What’s deoxyribonucleotide in sign language?
By Hazel Martin
Reporter, BBC Scotland’s The Nine
Published
21 July 2019
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Media caption, Liam was so frustrated by the lack of signs for scientific words, he created his own
Frustrated at the lack of complex scientific terms in British Sign Language, a Dundee student has created more than 100 new signs to help deaf people express themselves when talking about science.
For any new student, coming into a lecture theatre or a laboratory can be nerve-wracking – especially if you can’t hear.
That was the reality Liam Mcmulkin faced when he began studying life sciences at the University of Dundee in 2015.
Born deaf, Liam was the first person in his family to go to university, after receiving an undergraduate scholarship from The Robertson Trust.
He admitted having fears about what life as a student would be like, particularly when it came to lectures:
"When I applied to university, I was worried about two things," he told BBC Scotland’s The Nine.
"Firstly, I was at school with 10 other deaf people but now at university, I was the only deaf person. [...]