ISSI 2019 Guest Blogger Ismay Forsyth

Each year we ask UK students who have taken part in the Dr Bessie Lawrence International Summer Science Institute (ISSI) to write a guest blog to reflect on the month they spent in Israel working as part of a research team alongside scientists at the Weizmann Institute. Outside of lab time students explore Israel while forming friendships that will last a lifetime. Ismay Forsyth went to St Paul’s Girls’ School, London.

Ismay Forsyth's ISSI experience

I’ll be the first to admit that I had mixed feelings about spending a month on an intensive summer school immediately after my A level exams. However, I can safely say that it ended up being one of the best months of my life!

Our days at the institute were jam-packed with lab research, lectures, country presentations, iced coffee drinking, trips to Rehovot, washing disasters and socialising late into the evening. During our time in the lab, my group focused on the structure of the N-terminus of an unusual protein called SARAF. This gave us an exciting opportunity to carry out original research and get to grips with some of the key experimental techniques needed for work in any biological wet lab, from gel electrophoresis to high pressure liquid chromatography. It was a fun and relaxed environment that really encouraged us to ask questions and try as many new things as we wanted. When we were not carrying out our own research, we were attending lectures by Weizmann professors on their research. A particularly inspiring lecture was given by Nobel Prize winner Professor Ada Yonath about her work on the structure and function of the ribosome. I think we were all rather starstruck at getting to meet someone whose work is such an important component of biological understanding today.

In the evenings, we took part in a range of fun activities including star gazing, an Israeli dance party, karaoke and a recital at the President’s house. We even found time to watch the nail-biting Wimbledon final on the projector screen in the club house. This time really revealed quite how talented everyone was, with tales of music competitions, sailing successes and aviation adventures emerging as the days went on.

We spent the weekends travelling around Israel, embarking on trips to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Akko and Haifa. We saw the famous sites, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Caesarea and Yad Vashem, but also found time to relax at the pool, play card games and fill our stomachs with delicious Israeli food. These trips provided the best time to bond with everyone and experience Israeli culture first-hand. Towards the end of the month, we also ventured into the Negev desert. Although slightly apprehensive about the 40-degree heat, the 5 days of hiking, sight-seeing and snorkelling were one of the biggest highlights of the trip. From camping under the stars to climbing mount Masada at breakneck speed in order to reach the summit before sunrise, it really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

My personal highlight of the trip was getting to spend time with 75 of the friendliest, funniest and most talented people I have ever met. The ISSI really is a melting pot for fascinating intellectual discussions. I know that I have made friendships that will last a lifetime from all across the world and I cannot wait for the many ISSI reunions to come. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that deciding to go on the ISSI was one of the best decisions I ever made!

More information about the Bessie Lawrence Summer Scheme.

Read Jack's Guest Blog

Read Ishani's Guest Blog

View the photo gallery from ISSI 2019

Published: August 28, 2019