Discovery is stellar for fledgling scientist
The excitement of science has bumblebees and undiscovered planets swirling through Claire Shi’s head, and has taken her as far as Stanford and Yale universities.
The Palmerston North Girls’ High year 13 prefect won the science section in the Manawatu Science and Technology Fair in August for her project testing methods for curing bumblebees of mite infestations.
She also led a school project to celebrate Planet Nine – an undiscovered but theorised planet, far out in our solar system – and contacted one of the lead astronomers responsible for proposing the planet’s existence.
The science committee organised pupils to make 20,000 origami stars in tribute to the 20,000 years it is thought the planet would take to orbit our sun. Shi’s mum ended up threading strings from 29,000 stars because the project was so popular.
Claire, 16, says she has been inspired to reach further in scientific discovery by camps encouraging young people in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
In July, she travelled to Stanford University in California, to attend a three-week Pre-collegiate Summer Institute engineering course, where participants carried out projects sustainability.
Last year, she took part in a Yale Global Scholars camp, focused on science, policy and innovation. ‘‘It was really broad. ‘‘It was really awesome to meet people from around the world, and learn the many different focused on perspectives, and share ideas from New Zealand.
‘‘Camps really expand your mindset. Instead of just reading from a book, they push you to explore everything to your limits and find out what you’re good at,’’ she says.
‘‘You meet so many new friends internationally and because of these opportunities I thought of contacting the [Planet Nine] professor.’’
Science is exciting because it is based on fact and allows a mix of logic, creativity and new discovery, she says.
She is considering studying biomedical science at university next year.