Getting a closer look at the University of Windsor helped him to appreciate the opportunities in his own backyard, said Matthew Lee.

Just finished Grade 11 at Sandwich Secondary School, he was one of dozens of local high schoolers selected to attend the UWindsor Science Academy last week for five days of lab exercises, challenging activities and short lectures.

“I really enjoyed getting to see the different types of science labs and hear from both professors and students about the University of Windsor,” Lee said. “It made me think about coming here.”

His classmate Dina Aiyireti agreed, saying there is a “big chance” that she will study science at UWindsor once she completes high school: “I especially liked the biology DNA lab and the physics laser maze.”

The academy introduces the students to the various programs in the Faculty of Science, from biochemistry and economics to mathematics and computers. For Kouthar Waled, a member of Sandwich’s Sabre Bytes Robotics team, the physics labs provided an eye-opening experience.

“It was really great to see and hear about the research going on here,” she said. “The way they studied the energy levels — and the applications quantum mechanics have.”

Find more photos on the Faculty of Science Facebook page.