She was employed there as a tutor for three years before working as a lecturer at Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Following this, she moved to St Andrews to become the second warden of University Hall. Melville was the first woman to attain a Bachelor of Divinity in Scotland in 1910.

Throughout his career, Robinson made a wide variety of discoveries, including those that led to the development of the first synthetic antimalarial drug, which can be used to treat or prevent malaria. Whilst at St Andrews, Robinson invented the ring symbol for benzene, which is still in use today.

Following the outbreak of World War One, Campbell served as a nurse in Serbia, earning various medals, including the Serbian Red Cross and the Order of Sava, for her services. 

She rose through the ranks of the society, becoming president in the 1910-1911 academic year. One of the motions carried in her year as chair was “a University training is desirable for women who are not going to take up a profession” which increased women’s vocal desire for education.

Dr Fairlie eventually became Head of Clinical Gynaecology in Dundee and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in St Andrews, despite opposition from the University Board. Adverse in the ability to overcome obstacles as a woman in a male-dominated field, she became the first female professor in Scotland.

Ripley was born in Keith, Banffshire. He trained to become a slater and later moved to St Andrews. When in St Andrews, he was a volunteer soldier in the Blach Watch, and in the early stages of WWI was a recruiting Seargent for the regiment. He was later sent to fight in France and won his Victoria Cross on the 9th of May 1915 at the Battle of Aubers Ridge, where he was credited with exceptional bravery and leadership in the face of enemy fire.

After feeling Poland, and later France, he joined the remnants of the Polish armed forces on the East coast of Scotland. While stationed in St Andrews, he designed, tested, and refined his landmine detector in response to a competition run by the British army for the development of such a device. His innovation was blew away the competition and has saved countless lives since its first use in 1941.

Born in Brechin, Angus, in 1892, Watson-Watt studied for a degree in engineering from University College, Dundee, then part of the University of St Andrews. After graduation, he went to work for the Meteorological Office, and in 1935 began the development of what today we refer to as radar. He successfully demonstrated its effectiveness in detecting aircraft, and soon a network of radar stations dotted the UK coastline. His invention may have been the deciding factor in Britain surviving the German onslaught by air during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

Sikorski led the reorganisation of Polish forces after the fall of France and oversaw the construction of costal defences along Scotland’s east coast. He was greatly fond of the town and the University, receiving an honorary degree from the institution and gifting it a collection of rare historic Polish coins. He died in mysterious circumstances after a plane crash off Gibraltar in 1943, and has a stone statue in St Andrews.

Despite facing overwhelming opposition and doubt of her abilities, she was highly successful in her role and went on to have other prominent positions within the University. MacIver inspired a generation of women to pursue careers in academia.