Students from secondary schools in Oxfordshire met scientists working on stem cells at the Dunn School, to explore the fascinating biology and application of stem cells in medical sciences. The workshop actively engaged students through various activities aimed at deepening their knowledge on stem cells. The students gained knowledge on the ability of stem cells to regenerate organs and how studies performed in laboratories can be translated for clinical studies, ultimately benefitting patients.
The students expressed their excitement and positive experience about the workshop on learning new aspects on stem cells from the experts. Prof William James from the Dunn School, who organised the workshop, commented about the event to be a very successful and enjoyable one. When asked about the interaction between students and the scientists, Prof James said: “It was nice to see them (the students) transitioning from being hesitant to more confident with a spark of interest and started asking questions“.
The stem cell workshop was attended by selected pupils from three local secondary schools: Matthew Arnold School, Oxford; Icknield Community College, Watlington; and Wood Green School, Witney. The workshop was held in conjunction with Science Oxford, a part of the charity organisation, The Oxford Trust. Science Oxford is dedicated to offering students an opportunity to learn and know more about STEM subjects and career options through organising workplace visits. These events are hoped to then catalyse the students’ interest in exploring more, and taking up extended opportunities like STEM placements run by Science Oxford.
The stem cell workshop held at the Dunn School is featured by Voices from Oxford and can be found at http://voicesfromoxford.org/video/dunn-school-stem-cell-workshop/852.
To read more about research in the James lab.
For more information on STEM workplace visits and placements, please visit:
https://scienceoxford.com/schools/secondary-schools/workplace-visits/
https://scienceoxford.com/schools/secondary-schools/stem-placements/
Written by Sreerekha Pillai