Two students have been selected by Royal Society Te Apārangi to attend the prestigious XLAB science camp in Gottingen, Germany. This particular opportunity is especially for senior secondary school and undergraduate students who are achieving excellence in their science studies and want to continue studying science at a higher level. They will participate in four weeks of intense science where they will work in a small group supervised by scientists at the University of Gottingen and affiliated research organisations.
The number of participants is limited to just under 50 from around the world. All experiments are hands-on and include the use of highly specialised research instruments. Students are given the opportunity to select their preference of courses and can choose from analytical chemistry, anatomy, developmental biology, freshwater ecology, molecular biology, immunology, laser physics, neurophysiology, and astrophysics. In the fourth week the students will then spend five days working alongside scientists in a laboratory in Gottingen and get a taste of what it’s really like to be a scientist. The XLAB team also plans and organises a programme of social and cultural activities for evening and weekends which include tours of Gottingen and short trips to places of interest to surrounding areas.
“This is a great opportunity for talented young New Zealanders to interact with experts at the top of their fields in science,” says Andrew Cleland, Chief Executive of Royal Society Te Apārangi.
The majority of the travel and registration costs are funded by the Talented School Students Travel Award, managed by Royal Society Te Apārangi and funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Both students leave for Germany in August.
The two students selected to attend are:
Liam Silverwood, Napier Boys’ High School, Napier
Kitty Sun, Lynfield College, Mt Roskill, Auckland
