Craig Mathieson

Imagine trekking your way to the South Pole.

Goes without saying that it’d be cold. You’d be looking at temperatures of minus 25 Celsius…and that’s only if it’s warm.

Then you’d have to contend with snow battering your face, treacherous walking conditions and icy winds.

How could anyone manage it?

The person to ask is 2018 honorary graduate Craig Mathieson, who has extensive expedition experience of both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

He also led the first ever dedicated Scottish expedition to the South Pole, hauling his sledge 730 miles.

Craig launched an amazing project back in 2013, aimed at helping secondary school children who suffer from low self-esteem.

The Polar Academy scheme sees 14-17 year olds put through a rigorous 12-month training programme, before navigating some of the world’s most remote terrain in Greenland for 12 days.

Teenagers then return to share their experiences with other pupils, speaking to more than 30,000 school kids in their own regions.

Craig was appointed explorer-in-residence by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 2012, the first in the history of the group.