Rupene Skipper

I’m a New Zealand Student originating from Dunedin. My name is Rupene Skipper. I am of Māori descent and am an aspiring musician and scientist.

How has attending ISS excited you to pursue a career in STEM? Can you elaborate on what you’d like to pursue and what has inspired this?

ISS showed me that real scientists existed, and that it was a real possibility to lead a life researching anything from cosmology to quantum physics. This excited me as I hadn’t previously recognised that I could also pursue cutting-edge research in many scientific fields. Due to this realisation, I have taken more of an interest in physics as a career option, either as a researcher or a teacher.

What’s the most interesting thing you learned at ISS?

Of the stuff I learnt at ISS, I found myself most passionate about the quantum physics and cosmology taught at the lectures. I was quite interested in the ways that dark matter interacts with the universe as a whole.

Did you learn or experience something unexpected at ISS?

Due to the wide variety of students that went to ISS and their backgrounds, I learnt a lot about how life works for many people across the world. I found it interesting to compare my own personal experiences as a Māori person to the other students.

How can you use the knowledge you’ve gained at ISS to contribute to your wider community in the future?

ISS changed my perspective on what’s possible for my future as someone passionate about STEM, and I feel that it’s important to tell other people about these opportunities. On top of this, I feel that telling other Māori people about these opportunities can help develop the Māori community as well.

Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?

ISS was an incredibly positive experience that changed the way I viewed the world, both scientifically and as a student. I made friends, learnt about the world, and fuelled my passion for sciences.