Undergraduates get an insight into CSC research
Doing a science degree in a UK university doesn’t necessarily equip undergraduates to make informed decisions about pursuing a career as a research scientist. “Institutes and centres need to provide more opportunities for students to get an experience of what a scientific research career can offer,” says Anne Soutar (Dean of Postgraduate Studies, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre).
“Studying biochemistry can seem like watching reality TV,” says Aaron Yeung, who is studying biochemistry at Imperial College. “But today was a really memorable experience for me, cause I saw an actual mass spectrometer and met group leaders, who sacrifice so much for their aspiration for knowledge.”
As Kate Baird (Student Administrator) explains, “We had hundreds of applications for the summer studentship programme and only nine places. I wanted to offer something to applicants who couldn’t be accommodated this year.” Undergraduate students came from Edinburgh, Bristol, Oxbridge and London Universities to get a taster of CSC research on Friday 1st July 2011.
The symposium allowed thirty of the brightest and best science undergraduates to learn about research at the CSC. Presentations from PhD students – covering epigenetics, metabolism and neuroscience – were followed by an informal lunch with Group Heads. The afternoon encompassed a tour of the transgenic, microscopy and proteomics facilities before a careers Q&A session, giving scientists at different stages in their careers the chance to share their experiences with students.
Almost 90% of the undergraduates fully agreed that the experience was interesting, enjoyable and provided useful information about the CSC. “Speaking to PhD students helped me to understand more about what is required to get into further education at the CSC,” confirms Amina Yonis (Biochemistry, Kings College London).
“Most excitingly we were allowed to get our hands on the real apparatus,” says Cindy Lam (Biochemistry, Imperial College London). “We got to have a go at injecting DNA into embryonic stem cells.”
“And I really enjoyed the lunch with Group Heads,” says Chloe Santos (Biomedical Sciences, UCL). “It gave me a good amount of information about research at the CSC in general.”
As Kate Baird explains, “we really hope that some of these students and their fellows will apply to our PhD programme in a few years’ time.”
Listen to the podcast to hear more about what undergraduates thought of the first CSC Student Symposium:
