Taste of top science tempts Tokoroa pair
Interactive, hands-on field and lab work were the highlights for two Forest View High School students attending the Hill Laboratories Waikato Science Summer School last week.
The week-long action-packed Summer School ran in December at the University of Waikato, and gave 40 talented year 12 students from around the central North Island the chance to get a taste for what it can be like to study science and engineering at a tertiary level.
For Tokoroa students Leonie Nugroho and Western Wilson, the journey began with a full-on two day field trip during which they explored the areas of Kawhia and Waitomo. The group searched for fossils at Puti Point, collected zooplankton samples at the Kawhia jetty and enjoyed a walk through the Ruakuri Caves.
The remainder of the week was spent in Waikato University’s science and engineering labs, analysing samples, conducting experiments and building prototypes to better understand the environmental and social changes the local coastal and cave environments have undergone over time. Group presentations by the students ended the week.
‘‘The Summer School was an amazing opportunity to learn about science and engineering, but also to meet a whole range of new people, which has been awesome,’’ Leonie says.
Main sponsor Hill Laboratories is the country’s largest privately owned analytical testing laboratory. The Summer School included a visit to the company’s laboratories for a tour of their facilities.
‘‘For those passionate about science, it is a lifelong journey. We are proud to be supporting these talented young students who have begun their own journey of scientific discovery, and look forward to the contributions they will make in their chosen fields in future years,’’ says Dr Jonathan Hill, Hill Laboratories environmental divisions manager.
Waikato’s Summer School is an annual event run by Rotary District 9930 and Waikato University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, with sponsorship from Hill Laboratories.