Celebrating Staff Achievement: Royal Microscopical Society Diploma Awarded

We are delighted to share the fantastic news that Ramona Szalczinger, Senior Biology Technician, has been awarded the prestigious Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) Diploma for ‘The Development of Teaching Materials for use with Portable Scanning Electron Microscopy’.

The diploma was formally awarded on 1 July 2025 during the Microscience Microscopy Congress 2025 in Manchester, marking the culmination of a 3.5-year journey of professional development. This diploma is a significant achievement, reflecting both technical expertise and a commitment to science education.

The RMS diploma, a portfolio-based qualification, designed to showcase deep engagement with microscopy, imaging analysis and flow cytometry. It includes a technical essay, a project report, outreach work, and participation in specialist training and scientific conferences. As part of this, Ramona trained under Dr Alex Ball at the Natural History Museum, gaining hands-on experience in a world-class microscopy facility.

Part of the diploma studies, Ramona developed a library of innovative teaching resources for use with portable scanning electron microscopes (SEM). This body of work, known as the SEMinar Series, is now used to bring the microscopic world to life for students in a way that is interactive, creative, while engaging students in scientific thinking and showcasing career paths in STEM.

The process was closely integrated with the Hitachi STEM Outreach Programme, through which Tonbridge School has benefitted enormously. Thanks to Ramona’s involvement, a portable SEM has visited the school five times over the past five years, giving our students extraordinary access to state-of-the-art imaging technology usually reserved for university laboratories and museums.

A key component of the diploma was public outreach. Working alongside Tonbridge School’s Science Coordinator, Lisa Alford, Ramona helped deliver hands-on microscopy experiences to thousands of children, including Tonbridge students, members of the local community, as well as young people across the UK remotely. These workshops have played an important role in promoting science education, widening participation amongst both students and teachers, and showing children the wonders of the natural world at the microscopic level.

Going forward, Ramona will further develop the SEMinar Series in pursuit of international recognition and continue with scientific outreach, which she describes as her calling.

Her achievement reflects not only personal dedication, but also the school’s outstanding commitment to actively support professional development in STEM education.

We are proud to have such expertise in our science technical team, and we congratulate Ramona on this well-deserved recognition.