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Issue 52 – February 2015 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
Realising Her Dream
T
he annual week-long event held in December rewards
secondary school students, who have an aptitude for
science, with a trip hosted by various scientific/engineering
organisations.
All students chosen were nominated based on a piece of scientific
research, technological development or electrical/computer science/
engineering project.
The 2014 contingent, which Therese was joining, travelled from
Auckland to Wellington visiting places such as DairyNZ, Genesis
Energy and Liggins Institute along the way. A bungee jump off
Auckland Bridge and trips to Adrenaline Forest, Hamilton Zoo and
Circa Theatre topped off a week Therese will never forget.
Realise the Dream revealed to Therese the vast opportunities
Science had to offer and allowed her to meet some inspiring and
intelligent people.
“It made me realise you cannot wait for opportunities to come to
you, you have to search for them yourself,” Therese says.
“My most enjoyable parts were visiting Liggins Institute, as I
would love to do research like they do in the future and also Fisher &
Paykel Healthcare as it sparked an unexpected interest in me about
biomedical engineering.”
Therese was nominated for Realise The Dream by the chief judge
of the NIWA Science Fair after she received top honours for her
project placing her First in Class 5 (Year 11 - 13).
Her science fair project was based on strawberry birthmarks,
a common tumour of infants, in which Therese was looking at
whether GATA-1, an important transcription factor in red blood cell
production, was expressed in the cells of the strawberry birthmarks.
Therese was originally researching the topic for her extended
essay as part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and was
Therese Featherston was one of 20 students
from around the country to be selected for
Re-
alise The Dream
in 2014.
given the opportunity to do her research at the Gillies McIndoe
Research Trust for six weeks.
For Therese, her love of science has been fuelled by the
developing nature of the subject.
“Every discovery leads to more questions; there is always going
to be more to learn. And science is beneficial to society.”
“Finding the cure for cancer for example will be one of the
biggest discoveries.”
She thinks it is important girls arenot put offby themisconception
that mostly men study science.
This year Therese is studying Biomedical Sciences at the
University of Auckland with the hope of being accepted into
Medicine at the end of 2015. She also applied and was selected for
the Science Scholars Programme at the University of Auckland. She
is one of 41 students to participate in the programme.
The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Science commented,
“Therese submitted an excellent essay and a great reference to secure
her place.”
Therese Featherston with the Governor-General, Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry
Mateparae and Dean Schmidt, General Manager of Coporate Affairs, Genesis
Engergy.
