HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GET TO BE SCIENTISTS FOR A DAY

By WVUA 23 Reporter Maria Blough

A group of high school students got the chance to see what a career in science is really like.

Twelve students from different high schools in West Alabama got to be scientists for a day.

“I hope they’ll be inspired and also be able to see that they can do this,” said Lisa Clark, a biological specialist for Alabama Science in Motion.

Students were paired with researchers at the University of Alabama to see what scientists really do on a day-to-day basis.

They worked with the researchers’ on on-going projects.

“I think this is an awesome opportunity because usually you’re just cooped up in a classroom,” said Mallory Akins, a senior at Hillcrest high school. “Most schools don’t have the resources to do any kind of extensive research like they do here at UA.”

Akins worked with a team investigating a bacteria that may be a cause for diseases like Parkinson’s.

She hopes to one day do research like this that helps cure diseases.