90th birthday celebrations for Peter Higgs

School children and colleagues help mark Peter Higgs’ 90th birthday with a birthday card competition and celebratory dinner.

The School of Physics and Astronomy held a birthday card competition for children in nursery or primary school in Scotland, to help share information on Peter Higgs’ scientific discovery which forms part of a prominence of physics in Scotland. 

Competition judges Suzanne Higgs (local artist and Peter Higgs’ daughter-in-law), Dr Christophe Englert (particle physicist and children’s author) and Dr Lily Asquith (particle physicist and outreach expert) faced a difficult task as they deliberated over the 342 entries in order to determine a winner for each category.

The winning birthday cards were presented to Peter at a birthday dinner celebration on 29 May, attended by the Prof Peter Mathieson (University Principal), Prof Arthur Trew (Head of School) and colleagues from across the School and University. 

Judge Suzanne Higgs commented:

It was such an honour and pleasure to help out with the judging for the University of Edinburgh 90th Birthday card competition for Peter Higgs by Nursery and Primary schools in Scotland. There were so many fantastic entries it was so difficult to select the winners from each category, but we got there in the end.

Birthday card winning entries are:

Nursery / Primary 1 category

1st: Julian Augustine, P1, Newport Primary

2nd: Zuzia, P1, Duncow Primary

3rd: Emilie Low, Serenity Room, Arcadia Nursery

Category Nursery/School prize: Newport Primary School

Primary 2 - 4 category

1st: Chloe Robertson, P2, Newport Primary

2nd: Cameron Lock, P4, Rhu Primary

3rd: Hannah, P3, Duncan Primary

Category School prize: Rhu Primary

Primary 5 - 7 category

1st: Susanna Mackenzie, P6, Clifton Hall School

2nd: Amelia Caldwell, P7, St Patricks Primary School

3rd: Leilah Haines, P6B, Oxgangs Primary School

Category School prize: Clifton Hall School

Portrait winner:

1st: Lilly Stratton, P6, Rhu Primary

2nd: Naomi Vilas, J5, Clifton Hall School

3rd: Cara, P2, Duncow Primary

Class Prize:

Mrs Watts and P6/7, Brodick Primary School