SERC Students Secure Nuffield Future Researcher Placements

Five students from @S_ERC (SERC) have secured coveted placements Nuffield Future Researchers organised and funded through the Nuffield Foundation and Northern Ireland based charity, Sentinus. The students will participate in research from home, working with experts in a virtual learning environment.

Bangor student Naara Araujo (Bangor), will be working in Biomedical Science, at Queen’s University Belfast; Lisburn students Megan Jess (Dromore) and Paul French (Lisburn), will be working in Environmental Biology with RSPB along with Downpatrick student Mary Black (Newcastle); and, Jackie Morgan (Ballynahinch), also from the Downpatrick Campus, will be working with the Psychology team at Queen’s University Belfast. The students are studying on the Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science at Bangor and Lisburn Campuses and the Access Level 3 Award in Foundation Studies at the Downpatrick Campus.

Megan Jess, from Dromore, has just completed first year of the Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science said, “I am really pleased about securing the placement. It is very exciting to be working and learning more about research which will benefit the work of the RSPB. The programme will give me the opportunity to broaden my understanding, contribute to important research and access to a network of supervisors and experts already working in the field.”

Collette Carson, Head of Applied Science, Sport and Access to Education at SERC said, “We have a comprehensive programme of science courses at SERC, covering many disciplines, and our students are always keen to get involved in opportunities to broaden their knowledge and build their networks. We are delighted that five students have secured coveted places on the Nuffield Future Researchers programme which will help give them the edge, whether progressing to further studies or into employment.”

Ciaran Lynch, Nuffield Research Placement coordinator for NI and Project Manager for Sentinus said, “There are only 70 places available each year on the Nuffield research program for 9500 students that apply to UCAS. The students acquire valuable research skills as well as being in a very small minority that can use this experience and achievement in their UCAS application.”

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being.

Sentinus is a not for profit educational charity which works with schools and colleges throughout Northern Ireland to deliver programmes which promote engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and support the development of young people by enhancing their essential life skills to more than 50,000 students annually.