FEATURE
A WINNING FORMULA
Research chemist Amy scoops Young Achiever Award
Award – Amy Summerton , centre , with SABIC ’ s site director Jos Visser and senior communications business partner Claire Wordsworth .
Amy Summerton is a research chemist within SABIC ’ s Technology & Innovation team based in Teesside , a role that supports SABIC ’ s local assets as well as those across Europe , America and the world .
Congratulations are in order for Amy , who started at SABIC as an apprentice laboratory technician aged just 16 in 2015 . Now 24 , she was awarded the Young Achiever Award 2023 ( Base Chemicals ) at the recent NEPIC Annual Industry Awards .
As a research chemist , Amy ’ s role supports SABIC ’ s sustainability and carbon neutrality ambitions .
Amy is currently supporting the Teesside Improvement Project on the Olefins 6 Cracker , which aims to utilise hydrogen as a fuel source and become the world ’ s first carbon-neutral cracker . She is also working on SABIC ’ s global chemical recycling initiative and is two years into a SABIC-sponsored BEng Chemical Engineering degree at Teesside University .
As her time in secondary school came to a close , she was unsure of what career path to take and very nearly went down the A levels and university route .
However , the opportunity of a work experience placement at SABIC ’ s North Tees Laboratory and a keen interest in chemistry led her to apply for an apprenticeship at SABIC instead .
And so her career in the chemical industry began . She was the only female in the intake of 2015 and worked on a shift team of all male operators on Olefins 6 , but she thoroughly enjoyed the experience . She was able to learn on the job while gaining experience and life skills and still completing her education . From the age of 18 , she spent four years working on the Olefins 6 cracker , where she was able to get hands-on experience . She was sponsored to complete her HNC Chemical Engineering at the time and realised it is a lot easier to do an exam question on a heat exchanger when you have seen one taken apart for cleaning and performed entry testing on it !
Amy volunteered to help reform SABIC ’ s Education Liaison Team , which had diminished during the pandemic , and she was appointed as chair in 2022 . She has recruited an enthusiastic team of volunteers from across the site who are delivering a programme of educational visits while redeveloping relationships with local schools , colleges and universities .
Amy is a steering group member of the SABIC Women ’ s Network ( SHE ) for Europe and volunteers on a weekly basis for local charity Rubies , based in South Bank , Middlesbrough .
“ The opportunities I have had working within a global role has been amazing – working with colleagues from
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