A group of aspiring scientists were given a special chance to 'expand their understanding' during a trip to the world's largest physics research centre in the world, in Geneva.
The group of 26 students from Saint Felix School in Reydon recently visited CERN – the physics research centre in Geneva, Switzerland.
Here they learnt about the most recent discoveries being made in the scientific community, witnessed the technology and equipment used in the operation of the Large Hadron Collider – the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator – as well as for CMS, one of the four particle detectors.
The group of 12 to 15-year-olds, led by Ronan Kearney and Melanie Westlake, also visited the United Nations Office for a guided tour and learnt about the current issues confronting the UN.
Over the course of the five-day trip to the Swiss city, the group also enjoyed cultural excursions including the Reformation Wall, St Pierre's Cathedral, the Botanical Gardens, the Natural Science Museum and even a chocolate factory.
Ronan Kearney said: 'The trip was a fantastic opportunity for the students to expand their understanding of science and get ideas for careers they might aspire to follow in the future. It was also great for them to experience a new culture and see what Switzerland has to offer; this was combined with a few life skill lessons like cooking for themselves in the hostel, using public transport abroad and interacting with people who have a different native language.'
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