Pupils overseas-bound with research findings

After carrying out marine science research on the research boat, Polaris, Otago pupils Tessa Watson and Thomas Craig cannot wait to wing their way to Thailand to discuss their findings.

The Otago Girls High School and South Otago High School year 11 pupils were selected to take part in the Deep Thought course run at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre at Portobello.

They and seven other pupils took part in a trip on Polaris. Split into two groups, they worked on oceanography while others studied sediment on the ocean floor.

Working alongside professional marine scientists, they carried out testing at various sites off the Otago coast, looking at temperature, solidity and chlorophyll levels, Tessa said.

"It was really fun."

From her research work, they were selected to participate in the APEC Young Scientist Conference to be held in Thailand next year.

They will travel in early February to present their findings from their Deep Thought research.

Details of the trip were still sketchy, apart from it being all expenses paid, as they were informed of their selection only recently.

For now, the pair knew they would be tackling an experiment with an oceanography theme and would get 15 weeks of online mentoring to help guide them as they decided on a subject and worked through all the processes.

It was not until Tessa started high school that she became interested in science, but she was already impressing her teachers and peers, having been identified as a gifted pupil.

Unsure of what the future held for her, at this stage, she was interested in studying astrophysics at the University of Canterbury.

Thomas has always had a love of science and was preparing to fine-tune his own experiments, which would be studied and analysed by dozens of other young scientists from around the globe.

He studied mathematics, English, science, accounting, computing and graphics but admitted his love for science meant it dominated much his time.

In his spare time, he took flying lessons at Momona and had an interest in aeronautical science.

"One day, I would like to design aircraft."