News

The two June events are fast approaching. This morning I realised that there are just 19 working days left until the start of I’m a Scientist on June 11th. Let’s blame all these sneaky bank holidays. On the plus side we’re well on the way planning for the events. Teachers We’ve selected teachers to take part in the two events. We’ve let them know how many classes they’ve got in which zones . Both the ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Los Angeles’ events are full and we’ve got teachers on the waiting list for classes. The artwork for the teacher packs is designed and is being printed. We’ve updated the teacher notes by removing the Information Sheets and Project Analysis lesson plans, as they weren’t used by many teachers. We’ve replaced the debate kit with the new ‘Drugs in Sport’ version, giving teachers a new debate to run with students. Scientists We’ve had … Continue reading →

We’ve now chosen the 15 zones running in our two I’m a Scientist events this June, and we’re looking for scientists and teachers to take part. Teachers, apply here by Monday 30th April: imascientist.org.uk/teacher-registration Scientists, apply here by Tuesday 8th May: imascientist.org.uk/scientist-apply We’re running two events in June, ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Los Angeles’ because, with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and different term dates in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there’s no fortnight that fits all schools. The zones in each event will be: 11th – 22nd June: ‘Amsterdam’: 4 general zones: Bromine, Krypton, Rubidium & Strontium Animal Behaviour Zone Genes Zone Materials Zone 25th June – 6th July: ‘Los Angeles’ 4 general zones: Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium & Molybdenum Earth Zone (sponsored by the Institute of Physics) Laser Zone (sponsored by the Institute of Physics) Nanotechnology Zone Organs Zone We’re looking for all types of scientists – industry scientists, academic scientists, UK scientists, scientists working abroad, whoever. We want to be able to show students the breadth … Continue reading →

We would like to congratulate the following students who have been named as the student winners in their zones for the March 2012 event. The moderators thought there were lots of great questions and excellent engagement with the event overall. Zone Student winner School Electromagnetic jabbathepizzahut St Benedicts Energy amthystxgen4 Kingsmead School Gallium ogoldfinch09 Dover Grammar School for Boys Germanium stellastar Chichester High School Quantum 11sofdel Backwell School Selenium jammiedodger Pates Grammar School Space purplebug123 Howell’s School Sports indianchicken Henlow Middle School Well done to all the students above! They will soon be receiving their student winners certificates and WH Smith vouchers. We would also like to thank all the other students who participated. Everyone contributed to the brilliant chats and thought provoking questions which often challenged the scientists. As one scientist said “I hugely enjoyed it. There are clearly some smart kids out there”. And we agree.

After barely catching our breath after the March I’m a Scientist and I’m an Engineer events we’re straight into planning the next events in June. We’re running 2 I’m a Scientist events back to back in June 2012 because, with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and different term dates in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there’s no fortnight that fits everyone. The June dates are: ‘Amsterdam’ event: 11th – 22nd June ‘Los Angeles’ event: 25th June – 6th July For anyone wondering what the names ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Los Angeles’ are about, rather than simply naming them events 1 and 2, or A and B, we’ve had a bit more fun. The 2 events in June will be the 9th and 10th I’m a Scientist events we’ve run since the first in 2008. Seeing as 2012 is the year of the London Olympics and Paralympics the events are named after the 9th (Amsterdam) and 10th … Continue reading →

It’s been a very intense two weeks of animated live chats and thought-provoking questions, with lots of topical issues up for debate. Students and scientists have had over 120 live chats and scientists have answered over 3,350 student questions. The eight winning scientists have made it through four nail biting rounds of evictions. Each student vote counted and in some zones the evictions came down to just a few votes. It’s time to reveal the winner in each zone. Congratulations to:  Zone  Winner  Where they work  Electromagnetic Zone  Sam Vinko  University of Oxford  Energy Zone  Jack Snape  University of York  Gallium Zone  Sean Murphy  Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine  Germanium Zone  Katherine Haxton  Keele University  Quantum Zone  Martin Austwick  University College London  Selenium Zone  Vicky Young  Edinburgh University  Space Zone  Adam Stevens  The Open University  Sports Zone  Fiona Hatch  University of Hull The winning scientists all receive £500 to spend on science … Continue reading →

It’s now under 24 hours until we’ll be announcing the zone winners! Today it was game over for one more scientist from each zone and the third set of scientists to go are: Ben from Electromagnetic Zone Akram from Energy Zone Lena from Gallium Zone Daphne from Germanium Zone Suzanne from Quantum Zone Ken from Selenium Zone Catherine from Space Zone Audra from Sports Zone We hope you’ve enjoyed taking part! Thank you for all the time and effort you’ve put into answering student questions and taking part in live chats. One student said in a live chat: “I still can’t get Over I am talking to real SCIENTISTS” The final scientists in each zone are stepping up the game. Tactics include the comedy facial hair (or teamtash): Vicky in Selenium Zone, and Leila and Adam in Space Zone. Scientists are also frantically answering the last student questions. In Quantum Zone … Continue reading →

Only one scientist can win each zone and so today we had to say goodbye to more scientists. The second set of scientists to go are: Mario in Electromagnetic Zone Gill in Energy Zone Asif in Gallium Zone Jon in Germanium Zone Marcus in Quantum Zone Jarvist in Selenium Zone Nazim in Space Zone Gavin in Sports Zone We hope you’ve enjoyed taking part! Thank you for all the time and effort you’ve put into answering student questions and taking part in live chats. Students are getting a lot out of the event. With evictions happening everyday, the tension is building. After yesterday’s eviction Vicky Young tweeted: “Phew – made it through the first round of ‘imascientist Really really want to win!“ Despite the pressure, there’s still lots of camaraderie between scientists.   Highlights from student questions include: The philosophical: “Do you think that all of our achievements may be … Continue reading →

It’s been a great event so far! Scientists have been working hard to answer over 2,700 questions and have taken part in over 80 live chats collectively. But as only one scientist can win in each zone it’s time to announce the first to be evicted. The first scientists to go are: Clare in Electromagnetic David in Energy Viv in Gallium Cathal in Germanium James in Quantum Indi in Selenium Karen in Space Steve in Sports We’d like to say thank you to all the scientists for all the time and effort you’ve put into answering student questions and taking part in live chats. We hope you’ve enjoyed taking part. Students are getting a lot out of the event. In live chats students have said: “thank you guys amazing chatting with you” and “i REALLY ENJOYED THIS WAS VERY INTERESTING!!!”   There’ll be more evictions every day and on Friday … Continue reading →

At the beginning of the second week and students haven’t just been asking big questions, they’ve been debating them!   In Selenium Zone Indi and Vicky discuss with students the ethics behind animal testing. Indi defends her animal research as necessary for preventing disease and ill health. While Germanium Zone have been having a conversation about how their research can involve physically or emotionally hurting living things. Answers include Daphne bleaching microalage and Darren giving mice in his experiments plenty of food, water and shelter, which they don’t get in the wild.   Energy Zone scientists decide whether time is an illusion or a dimension. Student stanners69 commented: “i think that we exist in a 4 demensional universe where are future is already set out.”   And in Gallium Zone students ask if people are born gay, straight, bisexual or do  people choose.   It’s great to see such topical issues like these being discussed … Continue reading →

It’s National Science and Engineering Week. This year’s theme “Our World in Motion” relates well to what students have been asking. Fiona and Justin in Sports Zone explain how the time of day effects running speed, Adam in Space Zone answers why space missions must account for solar wind  and Sam and Elizabeth in Electromagnetic Zone explain use roller coasters and cars to explain why centrifugal force is only virtual.   With the first eviction on Tuesday tension is increasing!