Two Memorial University students will represent Canada while taking the trip of a lifetime this summer.

Anton Afanassiev and Noah Taite will represent Canada at the 58th annual London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) from July 27-Aug. 10. The forum is a world leading event for the globe’s most promising young scientists.

‘Adventure of a lifetime’

For two weeks, the undergraduate students will be at Imperial College London with about 475 other young scientists from 75 countries embarking on a world-class program of lectures, with access to research centres, laboratories and educational institutions.

Mr. Afanassiev, who is going into this second year of the pure math program this fall, noted that he’s been interested in science since he was a child, so the opportunity to attend the forum is a “pretty big deal” for him.

“The LIYSF will let me meet and hear from leading figures in these fields, and also let me explore other fields in science,” he said. “Most importantly, I will get to share this experience with my peers from around the world. The trip will almost certainly be the adventure of a lifetime!”

‘Expand my breadth of knowledge’

“In high school, we were really only exposed to introductory topics of biology, chemistry, and physics,” said Mr. Taite, who completed his prerequisite courses for the pharmacy program before deciding to enrol in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science for the coming fall semester.

“First year of university showed me that there are many more fields than that and that research is being conducted around the world in each of these fields. I hope that by participating in LIYSF, I will get to expand my breadth of knowledge in the massive field of science and gain insight on what is out there to be studied.”

Great Scientific Discoveries

The two students were invited to the forum through a competition held through the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science. They were required to submit an application that outlined their academic achievements, and an essay detailing why they wished to attend the forum. Ten applicants were selected for an interview after which Mr. Afanassiev and Mr. Taite were selected.

The residential program includes youth between the ages of 17 and 21. The theme of this year’s forum is “Great Scientific Discoveries” with keynote addresses from the executive director of The World Academy of Sciences in Developing Countries, Prof. Romain Murenzi and Nobel Prize winner Prof. Ada Yonath.

Founded in 1959, LIYSF aims to give a deeper insight into science and its applications for the benefit of all mankind and to develop a greater understanding between young people of all nations.