Talented Science Students Off to Europe
 
Six senior secondary school students from around New Zealand have been selected by the Royal Society of New Zealand to discover the excitement of fundamental science research at CERN in Geneva and then travel on to the United Kingdom to attend the London International Youth Science Forum.
 
The six students were selected by the Royal Society for high academic achievement and for demonstrating a passion for science. They were selected from over 300 applications.
 
Eighty per cent of all of the student’s costs will be supported by the Talented School Students Travel Award, which is funded by the Ministry of Science & Innovation and administered the Royal Society of New Zealand.  
 
The students will get to be a scientist for the day at CERN, exploring the mysteries of the universe with state-of-the-art equipment used by physicists at CERN – particle accelerators and detectors. 
 
On their way back to London they will spend a couple of days in Paris and discover some of the world’s most famous attractions such at the Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower and visit the Louvre to see works such as the Mona Lisa.
 
Once in London, the New Zealand students will join 300 like-minded students from 60 other countries for the two-week London International Youth Science Forum.
 
This year the forum will explore the future developments in the sciences, with lecture demonstrations, specialist seminars and debates led by a team of scientists and experts.
 
Specialist lecturers include Sir Roy Anderson who is Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London, Professor Trevor Jones CBE of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and many more eminent scientists. 
 
The forum programme also includes optional visits to Stonehenge, Hampton Court and Salisbury.
 
The six students selected to attend are:
 
Andy Chen, 17, Macleans College, Howick, Auckland
Robert Shin, 17, Macleans College, Howick, Auckland
Gabriella Templer, 17, ACG Parnell College, Auckland
Rachel Love, 17, Takapuna Grammar School, Auckland
In Sung Hwang, 17, Massey High School, Auckland
Rachael Wiltshire, 18, Samuel Marsden Collegiate, Wellington
 
ENDS