Page 20 - FIS World November 2021

A Deeper Dive
A passion for science takes students beyond the classroom
18 FIS World November 2021
Testing the suitability for an experiment to use in the “Science is Fun” Real activity for Grade 4 and 5 students
To find the perfect formula for a passion for science, one must look no further than the FIS Upper School. There, students have embarked on a self-
study of sorts, organizing a variety of clubs aimed at digging deeper into engineering, medicine, physics, chemistry and more.
The collection of student-led clubs provides a venue for students to further explore specific subjects in which they are interested and beyond what they’ve learned within the required curriculum. Upper School Physics and Chemistry teacher Jonathan Brown says, “Students certainly need to learn the fundamentals. But with that knowledge, they are then able to dig deeper into a subject that really interests them.”
Grade 11 and 12 students, Carolin B. and Julie H., are the founders of the FIS Medical Club, a student-led group that caters to peers with interests in medicine or other biology-related professions, including dentistry and psychology. Originally part of a larger global cohort of students interested in medicine, Carolin and Julie found the rigidity of that group limiting and wanted to form something internally that would allow members to pursue their interests here at FIS.
“I’ve been interested in medicine for as long as I can remember and this group was a great opportunity to delve further into the topics that I wanted to learn more about,” said Medical Club member, Kim S. “All members are so helpful and kind, making it a great experience and opportunity to help one another with the academic path of medicine!”
Currently, the group has about 15 active members who meet weekly to discuss current developments within the realm of medicine, but also to organize symposiums, encourage engagement within the FIS community – especially among younger members
– stimulate discussions, and share opportunities to research and publish topics of interest.“We are more of an enrichment group,” says Carolin, who wants to study medicine in Germany after graduation. “We’re trying to help students develop both leadership skills and an interest in projects that can leave a lasting impression.”
That same ethos is at the heart of the FIS Science and Technology Commission (FISSTC), a student- organized STEM group, whose mission is to promote science and technology through advanced research, conferences or competitions. This year, some of the group’s members are conducting independent scientific research within the area of physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology, while