Future Trent student, Jessica Livingstone, is well on her way to ensuring a better tomorrow. As a winner at the 2021 Peterborough Regional Science Fair (PRSF) and Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF), the incoming Trent/Fleming Ecological Restoration student has her sights set on preserving and restoring our natural world and protecting the ecosystems within it.

“After working on my science project, I found a love and interest for sustainable waste management as well, so I'm hoping to get involved in more projects and efforts regarding this once I am in post-secondary,” says Jessica, who claimed first prize in the Senior Earth & Environmental Sciences category of the PRSF, which included $1,000 entrance scholarship to Trent. She was also one of five local students to advance to the CWSF, where she won a bronze medal and a Challenge Award for her project titled A Mountain of Technofossils: Is This the Hill We Want to Die On?

Building skills for university success

Trent University plays host to the PRSF, with many staff, faculty and students involved in this annual community event. The partnership presented Jessica with the opportunity to get a head start on building her network at Trent. She believes that the fairs also equipped her with many of the skills required to excel at university.

“I think my science fair experience has prepared me for university in many ways,” explains Jessica. “It gave me many opportunities to practice my presentation styles and oral communication skills – from preparing for judging to actual judging days. I feel that this experience has really helped to break me out of my shell and I'm incredibly excited to start this next chapter of my life!”

While Trent’s renowned School of the Environment and leading Biology programs are what attracted Jessica to the University, the thing she is most excited about is honing her skills in an area of study that she’s passionate about alongside like-minded peers and experts.

“Getting to work alongside so many others who share my interest and passion for this area of science, as well as starting to specialize my knowledge in this field are both things that I am extremely excited about,” she says.