Callum Ullman-Smith proves young genius still exists
with his study of Palmate newts.
Photo; Callum
Ullman-Smith with best friend Smudge, playing on an x-box 360 in his family
home.
A 12 year-old schoolboy
is making a name for himself in the scientific world after delivering a talk to
experts at a conference in Edinburgh this week. (19th of October)
Callum Ullman-Smith,
age 12, gave a talk about his study of the Palmate Newt to the Amphibian and
Reptile Conservation Symposium in Edinburgh, on Sunday.
Callum, who stated
monitoring the unusual Palmate Newt population when he discovered it at the age
of seven, has found fame on the BBC News, newspapers and online sites across
the nation and some globally, including the New York-based online news site The
Dodo.
“I feel like I’ve done
something important”
For a near teenage boy
this virtual fame has not gone to his head, he said: “I feel fine about it
[fame], it was actually quite good fun.
“I feel known. I feel
like I’ve done something important. I don’t exactly feel famous as such.
“I would like to be
kind of famous. I don’t really want to be a super star, I just want to be
known.”
Callum is now most
defiantly ‘known’, although did not expect this fame, saying: “It was normal
for us I just thought it would continue with us studying them. I never thought
this would happen”. Callum and his mother Janet Ullman, who has supported him throughout
the development of his research, have achieved and discovered a great amount
about the Palmate newt and the newt in general through their commitment to this
project, which they thought they would never get anything out of.
Photo; Callum Ullman-Smith searching for Palmate
Newts in costal pools.
As a team Callum and
Janet have worked exceedingly hard on this project, managing to juggle Callum’s
schooling and social life as well and Janet’s job heading up the Highland
Seashore Biodiversity Project, which takes up most of her free time. Callum
said: “We go out once a month, every month, well we try. So we see what changes
there are in the pools every month."
“I suppose it’s easy
because I enjoy it”
Janet said: “I enjoy it
when he [Callum] is happy, so it’s all rather enjoyable.
“There’s times when
it’s a month where it’s pouring down with rain and we can’t get out, so the
weather is frustrating.
“I suppose it’s easy
because I enjoy it.”
Callum, who spends his
time gaming when he isn’t studying News, says: “I would like to write books
about prehistoric and European animals. And I want to continue studying until I
have more answers than questions. I hope to one day work with bigger animals,
like Rhinos, but the Palmate Newt shall always be my favourite.”
Read more about this
story at;
Comments
Post a Comment