Queenstown Research Week Teacher Scholarships
The MWC provided three secondary school science teachers the opportunity to attend the Queenstown Molecular Biology conference in partnership with the Queenstown Molecular Biology Society. This enables the teachers to immerse themselves in contemporary biological research and to network with colleagues and biological scientists from around the world.
(Left to right) Queenstown Research Week Teacher Scholarships recipients, Summer Edwards, Melanie Young, and Hamish McLellan.
The Queenstown Molecular Biology conference is part of Queenstown Research Week and is one of New Zealand’s largest annual gatherings for scientists working in molecular biology and biomedical science. The MWC developed the Queenstown Teachers Scholarship in 2013 as a way to help enrich biology teachers’ current scientific knowledge to share with their students and peers and complements the MWC teacher professional development scheme, which recognises the valuable role of biology teachers for teaching and inspiring students, especially those who may not have easy access to tertiary institutions. These scholarships make a real difference to teachers as evidenced by their testimony.
Novel treatments for leukaemia, 3D printing of cartilage, AI-augmented patient diagnosis to counter a shortfall of laboratory technicians and tunnel-house fruit tree production without pollinators on – were a handful of the 200 scientific research presentations piquing interest at the 2023 conference.
For scholarship recipient Summer Edwards, the chance to be immersed in academia and surrounded by top scientists was a privilege. The Assistant Head of Science at Gisborne Boys’ High School says learning about emerging research was enriching and provided her with new, real-world examples and contexts from molecular biology to share with her students.
“I walked away with lasting friendships, a full brain, new ideas, inspiration and a full suitcase packed with nerdy science freebies” she says.
Melanie Young is Head of Biology and Agriculture at Southland Girls' High School in Invercargill. The Queenstown Molecular Biology conference opened her eyes to the thousands of careers available in “not only science but in biology alone”, and she was impressed with the outstanding presentations. Her highlights included listening to Distinguished Professor Dame Margaret Brimble speak on the 20-year team effort to get a drug to treat Rett syndrome and to Dr Hilary Sheppard on the revolutionary technology using human skin cells to grow new skin on agar, then re-attach to a patient’s body to treat serious skin conditions and burn patients.
“Constant surprise about what is possible and available to modern biologists” is a lasting impression for Hamish McLellan, Head of Department (Science) at Nayland College in Nelson.
“The way CRISPR, sequencing, and DNA synthesis are now such mainstream tools relates directly to some of what we do in class. And the trades, the range of new and emerging technologies being employed in modern biology is amazing to see and it is so wonderful to be able to share with my department and students. I have made connections with people in research and industry that will strengthen teaching and learning in my school.”
MWC also supported Teacher Liaison Ms Rachel Heeney from Epsom Girls Grammar School to attend and coordinate the teachers’ conference experience.
Rachel says MWC funding to support three teachers at the Queenstown event is highly valued by the community of biology teachers across New Zealand.
“It is an absolute privilege to be welcomed at this conference. The venue, organisation and programme is top notch for the mixing of minds and always inspiring for the three funded teachers and those who use their professional development funds. I never tire of meeting the teachers and listening to the scientists, and I love taking new information and the behind-the-science stories back to my students.”