‘Making Life Better’ with Science

Olivia Lindsay isn’t your typical Year 12 student. With a passion for science and a vision to make life better, the 17-year-old is one out of 20 Australians who will travel overseas in July to take part in the London International Youth Science Forum.

Immanuel Lutheran College student and school captain, Olivia is a girl on a mission to learn, experience and further herself and others through science by way of this amazing opportunity that is right at the tip of her fingers.

The event is a two-week science enrichment program that is held at the Imperial College in London which attracts 500 of the globe’s leading young scientists and includes lectures from renowned scientists and visits to prestigious research centres and universities.

After coming across the event online last year, Olivia sent out multiple emails expressing her interest in hope of scoring an application form.

To gain entry into the London International Youth Science Forum there is usually a prerequisite to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Australia. This is a pivotal program recommended for a student’s attendance. However, as Olivia didn’t attend this forum she had no expectations on receiving an application form in return.

But little did she know, the director of the event himself would soon reply with an application form in praise of her efforts.

“The Head Director in London emailed me back and said that he really liked that I contacted him and made the effort, and was impressed with my initiative and what I stood for,” she says.

The theme of this year’s forum is “Making Life Better” – a philosophy that resonates deeply with Olivia’s future goals and aspirations in medical research and doctoring.

“I’m really interested in medicine and how we can improve our lives and so when I saw that this year’s theme is “Making Life Better”, I thought ‘wow’ this is everything I want to do all in one place,” she says.

From visiting Rolls Royce Motor Cars in London to seeing the world’s largest scientific experiment, The Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, Olivia will arrive back on Aussie shores with priceless worldly experiences and newfound knowledge.

“I’ll get to go to London, France and Switzerland and see all the sites I saw on TV while growing up … I’m beyond excited,” she says.

A community helper at heart, Olivia has actively been involved in her college’s Interact Club since Year 9, fundraising for charities through bake sales and raffles.

Interact is sponsored by the Mooloolaba Rotary Club and is popular among the Immanuel school community, serving to better the school while furthering international understanding. So upon hearing about Olivia’s acceptance into the London International Science Forum, the Mooloolaba Rotary Club helped kick-start funding for her upcoming trip.

I love the community spirit and I think their act of kindness says a lot about the Sunshine Coast and that people are so willing to help you here,” she says.

In addition, Olivia has set up a Go Fund Me page with the goal of raising enough money to experience all the extra opportunities that the London International Science Forum offers.

“Without the support from the community, the whole experience just wouldn’t be there,” Olivia explains.

As the London International Youth Science Forum costs over $10,000, Olivia is counting on the Sunshine Coast to help support her funding and make her experience in Europe a dream come true.

Help spread the word and donate to Olivia’s cause now at https://www.gofundme.com/from-the-coast-to-london-for-liysf