Student Stories
Krystal from Jamaica - Participant
The London International Youth Science Forum has become unexpectedly, some of the most unforgettable weeks of my life. Before I attended they science forum, I had been told several stories by persons from Jamaica who had participated in the previous years. I listened and always wondered why they were all so amazed by their experience. I was convinced that it would be worth it and decided that I wanted the chance to attend the forum. However, I now know that I what I had imagined, did not come close to reality.
When I arrived at the science forum with the other participants from Jamaica, we were among the first to arrive but there was already a very welcoming and friendly environment. The counselors were all very pleasant and seemed eager to have fun. Throughout the rest of the forum I developed friendships with these counselors as they spent time with us, made us laugh, encouraged us to make the most of the experience and were always willing to help or offer support.
I was greatly impressed with the lecturers we had. I was introduced to so many intriguing, innovative and important areas of science that I had never known about before. The lecturers were engaging and I liked that we were given the chance to ask questions after every lecture. I also enjoyed the group activities which allowed young persons from different countries of the world to freely share our ideas and views on topics such as climate change and the creation of renewable and sustainable sources of energy. It was also very inspiring that so many of the lecturers, who were experts in their fields, were past participants of this science forum. It was great to see fellow participants and new friends that I had made present at the science bazaar and student topics. These events reassured my belief that I could work through science to make a difference in the future.
The social activities such as the parties were awesome and we were able to relax and just have a good time. The international cabaret and songs from home exposed me to cultural songs, dances, dresses and other items which I most likely never would have seen in my life had I not attended the forum. I also got to share aspects of Jamaican culture with persons from around the world. I also enjoyed our visits. It was my first time in London and the visits took us to several places and sights around England. My favourite visit was the day spent at the Oxford University. My group was given a tour of the Department of Chemistry and we conducted a lab experiment which I found to be very fun and exciting.
I must say the best part of my two weeks was the opportunity to meet and interact with so many persons. I just loved the large diversity of people and it was amazing that we were able to spend time forming friendships and bonds that will survive for years to come. We played games together, shared experiences from home and had a blast exploring London and getting to understand each other better. Before the forum, I never thought I would be able to say that I have a friend in so many countries such as Ireland, Spain, England, Cyprus and Australia. However, I am able to say that now. It saddens me that the forum is now over and I cannot see these persons often as we have all returned home. I know I will forever cherish these new memories. I would like to thank the London International Youth Science Forum 2010 for giving me one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. Participant at LIYSF 2010.
Charlotte's Story - 2005 Participant
I attended LIYSF in 2005 and those two weeks showed me just how rewarding it is to be part of an international community with a shared excitement for science and it is an environment I have tried to recreate elsewhere ever since.
LIYSF gave me an insight into studying abroad and the confidence to apply to international institutions and my participation in LIYSF formed part of my university applications. I started studying physics at a Danish university. I carried out a research project on the role of ketone bodies in diabetic comas. I got placed first within the Danish Young Scientist competition and also got to present at a conference in Beijing, China. I was also involved in outreach activities and in my second year I taught the first year example classes for the physics courses.
I am currently studying third year physics at Pembroke College, Cambridge, UK and am very much enjoying the course and the student life. Next year I will be specialising, probably in either quantum physics or biophysics, and after that I hope to do a PhD. My best friend at Cambridge actually attended LIYSF the same year as I did, and we first got talking because we recognised each other from the forum. We often talk about the people we met during those two weeks in London and how rare it is to have so many amazing people congregated in one place. I have kept in touch with several of the people I met in London, some of them are at Cambridge and some study at American universities, and I am convinced that most of those people will go on to do great things.
The LIYSF programme was very good and challenging – the lectures, the student presentations and the visits (to Cambridge amongst other places) were inspirational – but what I mostly remember is how addictive an experience it is to be surrounded by such passionate people from all over the world. I would recommend LIYSF to young scientists across the globe.
Bev's story – 1963 Participant
"Without the trip to England last summer I could never have had the chance to go again. I am sure that these two trips will affect the rest of my life." This is my quote that appears in a 1964 publication of Women's Bureau, Department of Labour, Canada .
I have not always seen the future so clearly, but at that time, for that moment I knew the effect LIYSF would have on my life.
I am sitting here in my home in Vancouver, BC and it's 2009 and putting together a few items from the International Youth Science Fortnight, 1963 and 1964 that I attended. The first year I attended as a participant and the second year I was a Courier. I also travelled across Europe with 50 other attendees on a bus trip visiting science sites of interest and doing a heck of a lot of laughing and singing. When I was returning to Canada that summer I fell asleep, and when I woke I sat there near tears, all my friends from the bus ride were gone and I knew I would never see any of them again.
I took my first after school job to save money for that 1964 to London. My parents were very supportive of almost all I have done in my life, I have now lost them both, but their kindness has been a large part of who I am. Letting their daughter go to England in 1963 was very brave of them and going was very brave of me.
I never saw the Beatles that summer or the next summer! I left home and went to art school after I graduated from high school. My mother was a potter and my father's brother is a retired commercial artist.
I am a photographer, shooting Rock and Roll photos, as well as holding down a day job, with the provincial government. I expect to retire, from the day job soon, and Rock and Roll, and photography will continue.
Gama Fais Miftah Aprilian Indonesia – Participant 2010
This year I was privileged enough to be one of the delegates representing BINUS International School Serpong in this great science forum in its 52nd year. There are no words that could possibly describe how exciting and wonderful this experience to me and how it has changed my perspective on science and on life itself.
In the two weeks of stay, I have learned about science and the society. I have heard experts talked about their works and how they are contributing in making the world a better place to live. I have visited research institutes that provide current and future scientists of all the resources that will help them to make incredible breakthroughs in the field of science. I visited Oxford and Cambridge Universities - two of the most prestigious universities in the world. I stayed at Imperial College London, the leading science university in the world. Last but not least, I got to experience seeing and being a part of the world in one place - London.
London is the capital city of England, UK. There's a saying 'when you get tired of London, you get tired of life', this is actually factual based on my experience. London is a vibrant, culturally dynamic and unique city, mostly because of its diverse culture and preserved heritage. The forum itself is located at Imperial College London, in the heart of London, which made it a perfect combination of both scientific and cultural experience. During free time, I got to explore the city of London. I went to various tourist spots such as the London Eye, Big Ben, House of Parliament, Tower Bridge and of course the Buckingham Palace. I also went to various shopping spots, mostly for the 'oleh – oleh'; these include Oxford Street, High Street Kensington and Portobello Market.
The activities during LIYSF gave me new knowledge about science as well as knowledge on how science and society work together. I learnt and understood different perspectives from around the world on how the various fields of science could solve today's problems. The most exciting event for me was the group discussion. The theme for this year was 'Energy - The Global Challenge'. During the discussion, the participants talked about the different aspects on energy: the types of alternative energy, the impact on using energy and the solution to the energy crisis that we are having today and how to achieve a sustainable yet environmentally friendly future.
Visiting research institutes and colleges was also fun. For me, I got to visit the Imperial College Royal School of Mines, University College London: The Mullard Space Science Laboratory and the Oxford University Botanic Garden and National History Museum. Each of the places gave me a unique experience in exploring different aspects of science. During my visit to the Royal School of Mines, I was lucky enough to attend a lecture from a geologist who had a three-month research work to the Antarctic continent to investigate on how global climate change had affected the earth in the past, and how it may affect the earth in the future. The Mullard Space Science Laboratory is located just outside of London, in a county called Surrey. During that trip I got to learn about astronomy and the exploration of the solar system and the universe. I also went to Oxford University, to visit the Botanic Garden and the National History Museum. While I was there, I learned about the different types of plants and the interesting facts about them as well as the prehistoric creatures that lived in the past.
One of the most memorable things that happened during the forum was meeting new friends from all around the world. This happened through various social activities such as the science forum bazaar, disco, participant's forum and even the small talks that we had during free time. Now, I am so fortunate that I have made friends with people from Jamaica, UK, USA, Australia, Japan, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Norway and many other places in the world. I tried to learn and understand their cultures, they tried to learn mine. During the two weeks of stay I also get to know each and every one of the Indonesian delegates.
Being a part of LIYSF was a privilege, and being in London was one of the best experiences that I've ever had. However, it was the people I met that gave lasting impressions; I learned so much from them and I hope that they also learned something from me. LISYF is an opportunity of a lifetime and I am glad that I was a part of it.
Arzav Jain, India - 2010 Participant
A trip to remember
ARZAV JAIN SAYS THAT THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SCIENCE FORUM NOT ONLY HELPED HIM DISCOVER LITTLE KNOWN DETAILS ABOUT SCIENCE AND THE UNIVERSE, BUT ALSO GAVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET INTERESTING PEOPLE
Our minds, like the universe, recognise no boundaries. And to search within it for our true potential and likeness, is like sifting through the gazillion galaxies that the universe beholds. To simplify the process, all we need is a telescope to search the right area of interest, isn't it? On July 28, this year, a classmate and I got such an opportunity to go on an odyssey to the London International Youth Science Forum - effectively a chance to search and explore what we truly like and what interested us.
A 15-day expedition to discover our area of interest for further study, the opportunity was granted to me by my school and we were the only two representing India from amongst 300 participants from 46 different countries.
The forum offered lectures by eminent scientists and environmentalists on topics ranging from the magic of soap bubbles and colours, to space, the exotic universe and its unsolved mysteries. There were also visits to various factories, laboratories, and universities to explore what lay behind the technological advancements we see today.
At the Airbus manufacturing unit, we got to see the last flown Concorde and the different procedures used in the making of the world's largest commercial flight- A380. At Cambridge University, we visited the Cavendish Laboratory, where we saw the first ever capacitors used by Faraday, the Cathode Ray Tube used by Thompson (the then professor) to discover the electron and other contraptions used by such physicists. Other visits included the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Imperial College, London (which was also the Hall of Residence) and the National Science Museum, London.
The lectures I chose were truly intriguing and fascinating. One was given by a teacher at Cornell University and researcher at CERN, about all the discoveries and work going on at CERN, the nuances about the large Hadron Collider and their progress in finding the missing piece of the puzzle-the Higg's Boson. Another lecture was by a Dr Cyril who, while sipping a Budweiser, taught us how to measure the smallest possible distance between any number of points using soap bubbles. There was also a lecture on the science behind fusion powering our world in the future with inventions like the International Thermal Energy Reactor (ITER), Jet and the EU Demonstration Unit.
Apart from all the lectures and visits that were offered on topics ranging from biology, environmental science, geology, chemistry, math, physics, medicine, etc there were also social gatherings like the International Cabaret and formal dinners where we got to interact with some of the brightest minds from across the world. And these aren't the 'nerds' you might think they are; they're all multitalented geniuses. For example, there was this one person from Japan who won the 2009 Mouth Organ Championship; another interesting personality we met was from Estonia. This person had missed the bronze at the International Chemistry Olympiad by two points and clocks 11.2 seconds in a 100m race!
One of the main activities at the forum was the 'Science Bazaar' where all the participants were allowed to present projects they had undertaken during the course of their primitive "scientific careers". The best 10 were selected to showcase their work in front of all the participants in an auditorium. In addition to the bazaar, there was also the Olympics where the participants showcased their physical talents in various sports. The forum also allowed us to explore London. They offered tickets to various plays like Wicked and tours to Stonehedge and Salsbury. Not to mention the optional trip to CERN, Switzerland, for seven days after the forum was over. Besides the educational part, there was plenty of time to enjoy a morning jog at Hyde Park, shopping and tourist attractions like "Ripley's Believe it or Not", Madame Tussaud's Museum, Sherlock Holmes Museum and Oxford Street. Fortunately, on the Sunday I happened to be free, I even got tickets to watch Arsenal and AC Milan battle it out for the Emirates Cup at the Emirates Stadium!
On the whole, the forum provided all the participants an assortment of fields from which we could choose to embark a career upon. Both edifying and fun, this forum was truly indelible. I hope more Indians take part in this forum and share the same enthusiasm as I do. If anyone would like to be a part of this forum as staff or student, he/ she may visit their site: http://www.liysf.org.uk for more details.
(The writer is a student of Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai)
What a wonderful trip! 2011 Participant
Fortunately, as the only representative of LIYSF from Shanghai, I was privileged enough to be leader of the delegates representing Chinese Science and technology institution in this great science forum of its 53rd year. When I scan all the pictures taken during the unforgettable days, I found myself reluctant to leave. What impress me most are not only interesting lectures, but the friends I met in London. All that happened in LIYSF inspires me to enjoy science.
Among all the fantastic activities, the lecture by Dr.Cyril on soap bubbles left the best impression on me. The lecture demonstrated bubbles' image, which taught me a new sight of tiny things. I was so lucky that he leaded me around the University of Kent and gave me a brochure, encouraging me to further my education. If only we could experience the great things again!
One of the most memorable things that happened during the forum was making worldwide friends. Just as Richard told us, I was living in an international community, which was probably more varied than I had ever experienced. As a science lover, I communicated with others all over the world at Student Topics. I felt happy in that I took the opportunity to meet and discuss my views with so many people, and took heed also of their opinions.
As leader of Chinese, I brought the four treasures of the study to some staff members, hoping to write Chinese calligraphy in front of friends from other countries. Leader of students from Taiwan, asked me to write down encouraging words since we are all senior high students. I spared my sleeping time to write it down because it was precious. Time permitting, I wanted to write one for LIYSF myself.
LIYSF has called on us to become staff numbers. I'm glad to be, but I 'm afraid I will graduate from a senior high school next year and I will be at a university during the time. How I wish I could be a deferred one!
I have gained communication skills during the special summer vacation. I have laid a solid foundation for science. What a wonderful trip!
Jiaying Cheng