We can’t expect EVERY teen to be as excited about STEM subjects in the way 13-year-old Edward is about coding. But his enthusiasm makes us smile and reminds us why we want to engage more young people in STEM. The fact that students can use our projects to explore their own interests, beyond what we anticipated, shows we’re doing something right.

Edward worked on our DNA Origami project, where young researchers fold DNA into novel 2 and 3-D shapes using two computer software programmes. Each were designed and coded by researchers (one by MIT) to enable users to create elaborate designs.

When it came to analysing the 3D shape for his conceived design, Edward he realised that he would have to manually convert a file from one software programme into a format required for the second software programme to achieve it. Rather than suffering through what could be an onerous task, he designed a code to do it for him. This code, he created with his own initiative, has made the process more seamless for IRIS students who, like Edward, are exploring the possibilities of DNA.