Summer of science reignites student’s love of learning

A Bicester School Sixth Form student who ‘struggled to see the point of school’ had a ‘lightbulb moment and rediscovered her love of learning’ earlier this year following a summer internship at a pharmaceutical company. She now has her sights set on studying chemistry at university.

Mia Ash was one of 15 students in the Oxfordshire area to be selected for a paid internship throughout August at Vertex, based at Milton Park near Didcot.

The company hosted the students at its purpose-built Learning Lab, in an attempt to improve diversity in the science sector. Head of their Oxford Learning Lab, Roberts Zivtins, said the internships were targeted at people ‘under-represented in the scientific community’ and teachers in local schools helped identify students who would ‘make the most of the opportunities’.

Mia explained the Learning Lab “was basically like being in school, but applying everything you learned straight away. You were paired with Vertex employer, and each day had a different focus. For example I sampled my own DNA and then using gel electrophoresis, it told me if I was a morning person or a night person – I’m a night person.”

The experience was right up Mia’s street. She explains she had a ‘tough time’ as a pupil when younger, “dealing with a lot of things in the incorrect way, missing a lot of school and I hated learning. I didn’t want to do anything with my life. I was like, do you know what? I’ll drop out.”

Her internship had a profound affect on her and she is repeating Year 13, with a new-found love of Chemistry. “I don’t know what happened, but something switched and it is like my passion now – l love the formulas and the challenge.”

Despite her personal challenges, Mia says the teachers at The Bicester School are ‘all so good and lovely’. They looked past her difficult behaviour, offering her support and opportunities. Alison Rosier, careers lead at the school, encouraged Mia to apply for the Vertex internship, saying: “What’s the worst that can happen? Just do it.”

“When I received the email from Vertex asking for nominations of students from under-represented backgrounds in STEM, I immediately thought about Mia,” said. “She had previously mentioned that she wanted to find a career in science but wasn’t really sure in what area.

“She didn’t always feel motivated about the future and her self-belief was often low. I encouraged her to apply and when she was invited for an interview, she was excited but nervous! But we supported her and the real excitement came when she was offered a place on the programme several weeks later.”

“I cried my eyes out when I got the email saying I’d got in,” said Mia. “The experience was such a turning point for me. I went to Vertex and it’s completely brought my love back for learning. And I remembered why I was here and why I wanted to be at school and why I retook. And so that’s what I’m doing – it affected me a lot.”

Alison agrees wholeheartedly –  “Her enthusiasm about the experience was palpable on her return to school in September. Mia’s dedication to Sixth Form and her A Level studies as well as her self-confidence has noticeably increased and it feels safe to say that the whole application process and experience is a wonderful example of how we support our students to live up to our mission – to Transform Their Lives Through Learning.

“Mia now has wonderful work experience which has developed many transferable and scientific skills which she can refer to in future university or employment applications.”