Students Take Part In Science Competition
Dr. Carika Weldon, a 27-year-old Bermudian lecturer and researcher from DeMontfort University in the United Kingdom, is using the foundation that she has set up – Bermuda Principles – as a conduit to give back to her island home by sharing her passion for science education.
Her efforts resulted in the holding of a science competition at Bermuda College on November 4.
Students in a Lab
A spokesperson said, “Dr. Weldon initiated a High School Science Competition which took place on this past Saturday, November 4th at the Bermuda College, with the support of the Ministry of Education and other local supporters.
“Five local High Schools participated in this first annual event: Berkeley, BHS, Cedarbridge, Saltus and Warwick Academy.”
“Each school was represented by teams of five students who began Saturday’s event at 10 am in the laboratories of the Corange Science Centre at the College. The students received a background on forensic science from Dr Weldon and one of her colleagues from DeMontfort, Dr. Michael Randle.
“Once the participants broke out into their school teams they were immediately engaged in solving the ‘who done it?’ of a ‘crime’ they were charged to investigate.”
“All school-teams enjoyed the assistance of mentors drawn from Dr. Weldon’s 18 students who have travelled with her for this project.
“This mentorship by the university students proved to be vital since the Competition allowed the local pupils to learn to use state of the art equipment in their adventure to determine the ‘guilty party’. Of course the interaction of the students from two parts of the world optimized the ‘learning opportunity’.”
Cedarbridge
“The lab work of each team which took some two hours, was assessed by 3 science judges; including Dr Weldon, Dr. Michael Bradshaw – retired Senior Biology Lecturer at the Bermuda College and Dr Michael Randle from DeMontfort.
“Saturday’s event concluded with a session involving each team formally presenting their cases – team by team – before a panel of 3 legal judges – Pusine Justice Charles – Etta Simmons, Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo and Junior Crown Counsel Tanaya Tucker.”
“The team from Saltus won the competition, receiving the Prize – A Genetic Engineering Kit using Bacteria, which was generously donated by Malcolm Furbert, a member of the community keen on empowering young people in the Island.
“The Hon. Lovitta Foggo – Minister of Government Reform and a former science teacher presented the award and noted that from her witnessing all the formal concluding presentations – which took almost 90 minutes – it was evident that ‘all the student participants were winners’.”
Saltus
“Dr. Weldon has arranged a busy schedule for Monday – Wednesday of this week for members of her team to visit the Middle and Senior schools of the island.
“Their itinerary includes spreading the message of the importance of science and providing local pupils with hands-on opportunities to learn something new.”
Dr Melissa Butler [Foundation supporter], Malcolm Furbert [supporter & donated the Prize], myself [supporter], Minister Foggo, Tanaya Tucker [ Junior Crown Counsel], Khamisi Tokunbo, Justice Simmons, Carika.
“On Thursday, November 9th at 6 pm Dr Weldon will be hosting a Movie Premiere at the Lecture Theatre at the Bermuda College. The featured film is an Oprah Winfrey production entitled The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which is a true and surprising story concerning the difficulties around science ethics. Tickets costing $30 are available from PTix.
“The movie is a family-friendly one, based on a best-seller that comes highly recommended by Oprah. Carika has made the film required-viewing for a group of local stu2018. The funds raised by this Premiere will go towards the debate and further projects to expand science education in Bermuda.”
