Young Biologists Create a Buzz at Royal Society Women in Science Day

Four ambitious biology students made a striking impression at the prestigious Women in Science Day at The Royal Society, where they presented research exploring how climate change is shaping the future of mosquitoes.

Clara, Luca, Bea and Elizabeth, supported by their teacher Dr Jackie Glen, were invited to the event to showcase their project investigating how climate change has affected the abundance and diversity of mosquitoes. Their work, funded through a Royal Society Partnership Grant, has been supported throughout by scientists at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who acted as the students’ STEM partners and provided invaluable guidance.

At the event, the students presented a research poster to an audience that included leading scientists, Dames, Professors and Doctors from the scientific community. Speaking enthusiastically about their findings, the students impressed attendees with the clarity and confidence of their presentation. Several experts commented on how well the research had been communicated, and there was a noticeable buzz of interest surrounding their display.

Although the students noted that their sample size was slightly limited, the relatively high occurrence of Culex torrentium suggested that mosquito distributions could be shifting. This aligned with evidence that rising global temperatures are enabling species to expand further across the hemisphere by creating more hospitable environments for breeding and egg survival.

Beyond presenting their own work, the students also had the chance to hear from some of the UK’s most influential women in science. Among the speakers were Michele Dougherty, alongside renowned pharmaceutical scientist Ijeoma Uchegbu and structural chemist Judith Howard.

Each shared inspiring stories about their journeys in science, offering insights into the challenges and opportunities that shaped their careers.

We caught up with a couple of the students afterwards to find out more about their experience. We asked Clara how it felt to present the group’s research at The Royal Society in front of some of the UK’s leading scientists. “Exciting! Truthfully, it was also a little scary, but having the opportunity to present in front of world-leading scientists and knowing that they wanted to listen to you made it incredibly rewarding. It made it feel possible that one day, you could contribute something like they have in the future.”

We asked Bea if meeting scientists like Michele Dougherty, Ijeoma Uchegbu and Judith Howard changed the way she now felt about a future career in science. “It was reassuring to hear science has developed as a sector to accommodate women and especially working mothers, which made me view scientific professions as more stable than I previously thought.”

For Clara, Luca, Bea and Elizabeth, the day was more than just a presentation, it was a chance to step into the world of professional science, exchange ideas with leading researchers and see first-hand how their work contributes to the wider conversation about climate change and public health.

With their confident presentation and infectious enthusiasm, these young scientists proved that the next generation of researchers is already making its mark.