Amy O'Toole is a 12-year-old student who helped run a science experiment inspired by Beau Lotto's participative science approach. At age 10 she became one of the youngest people ever to publish a peer-reviewed science paper.

Why you should listen

Amy O'Toole is a 12-year-old student with a peer-reviewed scientific publication under her belt. She took part in a participative science program led by Beau Lotto , called "i, scientist," which inspired a science experiment by a group of 26 primary school students in Blackawton, Devon, UK. O'Toole was never interested in science before this project, but now intends to study the human mind and body. The project led to the publication of the first ever peer-reviewed scientific paper written by schoolchildren ("Blackawton Bees," Royal Society's Biology Letters, December 2010). It starts: "Once upon a time ... ."

Amy O'Toole’s TED talk