By STACEY BODGER
Margaret Peace never doubted she would one day study science.
Her sight impairment means she needs help pouring noxious chemicals and a mini-telescope to read the lecture board.
But the North Shore 19-year-old, who scored straight As in her bachelor of science chemistry papers this year, says such obstacles make passing exams more satisfying.
"My impairment was never going to stop me - science was it for me and I haven't actually broken anything yet, let alone blown up the lab.
"I do strike a lot of problems, but that just means finding a way around them."
Ms Pearce is one of 28 blind or sight-impaired New Zealand students to receive study grants from the Oppenheim Tertiary Education Trust.
The trust was set up 11 years ago by sight-impaired Waikanae couple Dr Leonard and Virginia Oppenheim and is administered by the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind.
Ms Pearce is an albino, deficient in melanin, which is essential to sight development. What most people can see at 6m, she can see only at 60cm.
She finds working at arm's length in a fume-hood difficult because she has trouble judging distance.
"But [tutors] are very understanding when I have to ask if I have dissolved all of a substance."
Despite her top chemistry grades, Ms Pearce hopes to major in physics next year.
She said the Oppenheim grant would ease the burden of the extra costs - large-print texts and a closed-circuit television system - which her special needs add to course fees, and means she will not have to find part-time work.
"That's really important because, with my sight, I'm a bit slow at finishing work."
Poor sight no barrier to student's success
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