Who’s taking part: November 2018

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here! returns this November for two weeks from the 5th to the 16th. Scientists and school students across the country will be taking part in ten different zones, from Memory and Sleep, to Fast Computing and Sustainability!

For the latest news and announcements about the event, find us on Twitter @imascientist, and follow the hashtag, #IASUK. Want to take part in our next online event? Sign up here for 2019.

Let’s meet the scientists and schools taking part…


Childhood Zone

The Childhood Zone is a psychology zone for sixth form students supported by the British Psychological Society.

The Psychologists

Tom Gallagher-Mitchell | Lecturer, Liverpool Hope University

I research why some children (and adults!) are afraid of maths, and how this may cause problems in school work and everyday life.

Sarah Hodge | Lecturer, Bournemouth University

Morality and video games

Owen Jones | PhD Student, Liverpool John Moores University

Does the way you travel to school make you happier and healthier?

Nathan Hook | Civil service campus in Bristol.

I work with data to create insight into what is happening in education (schools, colleges, apprenticeships, prisons, etc.) & childcare (nurseries, childminders, etc.) in England, so inspectors know what to look for when they visit.

Lorna Camus | PhD Student, Heriot-Watt University

I’m finding out how moving to secondary school affects autistic children’s mood and emotions, and how we can help them deal with negative thoughts and feelings!

Abbie Jordan | Lecturer, University of Bath

My work helps children and young people to manage painful conditions so that they can live happy lives and do things that matter to them.

The Schools

  • Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr, Abertawe
  • Wigan And Leigh College, Lancashire
  • St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College, Lancashire
  • South Wilts Grammar School For Girls, Wiltshire
  • Queen Mary’s High School, West Midlands
  • Dame Alice Owen’s School, Hertfordshire
  • Cleeve School, Gloucestershire
  • Burford School, Oxfordshire
  • Bay House School, Hampshire

Crystallography Zone

The Crystallography Zone is supported by STFC.

The Scientists

William Glass | PhD Student, University of Oxford

I use computers to simulate biological machines

Rebecca Roddan | PhD Student, Birkbeck College / UCL

I’m using proteins called enzymes to make drug molecules which can be used to treat different diseases

Callum McHugh | Lecturer, University of the West of Scotland

I use chemistry to improve our way of life by designing molecules that conduct electricity and detect explosives, and try to pass on this knowledge to students to help them become our scientific leaders of the future.

Alice Loasby | Research Associate, University of Bristol

I do lots of protein purifications, assays and crystal tray set ups.

Adam Berlie | ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

I fire particles into different materials to see what they do, how they work and answer fundamental questions about chemistry and physics.

The Schools

  • St Gregory The Great Catholic School, Oxfordshire
  • Smithdon High School, Norfolk
  • Silverdale School, South Yorkshire
  • Newbattle High School, Midlothian
  • Murray Park Community School, Derbyshire
  • Meridian School, Hertfordshire
  • Markham College, Lima, Peru
  • Lasswade High School Centre, Midlothian
  • Hounsdown School, Hampshire
  • Eastlea Community School, Essex
  • Ashton Community Science College, Lancashire

Epidemic Zone

The Epidemic Zone is supported by Wellcome

The Scientists

Verity Hill | PhD Student, University of Edinburgh

I use the genetics of Ebola to work out why it spread so far in West Africa and how we can stop it happening again!

Trystan Leng | PhD Student, University of Warwick

I study how sexually transmitted infections spread through populations, how the structure of sexual networks affects their spread, and how this impacts their control.

Raquel Medialdea Carrera | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

I am an epidemilogist fascinated about virus, bacteria, epidemics and outbreaks!

Catherine Smith | Postdoctoral, UCL

I’m digging into data to track outbreaks of infections and work out how to stop them spreading.

Andy Guise | Lecturer, King’s College London

My research looks at what being homeless and excluded feels like, and what causes it, and what we can do about it

The Schools

  • St Dominic’s High School, Antrim
  • Sheringham High School, Norfolk
  • Riverside College Halton, Cheshire
  • Rainham Mark Grammar School, Kent
  • Midkent College, Kent
  • John F Kennedy Catholic School, Hertfordshire
  • Herne Bay High School, Kent
  • Darrick Wood School, Kent
  • Colton Hills Community School, West Midlands
  • Buile Hill Visual Arts College, Greater Manchester
  • Bingley Grammar School, West Yorkshire
  • Berkshire College Of Agriculture, Berkshire
  • All Saints Catholic College, West Yorkshire

Fast Computing Zone

The Fast Computing Zone is supported by STFC.

The Scientists

Stewart Martin-Haugh | Postdoctoral, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

I am a particle physicist with the ATLAS experiment

Miriam Hogg | PhD Student, University of Leicester

I use computers to simulate how star systems evolve, specifically how stars may interact with one another as they age.

Laura Kent | National Physical Laboratory

I work on lifetime testing of electronics to help make them smaller with higher performance.

Kathryn Coldham | PhD Student, Brunel University London and CERN

My work is on increasing our understanding of a very heavy particle called the top quark, as well as working on improving a section of one of the detectors in the Large Hadron Collider called the Tracker

David Ho | PhD Student, Imperial College London

I try and predict the properties of particles that might exist, but have never been detected.

The Schools

  • The British School Yangon, Myanmar
  • St Alban’s Catholic High School, Suffolk
  • South Wilts Grammar School For Girls, Wiltshire
  • Lismore Comprehensive School, Armagh
  • Lawnswood School, West Yorkshire
  • Hayesfield Girls School, Somerset
  • Harris Girls’ Academy East Dulwich, London
  • Greenbank College, Merseyside
  • Gordano School, Bristol

Memory Zone

The Memory Zone is a psychology zone supported by the British Psychological Society

The Psychologists

Warren Mansell | Lecturer, University of Manchester

I study how control and a sense of purpose is at the core of life, mental health and well-being, by listening to patients’ experiences, evaluating talking therapies in communities & schools, and by building smart apps and even robots!

Shanti Shanker | Lecturer, Bournemouth University

Do you like to forget the day you had a fall? I am interested in what are the brain mechanisms that help you forget things that you do not want to remember.

Pizza Chow | Postdoctoral, Hokkaido University (Japan) and affiliated with University of Exeter (UK)

I study how clever squirrels are, using different problem tasks to see how squirrels perceive the world

Paul Matusz | Junior Group Leader/ Lecturer, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland

My research focuses on how to best combine experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience & technology to improve classroom learning

Nadine Mirza | PhD Student, The University of Manchester

Why are people from different cultures not getting help for dementia and what can I do about it?

Alex Reid | Lecturer, The University of York

I investigate the influence of sleep on the human mind, in particular memory and dreams.

The Schools

  • SGS Berkeley Green UTC, Gloucestershire
  • Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy, Derbyshire
  • Peebles High School, Scottish Borders
  • Outwood Academy Shafton, South Yorkshire
  • Ormiston Park Academy, Essex
  • Millais School, West Sussex
  • Hylands School, Essex
  • Hounsdown School, Hampshire
  • Francis Holland School, London
  • Ark Victoria Academy, West Midlands
  • Albany Academy, Lancashire

Sleep Zone

The Sleep Zone is supported by the Physiological Society

The Scientists

Yousef Alqurashi | PhD Student, Imperial College London

I’m a sleep scientist and I help people to stop snoring at night. #FightSnoring

Rachel Sharman | Postdoctoral, University of Oxford

Oxford Teensleep project: looking at interventions to improve teenagers sleep, health and well-being, and school grades

Petrina Lau | Postdoctoral, MRC Harwell

I study how sleep affects our brains

Michael Ambler | Postdoctoral, University of Bristol

I am trying to figure out how animals are able to switch themselves off to hibernate. I hope to use this knowledge to see whether humans might be able to hibernate

Jason Ellis | Professor, Northumbria University

I watch people sleep…which sounds creepy, I know…so I can understand why other people can’t sleep

Emma Gale | Postgraduate student, University of Oxford and University of Hull

I am studying sleep medicine at Oxford University

The Schools

  • The Elton High School, Lancashire
  • St Paul’s School, Barcelona, Spain
  • St Dominic’s High School, Antrim
  • St Anne’s Roman Catholic High School, Stockport, Cheshire
  • Sirius Academy West, Hull
  • Mallaig High School, Highland
  • Furness Academy, Cumbria
  • Fitzharrys School, Oxfordshire
  • Corpus Christi Catholic High School, Cardiff
  • Churnet View Middle School, Staffordshire
  • Acklam Grange School, Middlesbrough

Sustainability Zone

The Sustainability Zone is a primary school zone supported by Wellcome.

The Scientists

Matt Bower | Drinking Water Quality Regulator, Scottish Government

I use science to check that the water company is providing tap water that is safe to drink and looks and tastes good

Maia Elliott | UK Research and Innovation

I analyse and summarise food to help find solutions that will make our food system more healthy and sustainable

Lyndsay Christie | Cefas/University of Bath

I look for bacteria inside of fish and find out if they are bad bacteria (which make the fish ill) or good bacteria (which make the fish healthy) to help fish farmers make healthy fish

Liam Taylor | PhD Student, University of Leeds

I study climate change and how it impacts the world’s icey regions!

Dionne Turnbull | Postdoctoral, University of Dundee

Plants get sick too… I work on finding out how they recognise and fight disease!

Brendan Marrinan | Mott MacDonald, Bristol

I’m a contaminated land consultant working with builders to make land safe to live, work and play on

The Schools

  • St Peter And Paul Catholic Primary School, Surrey
  • St Mark’s Cofe Primary School, Manchester
  • St Bridget’s Primary School & Nursery Class, Glasgow
  • Shaldon Primary School, Devon
  • New Town Primary School, Berkshire
  • Montgomery Primary Academy, West Midlands
  • Lark Rise Academy, Bedfordshire
  • Irchester Community Primary School, Northamptonshire
  • Gunton Primary Academy, Suffolk
  • Gillespie Primary School, London
  • Fetlar Primary School, Shetland Islands

Einsteinium Zone

The Einsteinium Zone is a general physics zone supported by STFC.

The Scientists

Kathryn Harriss | Postdoctoral, University of Kent

I investigate impacts between two objects at very high speed, using a very big gun!

Graeme Poole | Postdoctoral, University of Bristol

I look at rocks from space to find out how the Earth, Moon, planets and solar system formed over 4 billion years ago

Chris Davies | Industry and private sector, Tata Steel UK

I help to improve quality issues in the steel industry

Anne Green | Professor, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham

I’m looking for dark matter, the invisible and exotic particles which appear to make up most of the material in the Universe

Agnes Wojtusiak | Other, Central Laser Facility, STFC

I’m building a crazy contraption as big as an entire classroom that shoots invisible lasers!

The Schools

  • Ysgol Rhosnesni, Wrexham
  • Wirral Metropolitan College, Merseyside
  • Thorpe St Andrew School And Sixth Form, Norfolk
  • Stranraer Academy, Dumfries and Galloway
  • St Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Antrim
  • St Alban’s Catholic High School, Suffolk
  • Somervale School Specialist Media Arts College, Somerset
  • Prendergast Ladywell School, London
  • Levenmouth Academy, Fife
  • Harris Invictus Academy Croydon, Croydon
  • Brayton Academy, North Yorkshire

Fermium Zone

The Fermium Zone  is a general science zone for primary schools supported by Wellcome.

The Scientists

Sophie Morse | PhD Student, Imperial College London

I get medicine into the brain using bubbles

Simon Cork | Postdoctoral, Imperial College London

I study what controls hunger and how we might treat people who are overweight

Obi Umegbolu | Data Analyst, Estio Training

I help people to start or maintain a career in data.

Kelly Rushton | Postdoctoral, University of Manchester

I do research to find ways to make mental health care better (and on the side I look at how pets can help people with mental health problems)

John Midgley | British Geology Survey

I’m working out how I will drill into a volcano and core the Earth’s 900 deg C magma

Jessica Leung | Kerry Ingredients

I taste/test flavours and ingredients that can be found in your food & drinks!

The Schools

  • Victoria Primary School, Edinburgh
  • Sullivan Upper School, Down
  • St Philip’s Catholic Primary And Nursery School, West Yorkshire
  • St Michael’s Cofe Primary School, Oxfordshire
  • St Mary’s Primary School, Londonderry
  • St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Morecambe, Lancashire
  • St James’ Church Of England Primary Academy, Dorset
  • St Andrew’s Cofe Primary School And Nursery, Hertfordshire
  • Newdale Primary School & Nursery, Shropshire
  • Leasowes Primary School, Staffordshire
  • Kirkhill Primary School, Inverness-Shire
  • Greenhill Primary School, West Yorkshire
  • Friskney All Saints Church Of England Primary School, Lincolnshire

Mendelevium Zone

The Mendelevium Zone is a general science zone for secondary schools supported by Wellcome.

The Scientists

Morwenna Bugg | NHS Clinical Comissioning Group

I explain science to people who share out the money so that we can have hospitals, doctors and medicines

Jamal Kinsella | PhD Student, University of Southampton

I research how people think and look at the world when driving cars so we can make them safer

Iain Staniland | British Antarctic survey

By attaching small electronic tags I investigate where Antarctic Seals go when they are at sea and how they find and catch their prey

Heidi Gardner | PhD Student, University of Aberdeen

I work out how to work stuff out – desiging clinical trials to be as efficient as they can be so that we can cure diseases more quickly!

Emma McEntee | PAREXEL

I’m the first to find out if a new medicine works!

Carl Heron | The British Museum

As an archaeological scientist, my role at the British Museum is to help preserve, investigate and promote to the public the global collection of objects for the benefit of all

The Schools

  • Weston College, Somerset
  • The John Henry Newman Catholic School, Hertfordshire
  • The Deanery High School And Sixth Form College, Lancashire
  • Swindon Academy, Wiltshire
  • St John Wall Catholic School, West Midlands
  • South Wirral High School, Merseyside
  • Shimna Integrated College, Down
  • Perth Academy, Perth & Kinross
  • Norton College, Worcestershire
  • Hitchin Boys’ School, Hertfordshire
  • Heathfield Community College, East Sussex
  • Ferndown Middle School, Dorset
  • Ethos College, West Yorkshire
Posted on October 24, 2018 by modjosh in News. Comments Off on Who’s taking part: November 2018