Science Partnership a Success

Three Kirkley High School students are nearing the end of a year-long partnership with Cefas scientists at the Lowestoft laboratory in Pakefield. The scheme has received the thumbs up from the students and scientists alike.

Cefas scientist, Dr David Righton, says: ‘It’s been a positive step having their involvement over a full academic year, and they really were able to make their own contributions. We’re delighted with how quickly they seemed to pick things up. They’ve also helped us to view our data with fresh eyes.’

Twins Adam and Carl Clarke, and William Lawrance, had input into long-term projects that will aid scientists’ understanding of the sea. Their specialist areas were:

• Adam Clarke: long-term variations in coastal temperatures
• Carl Clarke: sediment processes and eutrophication (over-fertilisation of water that can lead to a lack of oxygen)
• William Lawrance: cod behaviour research and data storage tag analysis.

The second year of the Cefas Science Student Partnership begins in September 2005. Students in the region are being encouraged to apply for just two Partnership places. The deadline is Friday 17 June 2005.

An application form (Word document, 50KB) can be downloaded from the Careers page of the Cefas website (/careers/application-process.aspx). Alternatively, students can contact the scheme’s administrator, Lisa Sivyer, at Cefas: 01502 524274. Cefas scientists will interview short-listed applicants in June/July 2005.

Notes to editors

1. Cefas is an internationally renowned scientific research and advisory establishment, based at Lowestoft since 1902. It also has laboratories at Burnham-on-Crouch and Weymouth, and a number of other facilities around the UK. It became an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 1997.
2. Cefas undertakes work on fisheries management, environmental protection and aquaculture. It offers a wide range of research, advisory, consultancy, monitoring and training activities to government departments (UK and foreign, central and local), international agencies, commercial companies and aid organisations. For more detail see the Cefas website: http://www.cefas.co.uk/.
3. The Cefas Science Student Partnership is aimed at second-year A level science students in Norfolk and Suffolk. The scheme offers students the chance to do real ‘hands on’ work while being mentored by Cefas scientists. Competition for places on the scheme is being encouraged, with only two placements available.
4. The chosen students/‘partners’ will be expected to commit to one day every fortnight for a voluntary placement during their final academic year. Progress will be reported to the students’ school tutors throughout the year. At the end of the academic year, the students will be awarded book tokens and/or cash to put towards specific university course material or books.
5. A photo of the 2005 student partners is sent with this release. The image caption is:

Kirkley High A-level students Will Lawrance (left) and twins Adam and Carl Clarke (centre and right) pore over data at the Cefas lab in Lowestoft.

The photo copyright line is: © Crown copyright 2005. Reproduced by permission of Cefas, Lowestoft

Press contact:

Anne McClarnon: 01502 524370 / a.mcclarnon@cefas.co.uk