Science-based work placements open doors for bright sixth-formers

The Nuffield Science Bursary Scheme is a nationwide initiative which each year offers around 600 sixth-formers the chance to take part in science-based projects in universities, industry or research centres. Students receive £70 per week to help with costs such as travel.

Awards for students from the Eastern region were presented at a ceremony held recently at the Babraham Institute, an educational charity devoted to biomedical research and training, and attended by students and host institutions.

Of the 20 students who worked on projects in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Northamptonshire, 15 were based with the University of Cambridge. Each student carried out a well-defined project, designed to contribute to the work of the host organisation.

Tristan Kalloniatis, a 16-year-old pupil at the City of Norwich School who will take his A levels next June, spent four weeks working for the Millennium Maths Project, a maths education initiative for age five upwards based at the Centre for Mathematical Studies.

During his placement Tristan worked on several projects aimed at secondary school pupils. “I was attracted to the Nuffield scheme as it offered the chance to work in a well-known institution like Cambridge where specialists are world leaders in their fields,” he said.

“When I was about 14 I saw a TV programme called the Elegant Universe based on the book by Brian Greene. Ever since then I have wanted to become a theoretical physicist. To be working in the same environment as Stephen Hawking and John Barrow was really thrilling.”

At the Millennium Maths Project, Tristan was supervised by Dr Jenny Gage, Coordinator of the Motivate Project. “Tristan was our second Nuffield placement student and, though they were quite different, both worked out brilliantly,” she said.

“I was really impressed by the way in which Tristan took the initiative and worked independently. He was a real asset and incredibly useful. He needed the minimum of guidance, and I heard him having some wonderful mathematical conversations with people in the department.”

Elsewhere across the University, Sophie Chaudakshetrin, 17, who goes to the Perse School for Girls, worked at Babraham Research Campus where she looked at ways of viewing the movement of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine hosted Emily Craven, 17, a pupil at Peterborough High School, who focused on in vitro cartilage damage by single impact load in rats.

Sakshi Sadhu, 17, also from Peterborough HS, worked at the Department of Earth Sciences, where she contributed to research into the intensity of calcium carbonate dissolution at different depths of the oceans.

The Eastern region of the Nuffield Sciences Bursaries scheme is coordinated by Sarah Rowe, who is based at SETPoint Cambridgeshire at Manor Community College. “We have considerably more applications for placements than there are hosts and would love more science and technology departments to get involved,” she said.

“It’s wonderful to see how the participants develop and gain in confidence, as they learn how to interact with senior people at work. And they make a real contribution. One of this year’s cohort, who helped with research into sheep facial recognition, will have her name on her supervisor’s paper.”

Several of the Nuffield Bursary students placed at the University over the summer are currently making applications to Cambridge.

Tristan has applied to Cambridge to read maths. He said: “My dad got me interested in maths, science and physics at a really early age - and in the long run I’d like to push back the boundaries in string theory.”

University departments interested in finding out more about the Nuffield Science Bursary scheme should contact Jenny Rowe at jenny@exscite.co.uk.