Six teens going to London International Youth Science Forum.

Aquinas College students Joshua Read, 16, (left) Gabriel Brockelsby, 17, Courtney McManaway, 17, Sam Boggiss, 17, Lauren Watson, 16, and Brandon Kengmana, 17, will be attending the International Youth Science Forum in London. Photo/George Novak

Six Tauranga teens will be rubbing shoulders with leading scientists at the London International Youth Science Forum.

Aquinas College students Joshua Read, 16, Gabriel Brockelsby, 17, Courtney McManaway, 17, Sam Boggiss, 17, Lauren Watson, 16, and Brandon Kengmana, 17, will be flying to London on July 22. They will spend 15 days in London attending lectures of their choice at Imperial College, and will also be making trips to universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, visits to industrial sites, research centres, scientific institutions and organisations.

The college students would be based at the Imperial College and would be staying in the halls of residence there while the university students are on vacation.

After London, the six students will spend four days in Paris and three days in Geneva.

Lauren said the aim of the forum was to show students keen on science the possible job opportunities in their chosen field.

She was looking forward to taking part in some physics and nanotechnology lectures, but also hoped to meet new people from around the world.

Lauren said she was encouraged to sign up for the forum by students who took part in it last year.

"My friends from last year that are at university now told me I had to go. They've been really supportive of me While overseas, Laura hoped to be able to visit a taxidermy shop in London and was also looking forward to eating dinner at the Eiffel Tower.

Visiting Cern, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research in Geneva, was also a big drawcard for Laura.

Sam said there were a lot of elective lectures to choose from.

On top of Sam's list were lectures and demonstrations around neuroscience and medicine.

Sam said he was excited as the programme was tailored to each person's interests.

"I'm excited for all the opportunities to meet new people and make new connections. I want to do medicine at university next year, at this stage I want to do neurosurgery but that could change once I get more experience. I'm pretty open to different things, especially science, because that's what I'm interested in and the conference will help there."