Want to futureproof your budding scientist? Is there a glimmer of engineering interest in your 16-year old? The annual London International Youth Science Forum will enlighten, advance and maybe even provide a lightbulb moment for your intellectually hungry child. Now in its 62nd year, it includes lectures from some of the world’s most eminent scientists and Nobel prize-winners and offers an incredible experience for young people aged 16 to 21 from every corner of the globe. The forum is based in central London and runs for two weeks in July and August.
With its toe firmly in the waters of STEM subjects (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to you and me), LIYSF has its collaborative roots in postwar Britain, with the late Duke of Edinburgh becoming its Royal Patron in 1959 – HRH Princess Anne has now taken over those duties. There are over 70 countries represented, and attendees must be currently studying science, preparing for university entrance and have a good written and spoken level of English. There’s a strong commitment to encouraging women in science, and in 2021 female speakers tipped the balance for the first time.
The incredible programme of events is based at Imperial College London and The Royal Geographical Society, with students staying around the corner in university halls of residence. Counsellors who oversee pastoral care are always former participants, so there’s a real sense of community. There are 12 principal lectures, which everyone attends – the keynote one last year was by Professor Sarah Gilbert, creator of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine – plus a large range of specialist lectures, according to the student’s specific interest. These provide golden opportunities to query and engage with the world’s best brains and set minds ablaze with possibilities.
The forum is the longest-running youth science event of its kind. Past attendees tell us one of the best things about LIYSF was that it made science cool and that it was amazing to meet other students who were equally passionate about it. Presentation skills were refined and thoughtful feedback given, which helped university applications and interviews stand out from the crowd, we are told.
It’s not all about London, as the course offers 40 different off-site visits that are astonishing in their range and access. These may be to a university department in Oxford, a research facility such as the National Oceanography Centre or the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine or to Airbus and Rolls Royce. A ‘Science Bazaar’ held back in London gives students a chance to showcase individual research and get all-important feedback.
With the aim of keeping as many students in the scientific pipeline, and as it’s not always possible to attend in person, LIYSF is for the first time running a virtual forum. This will give full access to lectures, both live and on-demand, as well as participation in the question-and-answer sections.
Even huge brains need a rest from intellectual taxation, however, so busy days are balanced with lots of social events in the evening, including welcome and closing parties, game nights and discos. Students often attend as representatives of their country, and so are asked to bring national dress for an international cabaret evening. For many it’s their first UK visit, so cultural excursions around London and to Oxford, Cambridge and Stonehenge are available. Those with a particular interest in physics can continue their LIYSF experience by joining the CERN Discovery Programme in Geneva, held immediately after the forum wraps up in London.