While spring, the end of school studies, formals and Schoolies usually mark the most exciting points on a year 12 student's calendar, Elise Kellett has another highlight planned.
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The Dickson College student will travel to Britain in July to attend the London International Youth Science Forum, a prestigious conference attracting about 500 16 to 21-year-olds from 75 countries.
During the two-week event, Elise will attend lectures and demonstrations from leading scientists and visit laboratories, research centres and other areas of scientific excellence.
She was selected to represent Australia after she took part in January's National Youth Science Forum, but was initially surprised to hear the news.
"First I found out I'd missed out on a forum in Germany, so I assumed I didn't get anything," she said.
"I had a week of disappointment, but then they gave me the news about London and it turned straight to excitement."
Elise, who tutored maths and science in her spare time, said she was most looking forward to visiting research centres and meeting people from across the world.
"It'll be really interesting to see how people think about science in cultures other than Australia's," she said.
After returning from the youth forum and graduating from college, Elise said she hoped to study an advanced science degree, before moving on to genetics, biodiversity or medicine as a postgraduate.
Science itself is not Elise's only interest in the field; she said she was also passionate about improving the number of women entering STEM fields.
A member of the YWCA Young Women in Leadership Group, Elise said it was important to ensure a greater number of women were supported and encouraged to enter the fields from a young age.
"It's something we need to address in high school and primary school, because even in my age females aren't doing science or maths," she said.
"There's a girl I tutor in year 4 and, for her, it's not so much that she can't do the maths, it's that she doesn't have the confidence to put her hand up and ask the questions."
The London International Youth Science Forum will run from July 26 to August 9.
