The Orange Zone ran for 4 weeks in May 2021.
It was funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Science and Technologies Facilities Council, and featured 29 scientists working across a broad range of fields.
Over the month, 865 students logged in from across the UK.
During the activity students voted for their favourite scientist. At the end of the Zone, the scientist with the most votes was Emma Yhnell. As winner, Emma gets Ā£500 to spend on further public engagement projects.
Here’s what Emma had to say about her victory…
Thank you so much / diolch yn fawr iawn for voting me as your Orange Zone winner!!
I was so happy when I heard that I had won, I ran around my house doing a little happy dance!
I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the students who voted and asked the most brilliant questions. I have given lots of talks to different audiences and some of the questions that you asked us scientists during the event were the most curious and fascinating questions I have ever had. Keep asking those questions, keep learning and keep trying your best in everything that you do.
Scientists can never know absolutely everything and your questions got us thinking even more about what we do and why we do it. I was inspired by many of you and you students helped to remind me how brilliant my job is. The things that I loved best about your questions were that you asked about us as people. I was really glad that so many of you took the time to ask us about our hobbies, our interests and our pets. We are scientists, but after taking part, I hope that you all realise that we are real people too.
A huge shout out to your wonderful teachers who helped facilitate things and signed up for the sessions. I spoke a lot during the Zone about my inspirational teachers and I only wish that I had been able to take part in Iām a Scientist at school.
I was just one of a team of scientists who took part in the Orange Zone and although we have never met in real life, it was great to virtually meet you all. I also learnt a lot from the other scientists about other areas of science and I was delighted to see such diversity in science and scientists represented.
A huge thank you to the Iām a Scientist team for keeping everything running smoothly, for helping everyone including scientists, teachers and students. Thank you to the fantastic funders, Wellcome, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Science & Technology Facilities Council. Now more than ever, the effective and innovative communication of science has never been more important. Long may Iām a Scientist continue and if you are even half tempted to give it a go next time, I cannot recommend it highly enough!
Emma Yhnell
Orange Zone Winner