Blake’s trip of a lifetime
Ballina’s Blake Bambrook, who completed Year 12 at Ballina High last year, was honoured with an invitation to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Sweden last December. Here is his account of the trip …
Five weeks of your life can go by so quickly that the memories of that period can easily fade into a blur. How often do we stop for a second to remark that a month, maybe two, has been so busy that it feels like it never happened?
At the other end of the scale, I continue to be stunned by the number of vivid flashbacks to what was one mind-blowing journey to the other side of the world and back again. Never before have five action-packed weeks had such an impact on me, physically, mentally and emotionally … all for the better of course!
It is erroneous to assume that it is simply a five-week experience, when in fact it all began about 10 months earlier, on a night warm, humid and otherwise completely unexceptional. When the call came through, the conversation with an NYSF Student Staff member wandered from general talk through to this question, completely out of the blue: “How would you like to be nominated for the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar in Sweden?”
Is that a trick question?
With some help from my trusty local Rotary Club (Ballina-On-Richmond) and the many generous locals to whom I am eternally grateful, this mirage became tangible. The airline companies were finally satisfied to have me on board.
Travelling to a continent for the first time is a life-changing experience; the second time is indescribable! Having had the good fortune to have traveled to France on exchange when I was 15, I had a reasonable idea of what to expect, but nothing could prepare me for the culture and history of the UK.
We spent 11 days touring an island that really deserved a much more thorough investigation. From the Monuments of London, through the Jane Austen prestige of Bath, on to the ghost stories of Edinburgh, and finally to the academic pinnacle that is Oxford.
Great Britain turned out to be the perfect springboard into the week-long Stockholm forum. After backpacking for while, it was time for a well-earned rest in one place. Although, rest it wasn’t.
With rarely a spare moment, the co-ordinators and participants filled every moment with lasting memories. I have never felt such admiration as for the 23 other participants and their very advanced research topics, including developing new rocket fuels, snow-resistant building design, and my personal favourite, the flight of Ping Pong Balls.
While initially this may seem a simplistic research topic, the two Germans’ concepts on the effects of spin, velocity, and launch angle on ball trajectories have changed the way we play all ball sports; right through to the professional level.
My own research project focused on Biodiesel production specifically adapted to Australian conditions and the potential economic, political and environmental benefits. The SIYSS offered the ideal environment for sharing these ideas and finding inspiration for new directions to investigate for further research.
The week was backed up with science ethics seminars, a rather nerve-wracking meeting with the Crown Princess of Sweden, and visits to the world famous Karolinska Institute of Technology and the Swedish Academy of Sciences.
To conclude an exceptional week, the Nobel Ceremonies and Nightcap overwhelmed the senses from every angle, with the elegance, glamour and awe of mixing with some of the world’s greatest minds; laureates past and present.
The thought that Einstein, Roentgen, and Planck, (among many others) have been past laureates, brings the message home that one day, when textbooks honour the names of Fire, Mello, Smoot, Mather and Kornberg, I will be able to say: “I met those science legends!”
Now with 23 amazing new friends from 16 countries around the world, a desire to remain in Stockholm forever and a half serious promise to return next year, it was unfortunately time to move on.
And what better place to move on to but mainland Europe, where suddenly, speaking English is not so effective and that backpacker’s mind-set must be redonned.
City after amazing city, from Copenhagen, to Berlin, Zurich to Rome, each with their own character, sights, language (and currency… who said the Euro was universal???). But nothing could prepare me for a second look at Paris.
Not only an opportunity to exercise those rusty French skills, but to meet up with a friend from my time on exchange and immerse myself once again in the life of this spectacle that is Paris.
Our trip ended on a rather special note, in Hanover, Germany, my first ever Christmas away from home, sharing the celebrations with the family of a German friend.
With Christmas on the eve of the 24th rather than the 25th of December, and the 10-hour time difference, we opened presents at the exact time our families in Australia were doing the same.
The warmth of strong religious and family traditions made this a truly memorable conclusion to a trip that brought new independence, understanding, memories and of course friends for life.
PICTURE: Blake Bambrook and friend in formal attire for the Nobel Prize ceremony and banquet.
Related link: http://www.ballina.info/blog/2006/09/23/award-winner-blake-doubly-honoured/
