Under the microscope with Angus Whitteker A select group of New Zealand's most remarkable young biologists are selected for the annual New Zealand International Biology Olympiad (NZIBO) training camp. In 2024, College student Angus Whitteker is among the few to win a spot. While all are vying for a place on the national team to compete internationally, selection for the training camp is both rare and prized. For the Year 13 College student, “the NZIBO is a very inspirational process and many exciting opportunities become possible because of it, such as being able to learn techniques and use high- level equipment that allow for a future career in Biology”. “I enjoyed 10 days of intensive activities, learning, and lab work, in fields as diverse as ecology, marine biology, plant sections, and animal dissections to spectrophotometry,” Angus says of his time in Auckland. “We were also able to use the University of Auckland’s wonderful facilities and collect samples and conduct field work at the Leigh Marine Lab and Tiritiri Matangi Scientific Reserve. “Being able to immerse yourself in something you have a passion for over 10 days is truly an unforgettable experience. The people you meet and skills you pick up really influence the rest of your life and I believe that both the support from the school
“Being able to immerse yourself in something you have a passion for over 10 days is truly an unforgettable experience.”
and the NZIBO programme have significantly contributed to my passion and success in the field. “I strongly encourage others to really take on this opportunity as not only is it a wonderful experience, but you meet many other like-minded and motivated people. While it is a lot of work,
it is also a lot of fun. It was a world-bending experience, with inspirational and aspirational activities and an opportunity to achieve highly. “Having had such a wonderful experience with the NZIBO, I hope to study medicine at the University of Otago, having gained
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