Over five intense weeks this summer, Ian Bayliss of Weybridge operated a research-grade telescope remotely to take images of a near-earth asteroid, and then calculated its orbital path, including the chance it will impact Earth in the future.

Bayliss participated in the Summer Science Program, joining 35 other exceptional science students from around the world online for academic challenge, collaboration and personal growth. Bayliss and his colleagues spent over 300 hours collecting and analyzing data in teams of three, overseen by experienced researchers.

They also had the opportunity to talk with prominent guest speakers including two Nobel Laureates — physicist Eric Cornell and oncologist James Allison.