From the 5th to 9th of June this year, both Sujean and I competed at the 2019 Future Problem Solving World Finals, in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Future Problem Solving is a competition in which you are presented with a scenario based around a specific issue. You then have to identify challenges within that scenario, work out the biggest issue and create solutions to solve it. After this, competitors create criteria to determine which solution will be most effective in solving issues, and the most highly ranked solution becomes your “action plan”. This is all done within a 2-hour booklet session, known as the “lock up”.

The issue that our scenario was based on was “de-extinction”, the resurrection of extinct species through genetic engineering. Essentially Jurassic Park, but actually possible! We were given this topic in March and researched intensively from then until the competition. Competing as an individual, I was lucky enough to come 5th! Sujean and her team did incredibly well too, although unfortunately, they didn’t place.

I know that Sujean and I both learned a lot from our experiences while competing, not only about de-extinction science! Being immersed in a different country’s culture was incredible, as we got to experience so many new things, like visiting the Johnson Space Center in Houston and walking Boston’s historic Freedom Trail. We also got to meet some pretty amazing Kiwis over there, from New Zealand’s United Nations Representatives to a PhD student studying at MIT. Overall, it was an amazing opportunity that both of us absolutely loved.