Last year the closure of schools and restricted access to research labs across the UK put a stop to many of the research placements that would normally take place in the summer. These placements play an important role in providing students with experience of what a career in research is like, before deciding what to do next.
To help provide access to STEM research experience during the pandemic, Susie McLaren (Postgraduate Student in the Steventon Group) teamed up with In2science to deliver a course on ‘Physics in Biology’ as part of their virtual placement programme that took place in the summer of 2020. The aim of the program was to provide students with the opportunity to engage with research material, ask researchers questions about their subject and career path, and provide mentorship. Susie McLaren said: "I really enjoyed engaging with the students and learning how to develop an online course."
More volunteers will be needed in 2021 to deliver research experience placements and mentor students, helping to promote accessibility to STEM-based careers. More information can be found at: https://in2scienceuk.org