Natural Sciences students volunteer for a variety of projects.

Natural Science summer projects lead to family scheme, student handbook and more

This summer, thirty students from the Natural Sciences cohort volunteered to work and contribute to a variety of projects. These projects aimed to create useful resources and information for the returning and incoming students, as well as maintaining Natural Science’s sense of community by keeping people connected over the very unusual summer months.

These projects included the creation of an Applicant pack/Fresher’s welcome pack and activities, work around Inclusion and Diversity, a Natural Sciences Handbook, a Buddy/Mentor Scheme, and a Project Enhance Advisory Group.
The students that contributed to this work gained invaluable skills and experience, as well as receiving a Natural Sciences Departmental Award; some students also used their projects towards the Exeter Award and Exeter Leader’s Award, further improving their employability and personal development.

Lewis Brusby, the team lead for the Inclusion and Diversity project, explained that "the Diversity-Inclusion team for the NatSci Summer Internship aimed to pool the talent of our undergraduates and the existing hard work of the Natural Sciences Equality Network to assess what can be done as a course to promote a greater anti-discrimination culture among our ranks. We have made great strides regarding content reviews of lecture materials as well as evaluating our online and event-based presence in this sphere and hope to continue, act by act, to further develop our sense of community by allowing more room for introspection of our prejudices."

Viola Huf, the team lead for the Buddy Scheme said that “Over the summer a group of students came together to create a new ‘family system’ within Natural Sciences. The returning undergraduates had the opportunity to sign up to become ‘parents' to new fresher 'children'. The freshers have all been assigned to their parents, providing them with a point of contact for advice, guidance, or just a friendly face as they navigate university life. ‘Parents’ in turn have the opportunity for guidance from Alumni who were able to get involved as ‘grandparents’ within the families. This all-new system will allow for connection and fellowship at a time when we are kept apart.”

Working on the Handbook project, Charlotte Harvey said that “our team worked over the summer to create a handbook for Natural Sciences students. It includes information on a wide variety of topics from modules to housing after the first year. We also contacted current Nat Sci students and alumni to get their top tips and 'survival' techniques so that the handbook is a great source of information and advice. We hope to create an editor position in the Natural Sciences Society to continually edit and improve the handbook, so it stays up to date and relevant.”

The projects were an enormous success, and have contributed towards excellent resources for the department.

“It was an absolute pleasure working with the guys over the summer, and I’m incredibly proud of what they have achieved. The outputs of their projects are already helping to support students from all different year groups, and the positive contribution made by the large number of volunteers epitomises the ethos of Natural Sciences”. Prof. Geoff Nash, Director of Natural Sciences.

Date: 26 October 2020