Ein Erfahrungsbericht LYSF von Victoria Hoffman: Science Without Borders

Finally! The day that I would be travelling to London had arrived. I was thrilled. As I walked up the steps to my residence, the air was filled with giddy chatter. My excitement grew even further when we were warmly welcomed by Anne, the Princess Royal, followed by an inspiring talk from Professor Sir David MacMillan. He introduced us to his fascinating research on the development of asymmetric organocatalysis and shared what it felt like to receive THE call from Stockholm. Royalty and a Nobel Prize winner – what a way to set the tone for the incredible two weeks ahead!

What makes you excited about learning? For me it is the challenge of facing real-world problems, understanding their underlying causes, and imagining innovative solutions. I’m especially drawn to the process of trial and error. Not just because it’s how you progress, but because each attempt, whether it succeeds or fails, reveals something new and sparks ideas I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. This mindset made my visit to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory particularly meaningful. There, I saw cutting-edge technology about to transform our everyday life and felt inspired by the researchers working on challenges I often find myself reflecting on. I even saw echoes of the project I submitted to the Swiss Youth in Science Competition – an autonomous robot for fall detection and emergency alerts – in the work of the Personalised Assisted Living Studio in the robotics lab, where researchers develop technologies to support elderly people in their daily lives. Be it exoskeletons that help with heavy lifting, smart rollators that guide their users or robots to enhance memory, their innovations showed me how engineering can directly improve quality of life. Walking through the lab, I felt both inspired and reassured that pursuing Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich was the right path for me.

Over the course of the two weeks, I gained knowledge on so many different levels. With the lecture topics ranging from Public Health over Fusion Energy, Vaccinology, Automated Vehicles, Space Travel Missions and Duality Theory to name just a few. But the real value of LIYSF extended far beyond the lecture halls: it was also about building international friendships. Whether it was on my frequent morning runs to Buckingham Palace, evening walks to Big Ben and London Eye or during board game nights, I got to meet people from every corner of the world. Yes, sometimes there were culture shocks – but wow! The stories I heard were truly fascinating, astonishing and sometimes worrying. We shared our thoughts about political situations in different countries, their economies, security and prosperity. We pondered about the big bang, life outside of earth and the blurred lines between humans and humanoids. We shared our worries about climate change, wars and rising populism.

Lastly, I would like to conclude this report with a quote from Professor Kelly Chibale: “3% make things happen, 5% watch them happen, and the rest wonder what happened. Make the most of every opportunity, because it will lead to another.” Reflecting on the London International Youth Science Forum, I am proud to say that my fellow participants and I aim to be part of that 3%, applying our knowledge to address societal challenges. Inspired by the forum’s motto “Stand up for Science” we strive to shape the future through curiosity, collaboration, and innovation to achieve positive change. I am extremely grateful for the invaluable experience I had at LIYSF, to the Metrohm Foundation for generously sponsoring this journey, and to Swiss Youth in Science for making it all possible.