Liam Rattray

Liam began participating in special programs at Fernbank Science Center when he was in seventh grade. As a ninth grade magnet student, he and four friends from Lakeside High School stepped forward to take the opportunity of forming our first Rocketry Team in 2002. When we were invited to participate in BEST Robotics in 2004, we jumped at the chance. The group had nearly tripled in size. Liam was the team leader. At our first challenge that year, we dressed in plaid kilts that we created on the gym floor at SPSU while a piper played the bagpipes. Liam is of Scottish descent, and we named our robot, “Scottie” in his honor. Liam continued to lead the team through competitions and helped create Science Night Out, our elementary and middle school outreach program that supports our team financially and recruits new members. LINKS has grown into a diverse team of twenty-nine members from thirteen different schools and home schools. As an alumni, Liam continued to return to help judge First LEGO League Qualifiers and for SNO Alumni Nights. He also coordinated a biodiesel program for our high school NASA Saturday program. It culminated with the largest biofuels exhibit in Georgia. Liam graduated Suma Cum Laude from Georgia Tech in the spring of 2011, just as few weeks after obtaining his U.S. citizenship.On May 30, 2011, Liam’s life tragically ended when he was killed by a drunk driver. He will be missed by so many. A tree in his memory has been planted on the grounds of Fernbank Science Center, but above all, his is a living legacy. LINKS is a tribute to his dedication and inspiration toward introducing young people to the joy and excitement of science.