STEM Students Explore Europe

A spring break trip to London and Paris provided an amazing opportunity for a group of St. Agnes STEM students. From touring London’s renowned Science Museum to experiencing the Curie Museum in Paris the students spent the week immersed in both European culture and science.

“I have traveled to both London and Paris before, and I wanted to share my experience,” said Mr. David Tran, US Biomedical Teacher and STEM Coordinator. “It is important for my biomedical students to see the commonality between nations on medical innovation. All healthcare professionals strive to help elevate ailments that plague our global society.”

This was the first year St. Agnes hosted the biomedical trip to Europe. Highlights included visits to London’s Science Museum and the Florence Nightingale Museum, as well as a walking tour - the Making of Thoroughly Modern Medicine. Students had a lesson in forensic science on The Jack the Ripper Walking Tour visiting spots where important evidence was discovered. While in Paris the group toured the Museum of the History of Medicine and The Curie Museum where they learned the history of radiation and cancer treatment.

 “This experience provided a wonderful opportunity for the students to make a connection with real world medical innovation and what they are learning in our program. The students saw how, throughout history, each generation has made advancements in the STEM/Biomedical field,” Mr. Tran added.

When we asked students to reflect on the trip, you could tell they were truly inspired by the experience.

“I am going into the field of forensic science in college next year, so I really enjoyed the Jack the Ripper tour in London,” said senior Addie Brady.  “We learned so much about the advancement of forensics over time, and the methods used in the past. “And I loved the Marie Curie museum - it's inspiring to see the advancements of women in science, especially in a time when it was uncommon!”

“The highlight of the trip for me was being able to experience the culture of London and Paris and connect it to STEM and our knowledge from our Project Lead the Way classes,” said junior Danni Rogers. “I loved waking up and going to the Palace of Versailles, but then booking it over to the Marie Curie Museum. For me, the trip was an eye-opening experience that proved STEM connects all cultures.

“Without a doubt, I enjoyed going to The Science Museum in London the most! It was absolutely amazing for everyone, even those not focused on STEM. Of course, I LOVED the medicine floor of the museum. It was filled with display cases of tools and items that correlated to our Project Lead the Way classes. We got to see some of the medical tools used by Edward Jenner to create the smallpox vaccine and a model of the well that John Snow used to target the origin of cholera in an area. It was such a fun experience to share with Mr. Tran as he connected it to our classes,” Danni added.

In addition to the STEM adventures, students also spent time at iconic sites including Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the National Gallery, as well as the Louvre, Arc De Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.  Mr. Tran hopes to make this a biennial trip, offering it again in 2025.

The Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science curriculum at  St. Agnes is a rigorous sequence of courses that allows students to investigate the roles of biomedical professionals as they study the concepts of human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology, and public health.