Young chemist set to quiz MPs in the House of Commons

A Teesside University chemistry student has been selected as one of just six young scientists set to grill MPs in the House of Commons.

Final year BSc (Hons) Chemistry student Lewis Tull has been selected to take part in the Voice of the Future 2013 event marking national Science and Engineering Week.

He is just one of six students nationwide who have been invited to put questions to MPs at the House of Commons on Wednesday 20 March.

Lewis, 21, who is originally from Essex, said: 'I'm a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, which is involved in the Voice of the Future 2013. Student members from across the country in various levels of academia were invited to submit questions.

'From those questions, six students were chosen to visit the House of Commons to ask their question in person.'

The aim of the event is to provide an opportunity for young scientists and engineers to participate in a Science Question Time with MPs, including Science and Shadow Science Ministers.

Lewis said: 'My question, which is for Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts, is whether he feels MPs who are given a ministerial role can be expected to be competent if they have no experience of having worked in that particular field.

'It could be that a government minister for science may have no experience of working in that industry, or similarly with the minister for health or transport.'

Lewis added: 'It’s a real honour to be chosen to take part in this event and I’m really looking forward to visiting the House of Commons, along with the opportunity to make some connections and contacts.'

The MPs will answer questions from young scientists in the Boothroyd Room, a Parliamentary Committee Room within the House of Commons, with the students sitting in the seats normally reserved for MPs.

Lewis, who aims to progress to PhD study, added: 'I wanted to come to Teesside for the degree as the University’s location means it has lots of links with local industry. You can really be in the centre of it here.

'I’ve really enjoyed the degree as you really do get from it what you’re willing to put in. While on industrial placement I completed offshore survival training and travelled to Wales and Holland, where I was involved in delivering a detection PIG, a pipeline investigation gauge used in subsea pipelines.

'The degree has given me a massive amount of laboratory experience and I’m currently employed by the University to conduct research into hydrothermal carbonisation of microalgae, as well as working on my final year research project which compliments my studies.'

He added: 'The lecturers have been superb and the class sizes are kept small so you get lots of one-to-one contact. All the lecturers are experts in their field, with industrial experience and postdoctoral experience at an academic level.'

Dr Joe McGinnis, course leader for the chemistry degree, said: 'Lewis is a dedicated and hard-working student who has a real enthusiasm for his subject. This experience will be a great addition to his CV and he will be a fantastic ‘ambassador’ for the University.'

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