A groundbreaking development at St Leonards has given its students unique access into the corridors of St Andrews University.
The St Andrews school has recently announced the appointment of Monika Dabrowska as the very first St Leonards Associate Researcher, a position created to enable its pupils to learn more about life in academia from Scotland’s oldest university.
Monika, who is in the second year of a PhD in the field of International Relations, will act as a point of contact in the University for the School’s pupils, sharing her knowledge and experience of further education with would-be undergraduates.
She said, “It’s an honour to be the very first St Leonards School Associate Researcher.
“To have a real person who is engaged in academic work, knows university life inside out and who they can come to with questions will be great for the pupils.”
As well as being a university contact, Monika – who is specialising in the study of terrorism – will deliver a series of engaging lectures to Sixth Formers (S5 and S6) aimed at helping them develop an appreciation and knowledge of research which will also be applicable to their current studies.
“I’ll be looking at things like the history of terrorism, discussing my research and asking why we study it.
“But I’ll also examine what it means to conduct research and to be a social researcher, covering general methodology in the process.
“The pupils can use this knowledge in academic life later on and in their current International Baccalaureate Diploma studies which involve a unit on the ‘Theory of Knowledge’ and writing a fully researched 4000 word extended essay.”
Monika is looking forward to taking up her role and is confident that exposure to high level university research won’t hold any terrors for the pupils.
“Hopefully I can prove to them that you can turn your passion into real research and show as well that academics are real people,” she said.
St Leonards School already enjoys close links with St Andrews University, its pupils having use of the University library and regularly attending special lectures. Headmaster Dr Michael Carslaw is delighted that the creation of the new post will strengthen these ties further.
He said, “I’m delighted to see the relationship which already exists between St Leonards and the University bolstered in this way.
“The doctoral students at St Andrews University can make an enormous contribution to the development of young lives, especially those considering an academic career.
“I’m certain that the creation of this new position will be of great benefit to pupils at St Leonards.”
Professor Peter Clark, Proctor and Provost of St Leonard’s College at St Andrews University, said, “The University welcomes this appointment a great deal.
“It’s an excellent scheme that helps our postdoctoral students to interact with young people. It helps them to realise that their work means something to young people and allows them to act as role models.
“It is also very helpful for St Leonards pupils to be able to learn from someone who is quite close to their own age about what research really is.
“I hope to see even greater interaction between the two institutions in the future.”