Nga Tawa Year 13 student, Lara Westraad has been selected to participate in the Barcelona International Youth Science Challenge (BIYSC) in the next school holidays from July 9 – July 20th 2018.

Lara, an aspiring doctor, was nominated to apply by her Biology teacher, Mrs Daddy. She had to answer a number of questions and provide references to support her application.

100 students from 18 different countries were selected and ten people assigned to a research project each. Lara was given her first choice and will be involved in the research project; Instructive biomaterials for regenerative medicine at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC).

Lara and nine others will undertake a number of different experiments and observations using biomaterials to regenerate tissue cells which will one day hopefully result in regenerating organs.
"I’m so excited to have been selected. I doubt I would have had the opportunity to go to Spain otherwise,” she said.  “I’ll get some free time to explore Barcelona with the rest of the group and can’t wait to visit the Sagrada la Familia, Gaudi’s building and of course sample lots of tapas!"

Lara has contacted BIYSC to see if anyone else has been selected from New Zealand in the hope someone may be able to keep her company for the long-haul flight to Spain. In the meantime, she’ll be busy applying for grants and brainstorming fundraising ideas over the holidays to help cover the costs of her flights and the programme registration fee.