The BIG Scholars seemed quite well settled at Warwick. The visit was the second stop in our planned series of gatherings with Scholars at universities across the UK and France. They spoke so positively about being there: they felt they belonged, were enjoying their degrees and could see how the university would help them achieve what they wanted. Hearing that and meeting the staff supporting them brought home how much the right university environment matters.
It was also wonderful to see them getting to know one another, particularly the older Scholars supporting those just starting out. Olympiad medallists often have a lot in common in what they want from their degrees: that inner desire to push themselves, explore further and go beyond what is required. They can relate to one another in a particular way, and bringing them together gives them a chance to build friendships around that shared outlook.
I absolutely loved being on campus too. Staff had described how beautiful it was during our webinar for BIG applicants, and they were right. It's so green and lush, and buzzing with energy. Being around students in a campus setting made me feel really alive.
We met for lunch at the Radcliffe Conference Centre, where I joined four of our Scholars: Emina and Augustas (Mathematics), and Vladimir and Filippos (Discrete Mathematics). The atmosphere was relaxed, with a great turnout from academics in Computer Science, Engineering and Physics, as well as Bal Thiara, Senior Philanthropy Manager at the University of Warwick.
I was impressed by the care Computer Science staff took to understand the Scholars' goals and help them navigate the university system. Among those attending from the department were Associate Professor Dmitry Chistikov and Dr Marcin Jurdziński. In Engineering, we were joined by Professor James Covington, Head of the School of Engineering, and discussed their strong industrial links, graduates' success in finding employment, and how this shapes the pathways they recommend to talented students. It's something I'm keen to explore as our partnership develops. The Physics staff's enthusiasm for research opportunities, including the Marsh Observatory on campus, made me jealous. We were joined by Professor Daniel Bayliss, who directs the observatory. I'm still a physics student at heart and could happily have signed up to do my undergraduate degree again.
By the end of lunch, the Scholars had exchanged contact details and were making plans to form a group. They were keen to organise student-led events and were interested in setting up a competition maths society, which sounds like great fun. I'm excited to see what they do together and how we can support them.
The personal touch is so important to our work at BIG. I want us to help students find the place that suits their personality and brings out the best in their talent, and I've been reflecting quite deeply on how we can develop that part of our work. More to come.
