Member Rob Stanley is taking part in the online engagement competition I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here. Here he fills us in on how it’s going so far….
I have just survived the second eviction of ‘I’m a Scientist Get Me Out of Here’. I feel like poor Deborah has been evicted in my place, and only luck has spared me. She was the one answering questions while I was off gallivanting over the weekend. But no– the voters have decided I should stay another day!
‘I’m a Scientist…’ is a two week competition aimed at working researchers, both in academia and industry, with the aim of demystifying the concept of ‘a scientist’ to school pupils. The pupils get the ability to ask interesting, insightful, and inane questions about science and working as a scientist, and the scientist gains experience in (quickly) writing clear responses which are understandable to a 13 year old. In the second week the evictions begin, decided by popular vote, until only one scientist is left standing – who wins £500 to spend on an engagement project.
I’m taking part in the ‘Lead Zone’ of the current June 2016 competition. This is a general science zone, and I’ve had to field questions on everything related and unrelated to science. In my—so far—favourite question I was asked how the scales of salmon can be used to tell their age (a quick search tells me they grow rings similar to tree-rings). In my second favourite question I was asked if I liked owls (I do). I have particularly enjoyed these non-science questions as they allow us to show that scientists are real people with varied backgrounds and interests.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed taking part in the competition, and with two days left to go, anxious to see who will win!
Are you up for the challenge? Apply now at imascientist.org.uk/scientist-apply. The Physiological Society is funding places for members in the next event, as part of the Sports Science Zone, taking place 7–18 November.