Three Shenton College students gained an insight into university study during a four-day work placement at The UWA Institute of Agriculture during the October school holidays. 

Year 10 students Tom Roberts, Alexander Wong and Angelica Anastassiou learned about high-level research projects, observed researchers at work and took part in experiments and communications activities.

The placement is part of a longstanding partnership between UWA and Shenton College which aims to give students an insight into what they can expect from university life if they decide to study at UWA. 

They also attended the annual UWA Institute of Agriculture annual Postgraduate Showcase event, where eight PhD students presented their research and their findings.

Angelica assisted with event management, social media promotion and communications projects.

“This placement has opened my eyes to other possibilities that can happen in my future,” she said.

For the final two days, Tom and Alexander worked in a lab to help to process chickpea plant samples from a drought study.

Alexander said the placement had broadened his horizons and given him new opportunities and new things to look forward to in his future.

“I have really enjoyed the hospitality that the staff at UWA really take care of us as students and they really make us feel welcome especially in parts of the experiments,” Alexander said. 

Having always dreamt of studying at UWA, Tom said he could now “definitely picture” his future as a university student.

“To just be able to gain an understanding and to see how it all works, to see the functions of experiments and how Professors conduct it – I think that’s a great experience,” he said.