31-07-2025
Association formed to boost connection in sciences
University of Otago students attending the new Otago Biochemistry and Genetics Student Association launch party had reason to pay special attention to the health and safety briefing from co-president Liam Young (right) after a tsunami alert rang out through their mobiles in the Terrace Lounge at the University of Otago on Wednesday evening. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
A lack of tertiary science major social cohesion, and nobody being "mates" has inspired two University of Otago students to kick-start an association.
Otago Biochemistry and Genetics Student Association (OBiGSA) co-presidents Liam Young and Cushla Bridges both came up with the idea after realising people studying the two "closely related" disciplines did not really know each other very well outside the lecture theatre.
Miss Bridges said "basically none of us were mates outside of class".
"We thought that we would make this club so that everyone could come together and have events like this, but also fun things.
"We've had a quiz night, we're going to have like a movie night, a karaoke night, that sort of thing as well."
The demand for a student association turned out to be very high and the room of their official launch on Wednesday was packed to the rafters and a sellout event.
Miss Bridges said they had sold about 120 tickets.
"We didn't expect it, but also we pushed quite hard for it, so I don't know what we were expecting."
Mr Young said they celebrated the launch by getting to "pick the brains" of industry experts at a scientific panel.
"We're basically asking them questions that you just can't find on Google ... Google and ChatGPT, they tell us everything and they seem to know everything — we're asking the humans something a bit more thought-provoking."
He said they wanted some specialists to share their opinionated and controversial thoughts about various science topics.
At the event yesterday were students from a range of majors, including anatomy, physiology, microbiology, immunology majors, biochemistry, genetics and zoology.
Mr Young and Miss Bridges hoped the association lasted long after they left the university.
"You've got to give the dream to someone else eventually," Mr Young said.
