College’s new £2.9m STEM Centre this summer, the future of Science teaching at Varndean is an exciting journey about to begin and John is looking forward to getting back into the lab this September. Congratulations John.
