Local students with a talent for maths and science will meet with the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Manjula Sood today, as part of the Aimhigher Leicester City + Leicestershire ‘You Can Do It!’ campaign. The 17 students from four Leicester Colleges recently travelled to Korolev, near Moscow in Russia to compete in the International Space Olympics. They will present the Lord Mayor with a gift from the Mayor of Korolev City.
Each year Aimhigher Leicester City and Leicestershire fund a trip to Russia so that local students can take part in Moscow’s International Space Olympics. The competition attracts over 150 international students and tests the abilities of talented maths and science students. Four members of Leicestershire’s 17 strong team - from Gateway, City of Leicester, Regent, Leicester and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I colleges - were named as exceptional performers.
The students had to present a project on a subject connected with space exploration to a panel of eminent judges from the space industry and Moscow universities. They then had to sit exams. The students also had the opportunity to visit some of Moscow’s famous sights and learn more about Russian culture.
Regent College student Matt Heaver, 18, who gave a presentation on ’Cleaning up Space Junk’, was particularly well applauded.
He said: “I was surprised to be chosen to go to Russia but glad that I was. The experience was great fun, I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot about Russia and Space.”
The students took part in special master classes at the National Space Centre, Leicester and De Montfort universities before flying to Russia. They were also given lessons in beginners Russian.
Aimhigher Project Leader Neil Stock said: “We want local kids to have more confidence in their own abilities and see that they too could go on to university in the future. One of the past participants in the team now works for the Russian Space industry. By taking part in the International Space Olympics young students often find out more about the options available to them in the future, that University isn’t out of their reach and they really can do it.”
The students who took part were: Simon James, 17, and Dawid Popielec, 18, from Gateway College; Asma Chebbi, 18, Matthew Heaver, 19, Abir Karimbux, 18, Tapiwa Munjanganja, 18, and Rikesh Patel,18 from Regent College; Jatin Daiabai, 20, and Luke Webster, 17, from Leicester College and Richard Bennett, 18, Matthew Cant, 18, Mark Casey, 17, Emma Dootson, 17, Neeraj Durgai, 17, Sophie Bray, 18, Dhara Patel, 18, and Alex Styles,17, from Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College.