Three talented Redbridge teenagers spent the first week of their Easter holidays at Cambridge University on a course designed to encourage and inspire young female scientists.

Rosie Power, 16, Sushila Ramani, 17, and Urega Balakrishnan, 17, were three of just 30 young women from state schools across the UK taking part in the Women in Science Residential programme hosted by Newnham College and the university’s science departments.

The Woodford Green pupils experimented with lenses, took a hands-on tour of the new Sainsbury’s Laboratory and enjoyed lectures from female graduate students.

“It was good to meet so many female science role models,” said Rosie, who is studying at Woodbridge High School, St Barnabas Road.

“Physics can be seen as a boys’ subject,” said Urega, from Woodford County High School, High Road, “but the residential has shown us that women can be just as successful.”

“The laboratory work was really good. Meeting so many people involved in science has been inspirational.” added Sushila, who is also at Woodford County.