Accounts from some of this year's Summer Vacation Studentship awardees: Exploring professional bioscience

Gaining laboratory experience is essential for students considering a career in research. Each year, the Biochemical Society awards Summer Vacation Studentships to support undergraduates doing just this. The grants are a stipend of up to £1600 over 6–8 weeks over the summer, with students being supervised by researchers who are members of the Society. In 2015, we funded 44 undergraduates, working in laboratories across the UK. Below are accounts from Connor Sampson and Simona Vatavu, outlining their experiences during their Summer Vacation Studentships.