Grace Scott received the 2015/16 BBM Youth Support Award for Horticulture and has since returned from the UK with a very detailed report. We have included snippets from the report below but you can read the Full Report Here.

“Hi, my name’s Grace and I’m a horticulturalist who likes to have clean hands. I’m a fan of sparkling white clothes and gleaming, ethanol sterilised surfaces; but also a lover of lush nature and the dizzying natural diversity of the world around us.
Before this trip I found out that I can study plants in the lab, keep clean hands, and combine my love of nature and science to do something that will help people. I want to use my unique skill set to create a type of crop that needs no nitrogen fertiliser, which will be more sustainable and more accessible to communities struggling with food security.”

“As my first solo trip, I learnt more about myself and my own capabilities in the world around me. I learnt that I, a 47kg woman, can carry a 28kgs of luggage up three flights of stairs on the London underground. Apart from science, I was also taught how to salsa dance to “Mr Brightside” by a Mexican, ruined a pair of high heels by going for a 3am walk with new friends on Brighton’s infamous pebble beach, and began a lifelong addiction to an English biscuit called a Jaffa cake. I met great people from all over the world, experienced the chaos of Brexit first hand and even shook hands with a squirrel.”

“In studying this area I realised that an innovation boom was occurring in England, with two institutes working toward the same goal in different ways. Azotic Technologies in Nottingham, John Innes Centre in Norwich and Rothamsted Research in Harpenden each had me for a week. I am incredibly thankful that BBM Youth Support has given me the opportunity to visit all of them, along with attend an international experimental biology conference and work in cutting edge research facilities with some of England’s most incredible minds.”

“Although I was nervous before my departure that I would be lonely; my England, Singapore and Central Europe trip turned out to be the busiest and most incredible six weeks of my life. I am also excited to announce that I was offered a work placement for a postgraduate degree with Azotic Technologies working on my dream bacteria!”

“I have learnt that in life as well as business, it is important to be authentic to the person you are, and not afraid to show a little vulnerability along with your individual flair. Whether you are passionate about dancing, trombone, cricket, gardening, or a bacteria called GD, your passions can shape the world around you. After six weeks on my own, I have become more independent, built upon my self-confidence and learnt more about science than I could ever have imagined. Thank you for giving me this opportunity!”