2012 CAMBRIDGE UK-JAPAN YOUNG SCIENTIST WORKSHOP PROJECTS
(NUMBER JAPANESE STUDENTS IN RED)
1 Chemistry (2) with Dr Oran Scherman and Sam Jones. Project being developed on Ruthenium
Nanoparticles and applications to Fuel Cell Technology.
2 Biochemistry .(2) with Prof Sir Tom Blundell FRS and Dr Takashi Ochi, The following text was
sent by Tom and Takashi: Project title "Jewels in the Crown: DNA repair proteins and their
crystal structures". Students will learn how proteins in organisms repair DNA damage caused
by radiation. They will be shown how we use X-ray crystallography to observe the repair
proteins in 3D in order to understand how they work. Tom Blundell is an extremely distinguished
scientist, trained as a crystallographer with Nobel prizewinner Professor Dorothy Hodgkin, and was
until recently head of the Department of Biochemistry in Cambridge. He has a strong personal
interest in Japan. Dr Ochi completed his doctorate with him in Cambridge and has worked with him a
number of years following
3 Cavendish Laboratory (Physics) (6) students split between 2 possibly 3 projects
There will be two linked projects Dr Erika Eiser and Taiki Yanagishima and colleagues in the
Physics for Medicine Laboratory. Taiki led the very successful “Soft Physics” project last year. Taiki
writes “Knowledge of the genetic properties of DNA has revolutionised our understanding of
biological systems and medical science. However, DNA also has fascinating physical
properties. Its double helical "staircase" structure, its ability to assemble in specific ways
shapes their function in nature, as well as their utility. Two linked projects sees two novel uses
of DNA in the setting of colloid science (1) Its use as a specific glue for colloids and (2) the
wonders of microscopic "DNA Origami".
There is also the very real possibility of an excellent third project in the Cavendish with on low
temperature superconductivity. This has yet to me confirmed as there are some organisational
issues. If it does happen, and this will be known very shortly, some students who have opted to work
with the Cavendish will be asked to move to this project.
4 Biological Anthropology PrIME Research Group (5) with Dr Leslie Knapp, similar structure to
the very successful project last year, including DNA analysis and animal behaviour observations but
this time with a different focus. Leslie Knapp has written “Biodiversity and Conservation.” We will
touch upon a number of topics under this general theme but will do some lab work as before
since the students really enjoyed that and I think we will go to the zoo again as that was a
great success but this time they will do a presentation on animals that they observe
there. Further information to follow.
5 Living in a Nuclear Age (5) with Professor Wade Allison, Physics, Oxford University, based on
last year’s very successful “Radiation in the Environment Project”, examining the positive and
negative aspects of living with nuclear energy and looking at the dangers of radiation in the
environment. Students will explore issues using guided searches on the internet and debate and
discussion and making their own decisions on the significance of the information they discover. It
would be very helpful if students in this group had their own laptop computers with them, although
university computers will also be available if needed.
6 Meet the Algae (4) with Prof Howard Griffiths and Prof Alison Smith (Plant Sciences), based on
the success of the “Meet the Algae” project last year. Prof Griffiths has written
“In our lab, students can see how we grow algae, how we assess their response to different light
intensities to photosynthesise, and how we extract potential fuel molecules from the cells. In
addition, we have an outdoor experiment running at the Botanic Garden, where we are testing the
stability of algal cultures and their resilience against invasion by other algae, or predators such as
bacteria or zooplankton. Tasks that the students could undertake include participating in the
sampling and analysis of the outdoor cultures, examination of different species under the
microscope, and possibly the development of additional questions for our quiz and/or Top Trumps
characters”.
7 Engineering (5) A project with Dr Hugh Hunt in the Engineering Department on the construction
and performance of Stirling Engines. This is linked with the very successful project also on Stirling
Engineers with Professor Fumitaro Sekine in the very successful 2009 UK-Japan Young Scientist
Workshop at Kyoto University of Education. We are deeply grateful to Dr Sekine for his support for
the Cambridge Workshop in sharing his experience and expertise with Dr Hunt.
8 Communicating Science (3) with Ben Valsler in conjuction with the university-linked Naked
Science Team. The skills needed to communicate science issues to the wider public is now widely
recognised in the UK and the Naked Science Team is based in Cambridge University and are
involved in training Cambridge PhD science students in the skills and techniques now demanded by
most research funding bodies. We were put in touch with this group by Rolls-Royce who know them
well and who felt that a project in this area would be very important. Ben Valsler writes
Communicating scientific research to the wider public is fast becoming an essential part of
any research project. Already, those wishing to apply for research grants must consider the
“impact” of their work, and demonstrate how they intend to engage with the public. In a wider
social context, good science communication can support and enhance science education, by
helping to inspire the next generation of scientists.
The skills required of a good communicator are applicable to all stages of a researcher’s
career; and can be relied upon when applying for funding, presenting to peers or the public,
writing papers for peer-review. These skills are rarely taught as part of science qualifications,
and young researchers instead need to develop them for themselves.
In this project, the students will have an opportunity to develop those skills, through
researching and interviewing their colleagues about their experiences on the UK-Japan Young
Scientists Programme. They will learn what makes for good communication, and how to
prioritise information to get to the core of the scientific message.
The students would produce high quality articles or podcasts that could be used as part of a
Naked Scientists broadcast, or to form a record of the programme for future years.
The Naked Scientists are an award-winning science communication group based in the
Department of Pathology at Cambridge University. Each week, they broadcast on live radio in
4 countries, and produce some of the world’s most popular science podcasts. Their
enthusiasm for the science they cover has gained them a global following, and over 26 million
downloads of their podcasts.
Aims for the project:
Produce a podcast or written articles covering the work of their fellow students
Present this to their peers
Publicise and promote this as a legacy of the UK-Japan Young Scientists Programme
Objectives:
Develop skills in interviewing, fact checking and narrative development to tell an engaging
story about cutting edge science
Learn how to edit text and audio to prioritise information
Learn how to promote science through good communication
Develop confidence and presenting skills