HOLY Trinity student, Mitchell Lennon, was selected to attend the University of Sydney’s Science Gifted and Talented Discovery Program three-day workshop held from October 2 - 4.
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Mitchell joined 93 other talented science students in years 9 and 10 from around NSW, ACT and Queensland on campus at the University of Sydney who participated in hands-on workshops and lectures in biology, chemistry and physics.
The University of Sydney’s Science Gifted and Talented Discovery Program entrance exam was sat by 1731 students from 93 schools, with only the top 9.4 per cent of students invited to the workshop, so did Mitch see himself as a gifted student?
“I might have been a bit lucky on the day of the test,” Mitch said with a laugh.
“The workshop was good, it was very interesting. It opened my eyes up to how broad science actually is. There were people from all over the state there, so it was good.”
Mitch said he saw his career path as being in engineering rather than mainstream science.
“The science shows how it all interconnects,” Mitch said.
“I had a great time and it was very interesting. I learnt a lot from people I’m not used to being around and everyone was interested in the same thing.
“I learnt that science isn’t just science – everything we do has something to do with science.”
Sydney University’s Faculty of Science school programs co-ordinator, Jess Morris, said the students got the chance to discover different areas of science and get involved with hands-on activities that they wouldn’t normally cover in school.
“As well as challenging talented science students with the activities, the program gives students an insight into studying science at university. They get to meet scientists who work at the university and find out about cutting-edge research,” said Jess.
“They also meet and become friends with other students who are interested in science, so it’s a great social experience as well.
“At the end of the last day, there was a special closing ceremony presentation by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney. He is always hugely popular with the students.”
The program runs twice a year for three days each in the July and October school holiday period.
