Nuffield Research Placements 2021- Yorkshire and Humber

KEY DESTINATIONS

Following NRPs students are applying to university to study:
Biochemistry
Biomedical science
Chemical Engineering
Computer Science
Dentistry
Economics
Education and Psychology
Engineering
Forensic Science
International Relations
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medicine
Microbiology
Natural Sciences
Neuroscience
Pharmacy
Politics
Psychology
Sociology

Higher and Degree Apprenticeships: I intend to apply to
Accounting medical schools in order

Other destinations: to pursue a career in
Gap year medicine. The skills and
knowledge that I have
gained from my Nuffield

placement will be
incredibly useful.




51 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE STUDENT FEEDBACK
THINKING ABOUT APPLYING?

"This is an opportunity you would never be able to get again. The whole
team is amazing and helpful, especially Paula. I highly recommend you
take part."

"Be diligent! There is plenty of support to help you whenever there is
something you don’t understand or information that is unclear. This is a
wonderful opportunity to learn more about new concepts that are
relevant to current world world we live in."

"I would say just do it. I went into the project with a topic that I would
have not of naturally leaned towards. Yet I came out of the project with a
love for Electronic Engineering."

"I think that this is an absolutely incredible opportunity to immerse
yourself into research. It will be valuable to talk about in your personal
statements, although you need to have excellent time management as
the placement is a huge time commitment!"

"Just jump straight into it even if you are having second thoughts
because it’s a lot of fun and you learn a lot."

"I think the Nuffield Research Placement is an invaluable opportunity that
will help you develop transferable skills to stand out in a university or job
application."

"Do it! There's so many skills you can pick up through Nuffield. It's the
best experience."

"To definitely go for it - it is a amazing opportunity and you learn lots!"

"When taking a placement you may feel that you do not have the skills or
the confidence but my advice is to take the opportunity and prove to
yourself you can do it."

"Definitely apply as it is a unique experience compared to other work
experiences and you will definitely enjoy it!"

52 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

"I would encourage anyone to apply as it is an opportunity to prepare
yourself for the realities of the workload of further education, as well as a
chance for you to show off your skills and conduct research into a field
that really interests you. Having enjoyed a virtual placement I can
guarantee that a face-to-face placement will be an even more exciting
opportunity."
"Definitely apply! You gain soo much knowledge and experience. Even if
you're shy about meeting new people it's the perfect opportunity to come
out of your comfort zone by learning about a subject your genuinely
interested in."
"Yes definitely do it! It’s a fun, interactive and thought provoking
experience that enhances your scientific interests and broadens your
scope of interest."
"A NRP is an invaluable opportunity to gain an insight into what it's like
conducting research and develop transferable skills that will make your
university and CV application stand out!"
"Just go for it, it’s a great opportunity."

53 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE PROJECT SUPERVISOR FEEDBACK
THINKING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED?

"Do it, you can get so much out of it, encouraging the students into science."

"It's great fun and very rewarding to give students an insight into your field,
you may be surprised at some of the output students can achieve! Make sure
you have enough for students to keep busy and be prepared to give a little
training and support, but students seemed genuinely interested and
inquisitive."

"Patience and organisation is key! The NRPs are really fun and you get just as
much out of the students as they get from you."

"Go for it! It's such a fulfilling experience."

"Easier than you think."

"It was great to see them work independently and as a team. The students
covered a lot of work and saved us a lot of time but it was the feeling that we
were supporting them towards their future goals that gave us the most
satisfaction."

"The support from the regional co-ordinator made the whole process very
easy, she was a real pleasure to work with and very helpful. We're sure that
some of our Nuffield Placement students will be coming to work for us in the
future but even if they don't I'm sure they'll all be successful in whatever they
put their minds to."

"It’s an experience worth trying."

"You won't have to "dumb down" the concepts at all, the students are very
capable of understanding new and complex ideas."

"Well organised programme, delightful experience on working with students
and Nuffield staff."

"NRP provides an excellent opportunity for supervisors to improve their
mentorship skills."

"It is an excellent experience to inspire students in to what real life research is
like."

54 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

"This is a very worthwhile scheme and has enabled many students to
transition successfully to higher education."
"It's a great experience and you will have the opportunity to build new
skills!"
"Being a supervisor is just as rewarding for you as it is for the students, it
gave me a lot of teaching and supervisory experience which is important
in my career development. The students are really motivated, and it's
good fun to work with them."
"I would highly recommend being a supervisor. The students are
excellent and bring a breath of fresh air to the projects with their
curiosity, and keen interest."
"It's a really rewarding scheme that is very well run!"
"It will take a few hours of your time in return for a great piece of
research - but for your student, this represents a rare opportunity to gain
valuable skills and experience, which could have a hugely positive
impact on the course of their further education and career. Get involved -
you won't regret it."
"Our coordinator was very helpful throughout the process and made
running the project very smooth and easy."
"It was administered very smoothly."

55 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

STUDENT SUPPORT

Virtual sessions led by NRP Regional Co-ordinator on:

What is a Nuffield Research Placement? Why apply?
How to put together an effective Nuffield Research Placement
application
Drop-in question sessions
Catch up session during the placements focusing on topics such as
on report writing. and applying for the Gold CREST Award

I think the communication from the Nuffield Research Placement team has
been outstanding. I have spent the past few months filling out countless

applications for jobs, programmes etc and by far the communication from the
Nuffield Research Placement team has been amazing, before even
submitting my application. In comparison to similar schemes and

programmes, I believe the clear understanding and efforts of the team
through constant communication is great, especially for students in such

uncertain times!



Naomi Simpson, Greenhead College

56 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

CELEBRATING SUCCESS

Virtual Celebration - 29 September 2021
This was a lovely way to end the NRP programme and for supervisors
and students, past and present, to come together to discuss some of their
experiences and find out about all the placements that took place this
year.

Special Awards went to: Thank you ever so much for
Abi MacNay organising and hosting the celebration
Diana Furtado event this evening, it was really lovely
Formelle Omar
Gemma Kerry to see everyone else's projects and
Immy Payne what they have managed to produce
Mohammed Alam
Naomi Simpson over the course of the placement.”
Olivia Germaine

Ruqayya Hussain
Shantel Bradley Abi Macnay, Abbey Grange Church of
Silvia Sugar England Academy
Spencer Pickering
Thomas Hicks

Currently, 18 students from
Yorkshire and Humberside
have achieved a Gold Crest
Award. CREST is a scheme
that inspires young people to think
and behave like scientists and engineers.

57 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS



Nuffield Research Placements
Yorkshire and Humber

www.stem.org.uk/nuffield-research-placements
[email protected]
@Nuffield_YH

2021

NUFFIELD RESEARCH
PLACEMENTS
YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER

Managed in Yorkshire and Humber by;



TABLE OF
CONTENTS

Page no. What would you say to
someone thinking about
4-5 applying?

6-7 What did you enjoy about the
8-9 placement?

What have you learnt on
placement?

NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE STUDENT FEEDBACK
THINKING ABOUT APPLYING?

"It will be a good eperience and a great addition to your CV/Personal
statements."

"It is a very good opportunity to expand your skills."

"It gives you a good range of skills and looks amazing on university
applications."

"I would say it is a great experience to have and you will learn more
about your subject of interest in greater detial than at college and the
opportunity to work with lots of researchers."

"This is an exciting experience that develops your confidence ,planning
and organizational skills.It will really make you stand out."

"Go for it! It’s a great opportunity to learn and do things you had no idea
you’re capable of."

"Don’t be shy to get stuck in and make friends with your group."

"It’s a really good experience where you learn things that school cannot
teach you."

"It’s a great opportunity to be able to enhance your university
applications and build on your skills."

"It’s a brilliant opportunity to gain skills that will be useful for university
and beyond."

"If you qualify, then it is definitely worth doing as it will help you stand out
to the admissions teams at universities and apprenticeships. It is a lot of
work but in the end it is so rewarding."

"Definitely a must. This is extremely helpful not only for your personal
statement but transitions into uni."

"Put all your effort into it. The experience is 100% work it."

4 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

"Make the most of it, ask questions, it’s over before you know it
organise your time properly and make sure to not leave it to the last
minute."

"Think about skills you want to develop them and have reflections to see
if they were achieved."

"When doing your project, pick something you are truly interested in as it
will make the whole project much more enjoyable."

"Ask as many questions as you can to your mentor and enjoy the
process."

"I would tell them to throughly enjoy it as it was an exciting experience to
carry out research you wouldn't get the opportunity to undertake in
school."

"Do it."

"It is worthwhile to take part, as the placement gives you important skills
that you may need if you are going into a research based field."

"Do it! It’s a great accomplishment to have."

"It is very helpful to develop research knowledge and looks great on a
personal statement."

"Just do it."

"Definitely apply! Such a good thing to talk about for your personal
statement, such useful experience gained, helps you become an adult
even better."

"They should apply, offers key transferable skills needed for university
apprenticeship or work."

"Go for it! You will love it and find it so interesting."

"Jump straight into it, don't think twice about this opportunity as it is great
and will open a lot of doors for your future."

"Simply have a go, the only way how you'll grow and develop is by going
outside of your comfort boundaries."

5 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY ABOUT THE STUDENT FEEDBACK
PLACEMENT?

"Meeting new people." Year 13 student from King Ecgbert School

"How it broadened my scientific interest and linked to real life."
Francesca Jones from Barnsley College

"I enjoyed learning about cancer in a much greater depth and hearing
from a range of researchers who specialise in different subject areas"
Year 13 student from Dixons Free Sixth Form

"I enjoyed the challenge of learning the Abaqus programme. Meeting my
area coordinator, cohort and supervisors, who were very inspiring and
impactful, was a key highlight for me." Gemma Kerry from Scarborough
Sixth Form College

"I enjoyed taking part in real life research." Abigail MacNay from Abbey
Grange Church of England Academy

"Working with a Doctor of Psychology." Zara Mahmood from Greenhead
College

"The confidence it gave me." Immy Payne from New College Pontefract

"I enjoyed being given the freedom to explore my own interests."
Fathima Ramzy from Middlesbrough College

"The guidance from experienced indivduals." Year 13 student

"I enjoyed having so much independence." Annie Speight from
Huddersfield New College

"Meeting my mentor who specialises in the field that I am interested in."
Asiyah Rahman from Elliott Hudson College

"It was really good to be able to work along side professionals in the field
of work I want to work in." Josh Chambers from Elliott Hudson College

6 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

"I enjoyed researching the topic more in depth and gaining a deeper
insight into the topic area." Isabelle Taylor from Holderness Academy
and Sixth Form College
"Being able to challenge myself to research about a technical topic."
Ibrahim Totakhail from Leeds City College
"The independence when studying, its definitely much different to how
you research but always having the help of your supervisor when
needed." Naomi Simpson from Greenhead College
"Making the questionnaire." Attiya Khalil from Batley Girls High School
"I enjoyed working with a senior lecturer who was an expert in their field
and thoroughly enjoyed analysing images using ImageJ." Nisah
Shafiq from Feversham Academy

7 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ON STUDENT FEEDBACK
PLACEMENT?

"How to structure a research report, how to conduct a research project."
Cerys Christlo from Thomas Rotherham College

"Work environment; work life balance; essay writing; strengthened my
independent and teamwork skills." Silvia Sugar from Sheffield Park
Academy

"Time management is key and making sure that you finish everything
before a deadline. I also learnt about how university students research
and compile their findings into an academic report whilst also referencing
their sources of information." Ali Al-Qadi from Tapton School

"I have learnt that I have a love for extended writing. Personally, writing
the research paper was my favourite part of the project." Spencer
Pickering from St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A
Voluntary Academy

"I am able to do work at a high level and that I should be proud of that."
Noor-Ul-Ain Bhatti from Batley Girls High School

"Research skills and learning how to write a research report." Shiffa
Gamal from Tapton School

"Confidence, communication and creating reports." Hena Hussain from
Dixons Free Sixth Form

"The importance and relevance of quantitative data analysis and the
different ways that data can be represented in the media." Mollie
O'Connor from Heckmondwike Grammar School

"How to produce an academic report and poster." Ruqayya
Hussain from Greenhead College

"Learnt about design optimization methods using machine learning."
Adam Mahmood from Greenhead College

"Organisation and time managment is so important." Zainab
Jabarzai from Batley Girls High School

8 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS

"How scientific papers are made and the importance of communication."
Niranjanlal Ahilal from Abbey Grange Church of England Academy
"I've definitely learnt that a report is something that requires a lot of hard
work, dedication and independent work, but also something really
enjoyable if you're interested in the subject." Sania Arfan from Dixons
Free Sixth Form
"One of the many things I have learned from being part of the Nuffield
Research Placement is just how far doing something that makes you feel
uncomfortable to begin with could take you in discovering more not just
about yourself, but also about the community which you may find
yourself working in in the future." Aleksandrs (Winter) Ivanovs from
St Aidans and St John Fisher Associated Sixth Form

9 NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS



Nuffield Research Placements
Yorkshire and Humber

www.stem.org.uk/nuffield-research-placements
[email protected]
@Nuffield_YH

ELIGIBILITY

Who can apply?
Are you over 16 and in full-time education in a maintained school or
further education college in the UK?
Have you ever been eligible for free school meals or are you the first
in your family to apply to study at university?
Do you have at least five GCSEs including mathematics, a science
subject, and English or another humanities subject?
Do you want to apply your scientific and data knowledge to a real-
world research project?
Are you studying one or more A levels in a science subject,
technology, engineering, economics, geography, psychology or
maths?

How do you apply?
Register, complete and submit the online application form.

NUFFIELD RESEARCH PLACEMENTS