The students completed scientific projects in Crick labs and STPs, joined training activities, attended seminars and refined their scientific presentation skills. Learn more and hear from the students about their experience...

Sandwich student programme

At the end of June, we said goodbye to 10 sandwich students who completed a 12-month placement at the Crick. The sandwich student programme is designed to provide undergraduate students from UK universities with experience working on defined scientific projects in our research groups and science technology platforms. The programme also helps to promote the Crick as a center of excellence for future PhD students and scientific staff.

Throughout the year students joined various training activities, attended internal and external seminars and received training in scientific presentation skills before presenting their excellent talks on their research project at a Crick Sandwich Student Symposium last week. 

External opportunities

Special congratulations to placement students Libby (Chemical Biology STP) and Vanessa (Light Microscopy STP) who have been selected to speak externally about their placements and showcase their contribution to the Crick and the groups they joined.

Libby was invited to speak at the 2024 Young Chemist Panel UG Industrial Placement and Apprenticeship Symposium in Manchester.

Vanessa was invited to participate in the 2023 Physics of Life BioImage Analysis Symposium in Dresden and the 2023 Crick Bioimage Analysis Symposium and in 2024, Vanessa presented her second poster at the European Light Microscopy Initiative 2024 in Liverpool.

Hear from the students

During my placement at the Francis Crick Institute, I had the most incredible introduction to life in academic research. My confidence and independence grew immensely throughout the year, with multiple opportunities to network and present my research.

– Libby, Chemical Biology STP

During my placement I have been involved in projects with a real-world impact, and developed skills from university as well as gained new ones. I have also received plenty of educational and career guidance, and I am now more confident and informed to pursue postgraduate study.

– Rebecca, ITO software Engineering & AI

I have greatly enjoyed my sandwich year placement at the Crick. It has benefitted me in numerous ways – giving me experience working on my own research project, allowing me to expand my knowledge in my scientific area, allowing me to learn new skills and techniques, and much more. I also had opportunities to present my work and improve my soft skills such as communication and networking. I had the support of my supervisor and my lab as a whole throughout. I would highly recommend this placement to future students.

– Shaun, Briscoe Lab

My sandwich student placement has lived up to all of my expectations and more. The open and sharing culture of the organisation has meant that I could fully absorb as much of the wealth of knowledge available as I wanted, with daily talks open to all to attend and friendly staff happy to meet and discuss their work. The student team have been wonderfully supportive along the way, additionally providing a programme of useful sessions across the year. The project I was recruited to work on has enabled me to learn and work above my academic level and given me access to technologies and equipment that are not available to students at my university.

– Kerry, Flow Cytometry STP

This placement year has provided me with a plethora of technical and interpersonal skills. The opportunity to explore different areas of research is also helpful for me to make an informed decision about pursing a research career.

– Minh, Metabolomics STP 

Thank you all for your contribution to the Crick over the last 12 months, do continue to keep in touch with us! 

Did you start your scientific career on a sandwich placement at the Crick? Share your experiences in the comments box below!