The 60th London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) was an event that changed my life and will continue to do so.

LIYSF is a residential science forum held at Imperial College London for students aged 16 to 21. This year over 500 participants from 70 different countries attended. I was privileged to represent New Zealand having been selected and financially assisted to attend by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. I would highly recommend this opportunity to anyone with a passion for science and an open mind.

I had the opportunity to hear from top scientists on topics I am interested in such as antimicrobial resistance and cancer as well as satisfy my fascination for quantum physics at the evening lecture by heavy metal fan Professor Philip Moriarty.

I went on a day trip to Cardiff University in Wales. Before this visit I had no knowledge of antihormones but after having the opportunity to speak to breast cancer researchers at the University I came away having learnt about how they function and their role in cancer treatment. At Cardiff we also were able to learn about and view the different brain imaging technology.

I visited the Cambridge University Biomedical Research Centre and was given a tour of the Histology department. Here we got to see how a sample from human tissue goes through a number of stages to be prepared to become a thin piece of tissue on a slide for pathologists to study. While this was very interesting I learnt from this that I would prefer not to deal with tissue but rather be the pathologist studying the slide.

One aspect I found most interesting was hearing from other scientists about their winding career pathways. The variety of choices and different routes really highlighted just how many options there are in science and that there is no right or wrong path. In fact, two lecturers on independent occasions both highly recommended interdisciplinary study because it means you, “see the world through two different lenses” and are therefore more creative.

The best part of LIYSF was meeting inspirational people. I was surrounded by like-minded students with whom I could discuss matters from pressing scientific issues to how to best balance school with life and what our plans are for the future. My peers at LIYSF have given me hope for the future because if we can collaborate with people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds then we will be far better equipped to tackle to issues facing our world today. I believe LIYSF has brought together the people who will, in the future, be in charge of seeking solutions to the world’s most challenging problems.