The post Who’s taking part: March 2018 appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Schools taking part in I’m a Scientist March 2018
I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here is back! Between the 5th and 16th March, students from nearly 100 schools will be putting their questions to scientists across 8 different zones; from Climate and Space Data, to Genes and Immune System.
For the latest news and announcements about the event, find us on Twitter, @imascientist, and follow the hashtag, #IASUK.
Let’s meet the scientists and schools taking part…
The Climate Zone is supported by Wellcome and is open to students in Year 6 (age 10-11) and Year 7 (age 11-12). In this zone we will be working with a University researcher to analyse the language of questions by students.
I help governments design climate smart and environmentally sustainable rural development projects in East and Southern Africa.
I research new wind technologies, like harnessing the wind using kites!
I study fossil plankton, and use the chemistry of their shells to understand climate in the past.
Scientist that uses space-borne observations of clouds (from satellites) to help us predict climate and to improve weather forecasting
I am talking with children and young people about how they feel about climate change, because if we are going to find sustainable long term practical solutions to dealing with climate change, I believe we also need to know how we feel about it.
I work in a high-tech forest where we add extra greenhouse gases into the air, I look at the fungi to see whether they like these greenhouse gases or not!
The Genes Zone is supported by Wellcome
I’m studying the DNA of one million cows from farms in Africa to improve the amount of milk they can produce.
I make pictures to describe complex results more easily.
I am looking for ways to personalise medicine for expectant mothers to help reduce numbers of preterm births.
I train and educate NHS staff (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, scientists) about genetics and how it can help them provide better care for patients.
Jump jockey turned scientist who looks for genes that cause depression (in humans!)
The Immune System Zone is supported by Wellcome
I am a research scientist developing new medicines for the future through microbial fermentation for a pharmaceutical company.
I’m programming your body to fight one of the deadliest kinds of cancer!
I grow special white blood cells that kill cancer cells, and then I make them radioactive so that I can see where they go inside the body using a scanner instead of having to do surgery.
I work with pharma and biotech companies to help them communicate data and disease information to doctors, patients and the media.
I find cool ways of making people feel better who have long term diseases such as arthritis.
I build models of cells (a bit like building Lego but using molecules not bricks!) and use these to work out how our immune system works and can go wrong!
The Molecule Zone is supported by ScotCHEM
I use chemistry and biology technology to creat artificial human tissue and cell lego.
I make one of the most polar molecules in the world – it might help to make the screens on your phones and tablets faster one day and could help to make new drugs too!
I want to know how chemistry controls the cosmos.
My research involves the use of cheap, abundant metals to carry out important reactions and processes that normally require very expensive transition metals.
I create new medicines to cure the world of diseases for less than a bar of chocolate.
I work on the chemistry behind human cancer and teach university students about the most recent discoveries in this area.
Most people think chemicals are dangerous and bad for the planet but I make special ones which are safe and really really good for the planet – I’m a chemical superhero!
The Space Data Zone is funded by the UK Space Agency
I watch how the Sun wibbles and wobbles, and use this to work out why it is hotter on the outside than in the middle!
I use space telescopes to find the most distant objects.
I use satellites in space to find out how much sea ice there is in the Arctic, and how it’s changing as things get warmer…
I use information from maps, satellites and from rivers and boreholes to find water for you to drink, making sure that there is enough water for us all to use, and for plants, fish and animals to live in.
I study the most ancient light in our universe that we can see with great telescopes.
I’m an Associate Professor in the Space Physics Research Group. I use radars, cameras and rockets to see how the magnetic field of the Sun interacts with that of the Earths (which creates the aurora borealis).
In the Enquiry Zone, six scientists will propose an idea for a Citizen Science research project they can carry out with the help of Year 6 students after the event. The Enquiry Zone is supported by Wellcome.
I want to work with students look at PET pollution in our oceans and animal or human stress and it’s correlation with the immune system.
I want to collect air samples from the classrooms and children’s breath, while also looking at how students behave in the classroom.
What do children think about using stem cells and regenerative biology in medicine to grow new body parts?
Anatomy – do children know where their organs are?
How do children learn to regulate effort during physical activity?
The Americium Zone is a general science zone supported by Wellcome
I am working on developing honey bees diets and how B-vitamins affect them.
I take sediment from the underneath the ground and use the tiny fossils inside to look at how sea level has changed over time.
Measuring and predicting pollution in the air that we breathe.
My job is to try reduce aviation’s environmental impact by improving the efficiency of air traffic control.
I use physics and computers to find out the shape of seabed and whats under it so that people can find things and build stuff without it falling over.
I use a computer to guess how electricity moves in the hearts of people who are sick to find out if they need help from a doctor.
The Curium Zone is a general science zone supported by Wellcome
I look at the DNA in people’s blood to see if it is all normal DNA or if there is some cancer DNA.
I work out the best possible way to grow millions and millions of tiny worms that farmers use to keep insects from eating your lettuce.
I make nano-sized sheets which are really really thin, thinner than even a single strand of hair and use them to make cheaper, smaller and better Solar Cells- to ensure that the world has electricity forever!
I use a combination of geology and psychology to find out how people think about the hidden geology beneath our feet and how it can be used for new technology, like geothermal power!
I use maths to help our bodies fight off cancer.
I provide advice on sustainable use of soil for agriculture and our environment.
The post Who’s taking part: March 2018 appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>La entrada Qué hizo Mikel con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Todos los participantes de la Zona, trabajadores del Museo, nos responden a su pregunta favorita de la Zona en este vídeo:
La entrada Qué hizo Mikel con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>
Thạc sĩ Võ Trung Kiên |
Thạc sĩ Nguyễn Ngọc Hùng |
Trong suốt 2 tuần diễn ra sự kiện, các nhà khoa học của chúng ta chắc hẳn đã chinh phục được các bạn học sinh bằng những câu trả lời dí dỏm, cùng những thông tin khoa học hữu ích trong các hoạt động CHAT và HỎI. Tỉ số bình chọn giữa 10 nhà khoa học trong 2 chủ đề lần này vô cùng sát sao và gay cấn. Cảm ơn tất cả các bạn đã bầu chọn cho 2 nhà vô địch của chúng ta nhé!
Nhóm thực hiện dự án xin chân thành cảm ơn chị Tuyết Nhung, chị Thục Phương, chị Thùy Dương, chị Hương Huyền và anh Ngọc Hùng ở chủ đề Khoa học Thực phẩm, cùng thầy Phước Nhẫn, chị Thanh Huệ, chị Huyền Trang, anh Trung Kiên, và anh An Hạ ở chủ đề Khoa học Cây trồng.
Sự tham gia nhiệt tình của các anh chị đã giúp sự kiện Chat với Nhà khoa học 2018 diễn ra trọn vẹn và ý nghĩa với các bạn học sinh đến từ 10 trường THCS ở Hà Nội, Tp. Hồ Chí Minh và Trà Vinh.
Mến chúc các anh chị và các bạn một năm mới nhiều sức khỏe và niềm vui, lúc nào cũng giữ được niềm đam mê với khoa học và hăng say tìm tòi, nghiên cứu, học hỏi mỗi ngày.
Những thông tin cập nhật về các hoạt động liên quan đến Giải thưởng Khoa học Trường học sẽ được đăng tại fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/khoahoctruonghoc. Mọi người nhớ tiếp tục theo dõi nhé!
]]>Những thắc mắc chưa kịp trao đổi trong các buổi chat trực tuyến cũng được các bạn lần lượt gửi qua mục HỎI trên website của 2 chủ đề để 10 nhà khoa học của chúng ta giải đáp trong thời gian từ đây đến cuối tuần.
Phần ly kỳ và hồi hộp nhất của mỗi sự kiện đương nhiên vẫn là nhà khoa học nào sẽ được các bạn yêu mến, trao cho nhiều phiếu bình chọn nhất để nhận Giải thưởng Khoa học Trường học nè! Bạn nào vẫn còn chần chừ chưa bỏ phiếu thì hãy nhanh tay vào mục CHỌN trên website ngay đi nha.
Để xem những hình ảnh, ý kiến chia sẻ từ các bạn học sinh tham gia Chat với Nhà khoa học 2018, mời bạn ghé thăm Fanpage của Khoa học Trường học theo địa chỉ: www.facebook.com/khoahoctruonghoc/
]]>La entrada Somos Científicos abril 2018 – ¿te has apuntado ya? se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Volvemos con una actividad con sitio para 30 científicos y científicas y 125 clases de todo el país. La actividad estará dividida en cinco zonas: tres zonas generales, con sitio para 18 científicos de diferentes disciplinas: astrofísicas, bioquímicos, neurocientíficas, sociólogos… Y dos zonas temáticas: la Zona Alimentación y la Zona Futuro.
Si habéis hecho cuentas, habréis visto que hemos introducido un cambio. Vamos a intentar que haya seis científicos/as en cada zona. ¡Más gente interesante con la que hablar!
Lee más detalles abajo o, si ya te hemos convencido y quieres apuntarte directamente, salta a:
Una zona para científicos y científicas que participen en cualquiera de las muchas etapas de la producción de alimentos, que investiguen los efectos de la dieta en nuestra salud o que se encarguen marcar las pautas de nutrición más saludables. Nos gustaría contar con personas investigando las propiedades de ciertos alimentos y nutrientes, con expertos en la producción de alimentos a gran escala, o con quienes se aseguran de que echarnos la bronca por tener malos hábitos. También nos interesa contar contigo si te encargas de asegurar que los alimentos que tomamos están en buen estado. Si tu trabajo está relacionado con los alimentos, de una u otra forma, ¡esta es tu zona!
La Zona Alimentos cuenta con la colaboración de Educaixa y la Obra Social “la Caixa”.
La ingeniería nos ha ayudado a superar grandes retos, y aún quedan muchos por superar. En la Zona Futuro conoceremos a personas trabajando en los grantes desafíos del futuro. ¿Cómo serán los aviones en unos años? ¿Cómo se controlará el tráfico aéreo? ¿Cuáles son las fronteras del espacio? ¿Qué podemos aprender sobre nuestro Planeta desde allí arriba? ¿Seremos capaces de cambiar la forma en la que nos desplazamos en las ciudades? ¿Tendremos trenes más rápidos que el AVE? ¿Y qué hay sobre nuestra seguridad? ¿Hasta dónde vamos a compartir? ¿Dónde se sitúa la frontera de nuestra intimidad en la era de Internet? Todas estas preguntas y muchas más encontrarán respuesta en la Zona Futuro.
La Zona Futuro está patrocinada por Thales Foundation.
La participación está abierta a personal de Thales, a nivel internacional.
Y, por primera vez, ¡la participación en esta zona está abierta a docentes de cualquier país de habla hispana!
En estas zonas tus clases conocerán a científicos/-as trabajando en diferentes áreas de la ciencia. Nos encanta contar con todo tipo de investigadores en estas zonas. Cuanto mayor diversidad, mejor.
Estas tres zonas se realizan gracias a la colaboración de Educaixa y la Obra Social “la Caixa”.
Solicitad plaza antes del 5 de marzo.* Os enviaremos un email al poco de que te apuntes preguntándote en qué zonas y con cuántas clases quieres participar.
Apuntaos aquí antes del 5 de marzo.* Echad un vistazo a esta página con algunos consejos sobre cómo enviar vuestra solicitud.
La entrada Somos Científicos abril 2018 – ¿te has apuntado ya? se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>La entrada Qué hizo Didier Barradas con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>El reto de construir un mini-super-ordenador me recordó lo mucho que me gustaba la electrónica cuando estaba en la ESO. En realidad tuve 2 retos que afrontar:
La entrada Qué hizo Didier Barradas con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Trong 2 tuần sắp tới của sự kiện, 300 bạn học sinh từ các trường THCS ở Hà Nội, Tp. HCM và Trà Vinh sẽ cùng gặp gỡ, làm quen và HỎI – CHAT – CHỌN cho 10 nhà khoa học đang công tác và nghiên cứu trong 2 lĩnh vực này. Nhà khoa học được các bạn học sinh yêu thích nhất trong mỗi chủ đề sẽ nhận được Giải thưởng Khoa học Trường học để tiếp tục tổ chức một hoạt động kết nối khoa học khác cho học sinh đấy các bạn ạ.
Bạn đang có quan tâm đến lĩnh vực thực phẩm hay cây trồng? Hãy cùng ghé thăm cả 2 chủ đề mới nhất của Chat với Nhà khoa học 2018 để xem các bạn học sinh và nhà khoa học đang cùng trao đổi những vấn đề gì liên quan đến 2 lĩnh vực khoa học này nhé!
Đừng quên “Like” trang Facebook Khoa học trường học để được cập nhật nhanh và sớm nhất mọi thông tin về sự kiện Chat với Nhà khoa học bạn nha:
]]>The post March 2018 Zones appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>This March we’re running 5 themed zones, and general zones suitable for anyone working in science. Read about them all below, or jump straight to the application form:
The climate of the Earth’s surface has always moved with the times. But the planet’s climate is now changing around us with more speed than ever and scientists are looking hard at what’s happening across a huge range of areas. Scientists in this zone could be looking at our relationship with climate change, the political and economical responses, how different ecosystems are responding or predicting the weather in the future.
The Climate Zone is supported by Wellcome and is open to students in Year 6 (age 10-11) and Year 7 (age 11-12). We are planning on working with a University researcher to analyse the language of questions asked in this zone.
In the Enquiry Zone, six scientists will propose an idea for a Citizen Science research project they can carry out with the help of Year 6 students taking part in the zone.
Through the live chats and questions in ASK the scientists will further develop their ideas with the students. The students then vote for the project they want to happen. The scientists and students will then carry out the research project after the event.
The Enquiry Zone is supported by Wellcome and is for Year 6 (age 10-11) students.
The double helix structure of DNA | Image: Wikemedia/Michael Strock
A gene is a set of instructions for making a particular protein. The instructions are written in DNA, which is a very, very, long molecule. All living things depend on genes, and all of the DNA in one of your cells has the instructions for making a person. We welcome applications from scientists working in genetics, who could be working on DNA damage and cell growth or proteins and genetic diseases.
The Genes Zone is supported by Wellcome
The immune system is composed of structures and processes that protect us from disease. White blood cells are one of the main components of our defense system. They can fight infections using different strategies: some of them recognise and remember the invading germs, and others eat germs up! We’re looking for scientists looking at how the immune system works, searching for ways to improve it or help it fight unwanted pathogens.
The Immune System Zone is supported by Wellcome
The International Space Station | Image: NASA
The inspiring exploration of space is only possible thanks to the research of scientists here on Earth. Scientists in this zone could be analysing data from satellites, imaging instrumentation or launchers; designing the software and hardware underpinning all this innovation; or using the data collected to improve our understanding of the universe and what’s happening on our own planet.
The Space Data Zone is funded by the UK Space Agency
General Science Zones take scientists from a range of different research areas. We welcome any type of scientist to apply for these zones, especially people outside a traditional academic research environment; the more diverse the work you’re doing, the better.
Apply by Monday 29th January, and take a look at this page for our advice on your application!
Apply by Monday 29th January. We’ll send an email out soon after you sign up asking which zones and how many classes you would like to bring online.
This March we’ll also be running 3 zones in I’m an Engineer. Click here for more information.
The post March 2018 Zones appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>La entrada #Mooreame, concurso de divulgación para estudiantes de secundaria se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Esto es lo que nos cuenta Pablo sobre su proyecto…
Una pregunta dirigida a estudiantes de secundaria de centros públicos de toda España que deseen embarcarse en una expedición científica desde el aula: ¿Sabes qué papel tienen los arrecifes de coral en el océano? Un reto: elaborar un proyecto sobre los arrecifes de coral, en formato escrito o audiovisual. Y, un destino: la isla de Moorea, uno de los lugares más remotos del planeta situado en el Océano Pacífico Tropical. Estos son los ingredientes con los que se lanza el concurso de divulgación #MooreaMe, a través del cual los alumnos tendrán la oportunidad de seguir el día a día de la campaña de investigación organizada por el Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) de Barcelona, durante abril de 2018. El blog de divulgación científica Super Science Me, en colaboración con la iniciativa ‘Somos Científicos, ¡sácanos de aquí!’ y el ICM-CSIC, organiza el concurso.
Cómo estudian los arrecifes de coral y su papel en el océano, de qué forma se preparan para recoger muestras, dónde las analizan…. El concurso #MooreaMe brinda a los alumnos ávidos de curiosidad la oportunidad de conocer de primera mano el trabajo de los investigadores marinos del ICM-CSIC. A través de los canales propios del blog Super Science Me, los estudiantes podrán resolver todas sus dudas e inquietudes, así como realizar videoconferencias con uno o varios investigadores desde Moorea, en función del acceso a Internet desde la Isla.
Los institutos interesados en participar, a través del docente responsable, deberán rellenar el siguiente formulario antes del 20 de febrero de 2018. Los responsables de la organización del concurso, seleccionarán 5 clases en total (una por instituto) para participar, entre las propuestas recibidas, que serán notificadas vía correo electrónico el 1 de marzo. Finalmente, el plazo de presentación de proyectos concluirá el 31 de abril y el 15 de mayo se notificará el ganador.
Los cinco proyectos seleccionados y presentados obtendrán un juego de libros de divulgación científica, naturaleza y exploración, y sus trabajos serán publicados en el blog Super Science Me, de forma que sean accesibles para el público general. Además, el proyecto ganador, escogido por un jurado compuesto por científicos y profesionales de la comunicación científica, recibirá la visita en el aula de uno o varios de los investigadores participantes en la expedición, así como otras sorpresas adicionales.
El grupo de investigación en Biogeoquímica Marina y Cambio Global del Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) de Barcelona organiza la expedición científica a la isla de Moorea (Polinesia Francesa, Pacífico Tropical) como elemento principal del Proyecto de Investigación BIOGAPS financiado por el Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, y liderado por el Dr. Rafel Simó. Entre el 1 y el 31 de Abril de 2018, los investigadores del ICM-CSIC junto con científicos procedentes de otros centros de investigación internacionales, estudiarán el papel que juegan los arrecifes de coral en el clima desde la Base estadounidense GUMP Station ubicada en la isla de Moorea.
Con carácter previo a la expedición y durante la misma, el investigador predoctoral Pablo Rodríguez Ros, miembro del grupo de investigación en Biogeoquímica Marina y Cambio Global del ICM-CSIC y participante de la misma, divulgará la expedición a través del blog Super Science Me.
Consultar las bases del concurso (pdf)
Más información:
Pablo Rodríguez Ros, Investigador Predoctoral en Biogeoquímica Marina y Cambio Global en el ICM-CSIC
rodriguezrospablo@gmail.com
Llúcia Ribot Lacosta, Periodista, Comunicación Científica
superscienceme@gmail.com
La entrada #Mooreame, concurso de divulgación para estudiantes de secundaria se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>La entrada Somos Científicas, especial Día Internacional de la Mujer y la Niña en Ciencia se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Formaremos parte de esta fantástica propuesta con “Somos Científicas, ¡en directo!”, una actividad en la que podrás poner cara, lanzar preguntas y votar por tu científica favorita de entre cinco especialistas de diferentes áreas. ¡Ven a conocerlas el sábado 10 de febrero a las 18:00, en CaixaForum Madrid!
“Somos Científicas, ¡en directo!” es una actividad para gente de 0 a 99 años.
Estas son nuestras cinco valientes:
Busco contaminantes químicos en zonas remotas, desde el fondo de los mares hasta la atmósfera de la Antártida, ya que ¡les gusta viajar tanto como a mi!
Uso las matemáticas para analizar la información que la gente deja, sin darse cuenta, cuando navega o compra por internet. Así conocemos mejor los gustos de la gente y adaptamos lo que ofrecemos, para que los consumidores se sientan satisfechos y felices, y vuelvan a comprar.
Estudio cómo los seres vivos más pequeños que existen, las bacterias, pueden ser más poderosos que el animal más grande.
Mi trabajo consiste en hacer medicamentos de diseño que algún día nos salvarán la vida.
Me dedico a la divulgación científica: contar cosas de ciencia, sobre todo de astronomía, que es lo que más me gusta. Lo hago escribiendo noticias y libros, diseñando webs y ahora… ¡también a través de videojuegos!
Empieza ya la cuenta atrás para el sábado 10 de febrero. A las 18:00 se abrirá el telón del AULA 1 de CaixaForum Madrid y empezaremos a calentar motores para conocer a estas cinco científicas. Habrá tiempo para presentaciones, adivinanzas, preguntas, votos ¡y premios!… hasta las 19:15.
Puedes seguir las últimas noticias y actualizaciones de la actividad en Twitter: @S_Cientificos y en #SCDirecto.
Si quieres ver qué tal fue en ediciones anteriores….
Gracias a la Obra Social “la Caixa”, a EduCaixa por la cesión del AULA 1 de CaixaForum Madrid para esta actividad, a BiFrutas de Pascual por aportar los medios necesarios para su celebración, al Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas por cedernos algunos de los premios que entregaremos y a nuestros amigos de Escuelab por apoyarnos, ¡como siempre!
La entrada Somos Científicas, especial Día Internacional de la Mujer y la Niña en Ciencia se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>La entrada El 2017 de “Somos Científicos”… ¡y lo que nos queda! se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>También hemos celebrado cinco actividades en directo, en las que el 25 científicos y científicas se ha enfrentado a las preguntas del público sin pantallas de por medio.
Cerramos un año lleno de grandes preguntas, debates importantes e intensos y chats multitudinarios.
Queremos continuar así (¡y mejor!) en 2018. Y queremos que nos acompañes en esta nueva vuelta al Sol.
De “Somos Científicos” he aprendido que los científicos son gente que tiene como objetivo hacer del mundo un lugar mejor. – estudiante, noviembre 2017
La entrada El 2017 de “Somos Científicos”… ¡y lo que nos queda! se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>La entrada Qué hizo Ignacio Funes con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Hola a todos!
Lo prometido es deuda, y ya está disponible nuestro nuevo canal de youtube “En Cerio O En Bromo” gracias al premio conseguido en Somos Científicos en noviembre de 2016.
Parece mentira que haya pasado un más de un año desde aquellas dos semanas locas, donde disfruté de cada una de las preguntas que nos hicieron los alumnos (y futuros científicos espero) y sobretodo de los locos chats donde había que teclear más rápido que en un examen de mecanografía…
En aquel momento, cuando preparé el perfil, decidí que si ganaba el premio montaría un canal de youtube. Evidentemente, no tenía ni idea del esfuerzo que había que hacer. Comprar material, aprender a usar los programas y la cámara, preparar guiones, logos, camisetas… una auténtica locura. Además, justo este año he leído mi tesis doctoral, por lo que el tiempo brillaba por su ausencia. Pero finalmente ya está aquí. Ha costado, mucho, muchísimo, pero creo que el esfuerzo ha merecido la pena.
Hoy, día 14 de diciembre, hemos lanzado oficialmente el canal, que voy a compartir con un compañero del Instituto Catalán de Investigación Química donde trabajo, Pablo Garrido. La idea es tratar diferentes temas relacionados con la ciencia, y más concretamente con la química, desde una perspectiva cotidiana y divertida, para que todo el mundo pueda entender conceptos difíciles con cosas del día a día.
El canal va a tener diferentes secciones, como experimentos, explicación de conceptos, monólogos científicos y la que más me gusta, porque junta dos de mis pasiones, la sección de cocina molecular, donde os enseñaremos a cocinar con química entendiendo lo que pasa. Esperamos sacar un vídeo cada 1 o 2 semanas, aunque la vida del investigador es bastante impredecible así que habrá temporadas con más producción y otras con menos.
Hasta el momento hemos podido subir dos vídeos, uno de presentación y otro explicando el concepto de mol y su relación con el sinsentido de la homeopatía. Por supuesto, aún queda mucho trabajo por hacer, pero os puedo asegurar que vamos a poner toda nuestra ilusión en este proyecto!
Podéis suscribiros al canal
seguirnos en Twitter: @EnCerioOEnBromo
o en nuestra página de facebook
Un saludo a todos!
Ignacio
La entrada Qué hizo Ignacio Funes con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>La entrada Estudiantes con premio en “Somos Científicos” noviembre 2017 se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Enhorabuena a todos los y las estudiantes ganadores y ganadoras, y a toda la gente que habéis participado en esta edición de Somos Científicos. Ha habido preguntas fascinantes y comentarios enriquecedores, pero sólo podemos elegir una persona por zona. Así que, por su excelente participación en la actividad y dejar preguntas y comentarios brillantes, las personas que mencionamos abajo recibirán un certificado y un cheque regalo.
Ganadora: Ángela, IES Rambla de Nogalte
Ganadora: Nisa, IES San Isidro
Ganadora: Isabel, IES María Rúbies
Ganadora: Elena, CEIP Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Ganador: Rafael, IES Roques de Salmor
Ganador: José, IES Modesto Navarro
También pedimos a todos los estudiantes participantes que rellenen una encuesta antes de participar y otra después de hacerlo, para conocer mejor sus opinión sobre la ciencia y las carreras científicas. Después sorteamos un vale regalo entre todas las personas que han rellenado las dos encuestas. Los estudiantes que ha resultado ganadores del sorteo han sido Martaless (Marta y Alessandro), del Colegio Santo Ángel.
La entrada Estudiantes con premio en “Somos Científicos” noviembre 2017 se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>The post Student Winners – November 2017 appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Well done to all of the student winners, and everyone who took part. There were so many interesting questions, and comments, but there could only be one winner in each zone. So, for fantastic engagement during the event, for posting brilliant questions and comments, the student winners below will each receive a certificate and a gift voucher.
Winner: Muffin, Rosebery School
Winner: JakeMScientist, Hounsdown School
Winner: osmium456, Hylands School
Winner: Katelyn and Adam, Alexandra Park School
Winner: Kit Kat, Beaumont School
Winner: Ruby Reade, Swindon Academy
Winner: tumblebum, Langside Primary School
After taking part in I’m a Scientist, we ask the students to answer a few questions to help us gauge their attitudes towards science. We randomly choose one student who filled in the questions to win a voucher. That student is SlingShotIce.
The post Student Winners – November 2017 appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Well done to all of the student winners, and everyone who took part. There were so many interesting questions, and comments, but there could only be one winner in each zone. So, for fantastic engagement during the event, for posting brilliant questions and comments, the student winners below will each receive a certificate and a gift voucher.
Winner: JL, St. Kilian’s Community School
Winner: Roptyparty, Marist College
Winner: EAMON, S N Naomh Colmain
Winner: MKiselova04, Coláiste Bríde
After taking part in I’m a Scientist, we ask the students to answer a few questions to help us gauge their attitudes towards science. We randomly choose one student who filled in the questions to win a voucher. That student is James.
]]>La entrada Qué hizo Oliver Díaz con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Mi proyecto inicial consistía en comprar una cámara para realizar videos y mostrar actividades cotidianas realizadas por los científicos en su día a día: asistencia a conferencia, experimentos, etc. Sin embargo, después de recabar comentarios y sugerencias de jóvenes estudiantes y otros científicos, el proyecto fue modificado para llegar a un mayor número de jóvenes y convertirse en una plataforma mucho más participativa.
Conjuntamente con otros miembros de la zona Carbono, se ha creado la página web cienciacarbonica.es (en honor a la zona Carbono de Somos Científicos) dedicada a la divulgación de contenido científico. Con el dinero del premio se ha podido pagar el alojamiento web y comprar una cámara para realizar videos de nuestras actividades.
Para mantener una cierta frecuencia en las actualizaciones de Ciencia Carbónica y poder abarcar un mayor campo de conocimientos, Ciencia Carbónica cuenta con la colaboración de algunos miembros de la Zona Carbono: María Saínza, Elena Sánchez García, María Linares Gómez.
Paralelamente, me encuentro en conversaciones con una profesora del IES Historiador Chabàs (Dénia), también participante de Somos Científicos de mi edición, para diseñar actividades dónde los alumnos se ponen en la piel del científico. Posteriormente, estas actividades serán discutidas con nosotros mediante videoconferencias. En este aspecto, se ha preparado el material para poner a los alumnos en ciertas situaciones que nos encontramos los científicos. Se espera comenzar la actividad en el primer trimestre de 2018.
Ciencia Carbónica es un proyecto a medio-largo plazo dedicado a la divulgación científica principalmente a jóvenes de edades menores de 18 años. Se pretende generar entradas en la página web semanalmente entre todos los colaboradores para llamar la atención de jóvenes con curiosidades científicas.
La idea es mantener el proyecto vivo 2 años más y estudiar su continuidad una vez transcurrido ese tiempo. Existe la posibilidad de ampliar los colaboradores en la web, así como contactar puntualmente con especialistas en ciertos campos para tratar sobre temas concretos. Como proyectos futuros, pensamos que podíamos complementar la divulgación virtual con visitas o talleres en escuelas.
La entrada Qué hizo Oliver Díaz con su premio… se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>La entrada Somos Científicos, ¡en directo! va a… Desgranando Junior se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>Desgranando Junior será viernes 15 y sábado 16 de diciembre y allí estará Somos Científicos, ¡en directo!, nuestro concurso para investigadores en el que el público desafía a cinco científicas y científicos, preguntándoles todo lo que se les ocurra y eligiendo a su favorito al final. Además, ¡también se habrá premio para la mejor pregunta del público! ¿Te lo vas a perder?
Te esperamos en el Cine 1 del Parque de las Ciencias el sábado, 16 de diciembre, a las 12:30.
Allí conocerás a estas cinco maravillosas e intrigantes personas:
“Me he dedicado a conseguir que puedas chupar las tapas de yogur”
“Intento plantear preguntas y buscar respuestas para entender el funcionamiento de nuestro cuerpo, en concreto de algunas de nuestras células, las del cerebro y de nuestro sistema de defensa, y como son capaces de interactuar, comunicarse, y comportarse en situaciones de daño, estrés, trauma, para que vuelvan a estar en condiciones normales y saludables.”
“Soy investigador y divulgador de la astrofísica. También soy discapacitado visual y por eso estoy afiliado a la ONCE. Mi trabajo consiste en estudiar galaxias muy lejanas y analizar su luz para averiguar su contenido en elementos químicos y las propiedades de sus estrellas. Como esto se puede hacer sin ver, mi labor divulgativa consiste en explicarle a todo el mundo que esto es posible.”
“En nuestro grupo nos dedicamos a hacer que las aguas echadas por el retrete, fregaderos y duchas tengan un adecuado tratamiento. Estudiamos como eliminar las cacas (de vacas incluso), pis, jabones que llegan a las estaciones depuradoras de aguas residuales.”
“Soy arqueóloga, ¿como Tadeo Jones? Algo así, ya os explicaré. Me dedico a investigar a las sociedades de la Prehistoria, me gusta saber como vivían las personas, mujeres, hombres, niños y niñas que vivieron más o menos por aquí hace cinco o seis mil años. Para ello, hago excavaciones arqueológicas en las que descubro casas, tumbas, talleres, calles y todos los objetos que te puedas imaginar, luego analizo todos esos restos para saber que papel tuvieron en esas sociedades.”
Empieza ya la cuenta atrás para el sábado 16 de diciembre. Si quieres echar saber qué esperar de esta concurso-espectáculo, puedes echar un ojo al vídeo de abajo. Y, si prefieres la sorpresas, ¡nos vemos en Granada!
Entrada libre hasta completar aforo para gente a partir de 10 años.
Puedes seguir las últimas noticias y actualizaciones de la actividad en Twitter: @S_Cientificos; y las actualizaciones sobre esta actividad en #SCDirecto.
La entrada Somos Científicos, ¡en directo! va a… Desgranando Junior se publicó primero en Somos científicos, sácanos de aquí.
]]>The post What’s been happening this November in I’m a Scientist, the online science outreach event appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>‘Err obviously, the first one because my boss might see this.’
Over the last week, students and scientists have been engaging online in I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here. Together they’ve talked about everything from the potential of CRISPR to treat cancer, the variety of possible careers leading from science, whether pollution affects gravity, how to improve the process of science, and the coolest plants to spot in the UK.
There are 4 themed zones in the event this November: Gravity Zone, funded by the Institute of Physics, Stress Zone funded by the Physiological Society, Microbiology Zone, funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology and Wellcome, and Cells Zone, supported by Wellcome. There are also three General Science Zones, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, featuring a wide range of scientists. See all the scientists and schools taking part in the event here.
In total, after the first seven days, there’s been:
Primary school students put their questions to scientists in Plutonium Zone. Watch any of the chats live using the list on this page
If all this has got you wanting a piece of the action, then apply for the next I’m a Scientist, taking place 5th–16th March 2018. Or, if you’ve taken part already, tell your colleagues to sign up!
This November there’s still much more to come. From 3pm on Tuesday the pressure starts to mount as the first scientist is evicted from each zone, with another following each day after. Who will survive to stay in the running for the £500 prize? Find out before anyone else from the announcement in the staffroom each day until the winners are announced this Friday 17th November. Best of luck to all the scientists!
The post What’s been happening this November in I’m a Scientist, the online science outreach event appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Over the last week, students and scientists have been engaging online in this year’s I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here. Together they’ve talked about everything from how science can be changed for the better, creating super-plants to generate energy, the health merits of various types of chocolate, doing sustainable science, and most important of all, introducing scientists to Zoella.
There are four zones in the event this November: Diagnosis Zone and Food Zone supported by Wellcome Trust, and Energy Zone and Fluorine Zone (a general science zone), both supported by Science Foundation Ireland. See all the scientists and schools taking part in the event here.
In total, after the first seven days, there’s been:
Primary school students chat to the scientists in Fluorine Zone. Watch any of the chats live using the list on this page.
There’s still much more to come during Science Week. From 3pm on Tuesday the pressure starts to mount as the first scientist is evicted from each zone, with another following each day after. Who will survive to stay in the running for the €500 prize? Find out before anyone else from the announcement in the staffroom each day and see who wins on Friday 17th November. Best of luck to all the scientists!
Schools in Ireland taking part in I’m a Scientist November 2017
I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here is back! Between the 6th and 17th November, students from over 50 schools will be putting their questions to scientists across 4 different zones.
For the latest news and announcements about the event, find us on Twitter, @imascientist, and follow the hashtag, #IASIE.
Let’s meet the scientists and schools taking part…
Supported by Wellcome
My work involves looking for new ways to find what is causing you to get sick.
I use special mathematics called ‘chaos theory’ with cool body sensors to defeat Parkinson’s disease.
I’m a DNA detective, I figure out if people’s genes (not the ones they wear!) are making them sick.
Exploring better ways to find and treat breast cancer.
We use light based spectroscopy techniques, routinely used in physics and chemistry, to try to help doctors to diagnose cancer at an earlier stage and to try to understand how it develops and spreads.
Funded by Science Foundation Ireland
Improving the chemistry of combustion
I make materials that split water to make energy
Researching ways to make environmentally friendly fuel.
Like when you try to get the most juice out of a fruit, I try to find better and new ways to get the most energy out of plants, trees, anything that can be grown again and again, even the waste in the brown bin at home! So we never run out of juice
What is our energy future ? – My work is trying to help figure out what Ireland’s energy future will be by using computer models to discover the different fuels and technologies we will be using in 2050, (by this time you will be older than 40!)
Supported by Wellcome
I am a Nutritionist and I am working on beef, I want to find out if eating grass-fed beef is healthier than grain-fed beef!
The most important medicine in life is food, according to the father of Medicine, a Greek guy called Hippocrates; so, in my work I am trying to make our food more nutritious and healthy.
I’m trying to know the quality of a steak from images of the animal
Using high-class trash in farm-drains to clean dirtywater of cows’ smelly homeworks !
nvestigating the potential of milk proteins to help control blood sugar levels.
My work involves looking at the bacteria and other microorganisms living in the guts of athletes
Funded by Science Foundation Ireland
The smallest building blocks inside of your body can create electricity, which I want to use to both fight infection, and make better smartphones!
I’m creating a virtual butler to help you manage all your mobile notifications
I research the animals that live in kelp forests and the way kelp forests might act as a nursery, hunting ground, or lifelong habitat for different species.
I take genes from barnacles, put them inside bacteria, and force the bacteria to make barnacle glue.
I work everyday with a powerful supercomputer, and write code every day, with my job involving working with giant datasets to use in climate applications
The post I’m a Scientist November 2017: Who’s taking part? appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>UK schools taking part in I’m a Scientist November 2017
I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here is back! Between the 6th and 17th November, students from nearly 100 schools will be putting their questions to 38 scientists across 7 different zones.
For the latest news and announcements about the event, find us on Twitter, @imascientist, and follow the hashtag, #IASUK.
Let’s meet the scientists and schools taking part…
Supported by Wellcome
I use a camera on the end of a fibre to look deep inside our lungs and track how good our own cells are eating dangerous bugs we can breathe, and stop us from getting sick.
I am interested in finding out how the diet of the egg cell and early embryo affects health and disease from the first week as a tiny embryo to adult life.
I am investigating how to use a patient’s own cells to kill their cancer
I would like to know why some animals have superpowers and can grow back new body parts (even their heads!), and we cannot.
I study the messages that cells send to each other and how they work together to make us healthy.
Our immune system is supposed to attack and stop infections – I try to work out why it sometimes goes wrong and attacks the body by mistake.
Funded by Institute of Physics
I spend my days using a combination of computers and mathematics (and colourful swear words) to try and understand how the very small (quantum mechanics) is related to the very big (gravity) – finding connections between atoms, planets, stars, black holes
I look for the explosions caused by black holes and neutron stars colliding.
My research is to map out the dark Universe, to help us understand Dark Matter and Dark Energy
I am using tiny ripples in spacetime, called gravitational waves to learn about black holes.
I help to look for gravitational waves, which are ripples in space and time which are made when black holes crash into each other, and when stars explode as supernovae.
Part-funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology and supported by Wellcome
My research work aims to understand how small bugs in the soil can help farmers to produce our food.
I am trying to figure out how bacteria make decisions
A scientist at war with bacteria!
Understanding the DNA of tuberculosis, the biggest killer of humans by a microbe
I am looking at using viruses that attack bacteria as a potential alternative to antibiotics to treat those pesky drug resistant bugs
I’m feeding grass to bacteria, capturing their smelly farts to generate electricity.
Funded by The Physiological Society
My work involves understanding how stress gets under our skin and makes us sick.
I explain how bodies work and work out what is going wrong when people get sick.
I am trying to find out how a mother’s mood while she is pregnant can affect how the child develops.
I cut up adrenal glands to work out how they release stress hormone – and how this is different in men and women
Lecturing sport and exercise physiology while continuing my research in to exercise in hot environments.
Supported by Wellcome
I work in personalised medicine where I design genetic tests which will help doctors decide if their patients will get better if they are given certain drugs.
I use maths to make things work better, at the moment, looking at how to make sure people get their passports and UK visas on time
I use chemistry to develop ways of destroying chemical weapons and protecting people from their effects
I’m finding new ways to take pictures of people’s insides.
Storing energy from solar panels and reusing it when needed
Supported by Wellcome
I’m like a roadie, but for science – I sit behind the scenes and write programs and websites to help biologists do their work!
We’re a UK company developing a breathalyser for disease that could change the way illnesses are diagnosed and treated by doctors.
I’m making a fossil pollen time machine. I’m working on a vanishing forest in Brazil, trying to work out what happened in its past and predict whether it’ll survive in the future.
I study volcanoes and their past activity to learn more about what eruptions are like, as the more we know about a volcano’s past the better we can predict its future
I make long, bendy and strong glass structures that are as thin as human hair in order to manipulate light.
Nothing you see is real, only a messed up model of reality your brain creates – I try to understand how it makes that model and why it messes up.
Supported by Wellcome
As a blood scientist I’m interested in finding out what makes you want to donate your blood or organs?
I spend my days elbow deep in a sandbox trying to understand what jobs bacteria do to help plants grow so we can work out how to grow enough food for everyone in the future..
We try to kill germs using lasers
I’m an archaeologist who studies the fossils and stone tools of our human ancestors in order to understand how humans evolved and interacted with the changing climates of the past.
I write supercomputer programs that use maths to solve lots of different science problems.
The post I’m a Scientist November 2017: Who’s taking part? appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>The post What’s happening this November? appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>For two weeks between Monday 6th and Friday 17th November students all over the UK and Ireland will be able to ask questions to and take part in live text-based chats with real scientists, engineers and healthcare professionals in the online events. Students then vote for their favourite to win £500/€500 to spend on further STEM engagement.
This November we’re also launching a brand NEW project: 25 Genomes: Mapping Nature’s Code, in partnership with the Wellcome Sanger Institute. 25 new genomes are being decoded by the Institute to mark its 25th anniversary, and they want your students to choose 5 of them.
All the details of the different events running this November are below, together with links and details of where to apply. For more information on any of the projects running this November, contact michaela@mangorol.la, or call 01225 326 892.
Zones running:
Full details:
imascientist.org.uk/2017/09/november-2017-zones
Teachers apply before 2nd October:
imascientist.org.uk/teachers
Scientists apply before 2nd October:
imascientist.org.uk/scientists
Zones running:
Full details:
imascientist.ie/2017/09/november-2017-zones
Teachers apply before 2nd October:
imascientist.ie/teachers
Scientists apply before 2nd October:
imascientist.ie/scientists
Themed zones running:
Full details:
imanengineer.org.uk/2017/09/november-2017-zones
Teachers apply before 2nd October:
imanengineer.org.uk/teachers
Engineers apply before 2nd October:
imanengineer.org.uk/engineers
Themed zones running:
Full details:
imamedic.uk/2017/09/november-2017
Teachers apply before 25th September:
https://imamedic.uk/teachers
Priority places are being given to schools and colleges in the East Midlands.
Healthcare professionals apply before 25th September:
https://imamedic.uk/candidates
6th November – 8th December
For UK and international schools
The world-renowned Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, where the human genome was first decoded, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark this they are going to decode the DNA of 25 species for the first time. Your students are going to choose 5 of them.
Full details:
25genomes.imascientist.org.uk
Teachers apply before 29th September:
25genomes.imascientist.org.uk/teachers
For more information on any of the projects running this November, contact michaela@mangorol.la, or call 01225 326 892.
The post What’s happening this November? appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>This November we’re looking for 20 scientists to take part in three themed zones and a general science zone suitable for any kind of person working in science.
Read about the zones below, or jump straight to the application form:
Beyond X-Rays, scientists use Magnetic Resonance Imaging to see through the skull and into the brain | Image: Dr Frank Galliard
As the old joke doesn’t go ‘Doctor Doctor, I feel like a pair of curtains!’ ‘That sounds serious, I hope a scientist has developed a test so we can work out what’s wrong!’ Scientists play a big part in how we work out when there’s something medically wrong with us and keeping us healthy. Modern hospitals are filled with cutting-edge technology developed by scientists and used for testing and diagnosis. In this zone there could be researchers looking at people’s brains in order to diagnose diseases earlier, scientists 3D printing new devices that analyse microbes, people finding new ways to check the health of animals and livestock, and scientists who work in hospitals imaging cancer tumours with radioactive molecules.
The Diagnosis Zone is supported by Wellcome
We make use of energy every day without even thinking about it; flicking the lights on, listening to music, and using a computer. Most electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels to release their energy. Unfortunately this releases lots of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere — not good for climate change. Fossil fuels are also non-renewable which means one day they will run out. Imagine if that meant no more electricity… no lights, no computer games, and certainly no mobile phones! Thankfully, there are lots of renewable sources of energy that won’t run out and are much better for the environment, including solar, water or wind. Scientists in this zone might be researching future energy sources, or be working out how best to get the energy we have around the country, or be studying the impact of different fuels on the environment.
The Energy Zone is funded by Science Foundation Ireland
Want to learn more about milk and cookies? | Image: Wikimedia
Every wondered why some foods taste so good? Why don’t the bubbles in an Aero float out of the chocolate, how do you get a runny yolk in a Creme Egg and what chemistry is happening in caramelisation? Why is it safe to eat bacteria in cheese and yogurt but not bacteria in meat? Food scientists do lots of things: some develop new food products; some test food to make sure it is safe; others work with the public to work out how food is perceived by our senses: how it looks; tastes; smells and feels and even the effect on our brain. Some food scientists look at the structure of food and how the chemical and physical nature of food can influence our health. Some food scientists look at how we make food more nutritious and how we can add value to the food chain.
The Food Zone is supported by Wellcome
The Fluorine Zone is a general science zone and will feature scientists from a range of different areas. We welcome any type of scientist to apply for these zones; the more diverse the better.
The Fluorine Zone is funded by Science Foundation Ireland
Apply here. Take a look at this page for our advice on your application!
Apply by Monday 2nd October. We’ll send an email out soon after you sign up asking which zones and how many classes you would like to bring online.
This November, we are also running a brand new project – 25 Genomes. Click here for more information.
]]>
The post November 2017 Zones appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>This November we’re running four themed zones, and a range of general zones suitable for anyone working in science. Parents and carers of students in I’m a Scientist can also take part in the I’m an Engineer Future Transport Zone.
Read about all the zones below, or jump straight to the application form:
Nerve cells can pass on messages faster than a speeding car! | Image: GerryShaw
All living things are made up of cells. Some living things, like bacteria, are made of just one cell. Humans are more complex living things – each one of us is made of roughly 40 trillion human cells. There are many different types of cells in your body, all with specific jobs. For example, muscle cells can change shape to help you move and nerve cells conduct electricity to pass messages around the body at a speed over 100mph! In this zone you might meet someone looking at how nerve cells are affected by Alzheimer’s or hear about how white blood cells protect our bodie. There could be scientists trying to understand how our first cells start dividing in the womb, or investigating how cancer cells can be killed.
Gravity is not to be taken lightly. Thanks to Einstein and his space-time bending theories our understanding of this fundamental force has come a long way since Sir Zack’s time in the apple garden. But still so much remains to be worked out. Does anything escape a black hole? How can the quantum world experience gravity, if at all? Will we ever detect gravitational waves, maybe using gold cubes in space (check out the LISA Pathfinder mission)? Scientists in this zone will be coming up with ways to find out the answers to these and many other attractive questions.
The Gravity Zone is funded by Institute of Physics
Microbiology is the study of very small, usually single-celled organisms known as microbes. Even though you can’t see them without a microscope, microbes are everywhere you go. Examples include bacteria, fungi, microscopic plants and animals such as plankton. Amazingly, microbes represent around 60 percent of the biomass of all life on Earth – in fact, your body contains over twice as many microbe cells than your own body cells! This zone might include scientists in food and drink production like making cheese or brewing beer, or scientists producing useful medicines from microbes, like antibiotics.
The Microbiology Zone is funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology and supported by Wellcome
Stress? Parents evening. Nuff said. | Image: Houston ISD
What pops into your head when you think about stress? Homework? Sports? Is it something positive or negative? Does stress affect your body, your mind, or both? We all know what stress feels like. Racing heart, sweaty palms, tense muscles – the whole shebang. Beneath these feelings is an interplay of stimulus (stressor) and response (stress) affecting nearly every system in the body. This zone is for people working in science who are trying to better understand how stress works in our bodies, and finding ways to deal better with its effects.
The Stress Zone is funded by The Physiological Society
General Science Zones take five scientists from a range of different research areas. We welcome any type of scientist to apply for these zones, especially people outside a traditional academic research environment; the more diverse the work you’re doing the better.
Could intelligent motorways make this hell a thing of the past?Image: Ben Gamble / CC BY-SA 2.0
The ways we travel are changing faster than ever before. In this new kind of zone, parents and carers will meet engineers creating the future of transport, get to ask questions about what they are working on and find out about engineering careers.
There could be engineers designing safety systems for self-driving cars, planning the infrastructure for HS2, experimenting with hyperloop technology, making engines that run on human waste or even developing smart motorways that never get jammed.
The Future Transport Zone is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering as part of I’m an Engineer. All schools offered places in I’m a Scientist and I’m an Engineer UK will be able to give the parents and carers of their students access to this zone.
Engineers should apply at the I’m an Engineer site
Apply here, and take a look at this page for our advice on your application!
Apply by Monday 2nd October. We’ll send an email out soon after you sign up asking which zones and how many classes you would like to bring online.
This November we’ll also be running 3 zones in I’m an Engineer UK
and a brand new project – 25 Genomes – click here for more information.
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]]>The post Student Winners – June 2017 appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Well done to all of the student winners, and everyone who took part. There were so many interesting questions, and comments, but there could only be one winner in each zone. So, for fantastic engagement during the event, for posting brilliant questions and comments, the student winners below will each receive a certificate and a gift voucher.
Winner: AlexanderPeacock, The Boulevard Academy
Winner: Team Stony, Tonbridge Grammar School
Winner: bilbo, Oxford Academy
Winner: Ola, Malcolm Arnold Academy
Winner: Andy_, Court Fields School
Winner: Scarlett, King Edward VI Handsworth School
Winner: Mad Scientist, Bridge Junior School
After taking part in I’m a Scientist, we ask the students to answer a few questions to help us gauge their attitudes towards science. We randomly choose one student who filled in the questions to win a voucher. That student is 697drgj34.
The post Student Winners – June 2017 appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>The post What’s been happening in I’m a Scientist this June appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Students have even been helping the scientists brush up on their science history
For the last week, students and scientists have been engaging online in the latest I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here. Together they’ve talked about everything from why we (don’t) get on with our siblings, to being frustrated at work, to whether eye sight loss can be called an epidemic, to why humans need entertainment, to investigating the placebo effect.
The event this June has two psychology zones, themed on Relationships and Mental Health. There’s also zones on Epidemics and Drug Resistance, and three general science zones, including Thorium Zone for primary schools. See everyone who’s taking part in the event here.
In total, after the first seven days, there’s been:
If all this has whetted your appetite for engagement you can get yourself a piece of the action in the next I’m a Scientist, taking place 6th–17th November 2017:
This June there’s still much more to come. From 3 pm on Tuesday the pressure cranks up as the first scientist is evicted from each zone, with another following each day after. Who will survive to stay in the running for the £500 prize? Find out before anyone else from the announcement in the staffroom each day. Best of luck to all the scientists!
The post What’s been happening in I’m a Scientist this June appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>The post I’m a Scientist June 2017: Who’s taking part? appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here is back! In June, students at over 100 schools will be interacting with 35 scientists across 7 different zones.
Between 12th – 23rd June school students will put the scientists through their paces in fast-paced live chats and probing questions on everything from infections, to teenage relationships, to the scientists’ thoughts on the election.
For the latest news and announcements about the event, find us on Twitter, @imascientist, and follow the hashtag, #IASUK.
Let’s meet the scientists and schools taking part…
This zone is funded by Wellcome.
I research how bacteria produce antibiotics and try to use that knowledge to discover new drugs
TB or not TB: tackling antibiotic resistance in the deadly germ
Trying to find out how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
I fight bugs and treat all sorts of infections.
A guardian of antibiotics and a helper to those who prescribe them
This zone is funded by Wellcome.
I use maths to try and figure out how many people are going to catch norovirus (a very common illness that causes horrible diarrhoea and vomiting!) this year
I work in the field of infectious diseases where I attempt to understand why deadly bugs infect us and what we can do to prevent being infected in the first place!
I study infectious diseases – how they spread and how to stop them
Think Jurassic Park science- but less deaths, danger and dinosaurs; instead we change insects so they benefit humans
I am a Consultant Microbiologist (a doctor who advises other doctors and healthcare workers on how to manage infections and prescribe the right antibiotics)
This is a psychology zone, funded by the British Psychological Society.
I look at why people commit so much time listening to music, why they like what they like
I’m making a treatment for people who use “witchcraft”, and go to hospital when they hear voices or see things
I help to stop work from making people ill!
I’m interested in how not sleeping enough might lead people to see and hear things which are not there
I do research to find out the best ways to help people stop smoking cigarettes.
This is a psychology zone, funded by the British Psychological Society.
My work helps us to understand how the psychology of families and human relationships is a critical influence on those involved in sport (at elite and non-elite levels)
I’m finding out if reading stories, watching them on film and TV, or even acting in them, makes us better at understanding other people in real-life, and if they do, which one is best!
I am looking at how technologies influence social interaction and play in children with autism
My work involves asking people like you how the groups you’re part of make you feel!
I’m finding out what children think about right and wrong, and why children think some morally wrong actions should be punished
This zone is funded by Wellcome.
I tell stories using data to explain phenomena
I throw proteins at cancer cells to make them tell me how exercise and food make cancers, an Olympic athlete or a couch potato!
I use robotic patients to teach young people health skills
I assess the environmental impacts from new developments
I love weird animals, at the moment I’m trying to exploit the defences venomous snakes have to protect themselves from their own venom to help treat snake bites in humans
This zone is funded by Wellcome.
I’m a Pharmacist- a legal drug dealer
I stare at the Sun to understand how it works, but without sunglasses (do not try this if you don’t have a telescope)!
Although I used to work in a lab as a microbiologist, now I do ‘science communication’ in a small biotechnology company in Denmark, where we are trying to cure rare childhood diseases
Finding a way to know your disease from your own wee
I am trying to find out why people get blood cancer and help find a cure!
This zone is funded by Wellcome.
I work with a huge magnet that takes picture of the human brain to study different diseases.
Studying the possibility of life beyond Earth
I watch bees fly around and see what they eat
I look at what plants are made of and make them stronger
I use computers to work out how to squeeze a star into a box, without melting the box!
The post I’m a Scientist June 2017: Who’s taking part? appeared first on I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!.
]]>Alex was voted the winner of the Soil Zone in 2016. We asked him to tell us what he’s been up to over the last year with his $500 and here is what he said…
Since the “I’m a Scientist USA” competition, I’ve become even more committed to science outreach and science communication, and I split my prize money between these two pursuits. About half went to web-hosting a science communication blog I started with some scientist friends at the University of Michigan called Thought and Awe, and the other half went towards gas and incidentals for various outreach events around Southeast Michigan, primarily at local schools, the Detroit Zoo, and the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. In both the blog and the outreach, I worked with Jeff Shi, the 2015 Hydrogen Zone winner.
Working in academic science, I’m confronted daily by the large and seemingly growing disconnect between the scientific community and the wider society. On issues such as GMOs, climate change, vaccines, and evolution, we often seem to be talking past each other.
Both science and society at large benefit when they are mutually engaged. Science is strongest when society provides strong support for basic research, and when many children want to grow up to be scientists and bring their diverse experiences, approaches and questions into the scientific arena. Likewise, society is at its best when empirical evidence is taken seriously and used to guide policy, and when scientific discoveries are quickly turned into useful technologies. I believe that science communication and outreach both play vital roles in keeping this engagement strong.
Good science outreach can help kids discover what science is all about, realize that scientists are real people, and that science is a career path that they could consider. Good science communication can bring people an appreciation of the value of scientific discovery, and the ways that rational, empirical thought can improve their lives. Well-communicated science can dispel myths and help people build an understanding of the world based on the best empirical evidence. And both science communication and outreach are two-way streets: scientists benefit from hearing what questions and concerns are important to the public, and taking the time to explain things clearly and without jargon can help a scientist sort of their own thoughts and get to the heart of the issue.
Through outreach events at local schools, the Detroit Zoo’s “Meet a Scientist” days, and the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, I have used the prize money to talk with hundreds of kids about my research, the importance of science, and what it’s like to be a scientist. The “I’m a Scientist USA” competition helped prepare me for their many questions!
The Thought and Awe blog, now hosted using competition prize money, has been read by tens of thousands of people. It has also given 10 young scientists a chance to hone their science communication skills, writing on topics from slime molds to Ebola.
The “I’m a Scientist USA” competition offered a great opportunity for me to reach out to people and engage with them about science, both during the competition and afterwards.
]]>I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here Kenya! will be running for a period of 2 weeks from Monday 26th June to Friday 7th July 2017.
The project will involve several secondary schools within the following counties:- Kilifi, Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru which have access to internet connected computers.
The project is inviting scientists and teachers to take part in this event.
Read information for teachers here.
Teachers apply here
Apply before Friday 9th June 2017
Read information for scientists here.
Scientists apply here
Apply before Friday 9th June 2017
]]>
Triệu Anh Trung |
Nguyễn Lâm Vương |
Trong suốt 2 tuần diễn ra sự kiện, các chủ nhân mới của Giải thưởng Khoa học Trường học chắc hẳn đã chinh phục được các bạn học sinh bằng những câu trả lời súc tích, dễ hiểu và các buổi chat dí dỏm, hữu ích.
Tỉ số bình chọn giữa 10 nhà khoa học trong 2 chủ đề lần này vô cùng sát sao và hồi hộp gay cấn đến phút cuối. Xin được chúc mừng tất cả các bạn đã bầu chọn cho 2 nhà vô địch của chúng ta nữa nhé!
Nhóm thực hiện dự án xin chân thành cảm ơn anh Tấn Trung, anh Thanh Quang, chị Ngọc Liễu, chị Mỹ Hạnh ở chủ đề Khoa học Sự sống, và chị Vân Anh, chị Tố Anh, chị Thu Hoài, chị Kim Chung ở chủ đề Khoa học Sức khoẻ. Sự nhiệt tình tham gia của các anh chị trong 2 chủ đề tháng 05/2017 đã giúp sự kiện Chat với Nhà khoa học diễn ra trọn vẹn và ý nghĩa với các bạn học sinh đến từ 9 trường THCS ở Hà Nội, Tp. Hồ Chí Minh và Trà Vinh.
Chúc các anh chị và các bạn luôn giữ được niềm đam mê với khoa học và hăng say tìm tòi, nghiên cứu, học hỏi mỗi ngày
]]>
Các bạn còn chần chờ gì mà không nhanh tay “bỏ phiếu” cho nhà khoa học mà mình yêu thích nhất nè để anh/ chị ấy có cơ hội giành được Giải thưởng Khoa học Trường học.
Trong trường hợp bạn nào còn nhiều thắc mắc chưa được giải đáp trong các buổi chat, chúng ta vẫn còn cơ hội từ đây đến cuối tuần để gửi câu hỏi cho các nhà khoa học đó. Hãy nhanh nhanh đặt câu hỏi và bấm gửi sớm thật sớm nha.
Để theo dõi các thông tin, hình ảnh cập nhật mới nhất về sự kiện Chat với Nhà khoa học, chúng ta nhớ “Like” trang: www.facebook.com/khoahoctruonghoc/
]]>Để giải đáp mọi thắc mắc của các bạn liên quan đến chủ đề Khoa học Sức khoẻ và Khoa học Sự sống, 10 nhà khoa học đã được mời tham gia sự kiện lần này. Bạn hãy nhanh chóng vào mục Gặp gỡ Nhà khoa học để cùng xem những thông tin, hình ảnh thú vị về bản thân và công việc nghiên cứu của các anh chị ấy nhé.
Các bạn học sinh đến từ 9 trường THCS ở Hà Nội, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh và Trà Vinh sẽ cùng nhau tham gia đặt câu hỏi, trò chuyện trực tuyến và bầu chọn ra 2 chủ nhân mới cho Giải thưởng Khoa học trường học từ ngày 08/05/2017 đến 19/05/2017.
Ngoài việc tìm hiểu về hoạt động HỎI, CHAT và CHỌN, bạn đừng quên “Like” trang Facebook Khoa học trường học để được cập nhật nhanh và sớm nhất mọi thông tin về sự kiện Chat với Nhà khoa học: www.facebook.com/khoahoctruonghoc/
]]>How we used to look.
If this isn’t your first visit you may have noticed that the site looks a little different today.
For the past few months we have been working in the background to develop a new look for our site to make it a bit more modern, a lot better on mobile devices and and much easier for us to update.
We’re still testing before going live on a site with a current event so if you spot anything that looks rubbish or even worse doesn’t work, please email and let us know there’s a problem. Send an email to emily@mangorol.la with a URL, screenshot and what you think isn’t right. It would be much appreciated.
]]>It’s been a really successful first week, with nine schools chatting with the scientists and over 180 questions submitted to ASK so far.
As a new teacher to the program said:
The students loved it! Did not really know what to expect, but it was great. Thank you so much!
We have schools from 8 different states, from California to Montana, New York to Wyoming, and scientists in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado and California. Live chats are taking place from early in the morning on the East coast to late in the afternoon on the West coast and as we enter the second week most of the country has switched over to Daylight saving time, except Arizona, making the coordination of live chats crucial to ensuring a successful event.
The website also continues to improve as we respond to feedback and develop new systems. This event sees the launch of a new chat engine which features lots of new helpful features, like one click replies and a message box that displays messages sent to you in the chat.
The scientists have shown an amazing amount of dedication attending the chats and explaining their research while going about their regular day to day work. Xueyuan is analyzing DNA sequences in fruit flies that duplicated themselves several millions years ago, Sahra is using genomics and a model plant to understand how plants respond to stress, Matthew is finding new disease genes that help explain why children are sick, Jennifer is writing computer code that analyzes thousands of genes to find mutations that cause cancer and Candace is learning how to combine genomics methods with an understanding of behavior and physiology to predict neurological problems, by studying twins.
As one student said:
Thank you all so very much; you are the greatest human beings that have ever lived in the history of the universe.
We’re certainly not going to argue about how great the scientists are, but each year the student questions also get better and the live chats more exciting and engaging, constantly surprising and impressing all of us here at I’m a Scientist USA, as well as the scientists themselves.
In ASK, Xueyuan has been describing how genes duplicate?, Sahra has explained what a model plant is, Matthew has received a lot of questions about what causes people to get sick?, Jennifer has provided advice on being taken seriously in science as a woman and Candace has revealed the most interesting thing that she has learned about neuroscience.
We’ve also had big questions like Why is peace so difficult to find? and more personal questions like What is the name of the disease they named after you?
You can read through all the answered questions and comments in each zone here.
So far the Genomics zone has been a massive hit with the students, scientists and teachers and we’re looking forward to another week of challenging questions, unbridled curiosity and hopefully more students responses like this one:
]]>you guys are so amazing i cant thank you guys enough for chatting with me!!!!!
Between March 6 and 17, school students from 8 different states will put the scientists through their paces in fast-paced live chats and probing questions on everything from how genomics can help cure sick children, how it can help us understand the brain, how it might help treat cancer to how plants respond to stress.
It’s been really difficult choosing our competitors as there are so many amazing researchers working in genomics, but we’ve got scientists who are working in a range of really exciting fields taking part and we think it’s going to lead to some fantastic conversations. We really hope all the other scientists who applied will be able to take part in future events.
So lets’ introduce the scientists taking part…
Xueyuan Jiang
“I study how a gene evolves after it duplicates itself.”
“I’m learning about gene function from gene expression data.”
“I study what the brain looks like when you’re thinking hard and remembering things.”
“I code to cure cancer!”
“I study how our experiences and genetics work together to shape our brain to make us who we are.”
For the latest news and updates on the event, head over to our website www.imacientist.us, or follow @ImascientistUS on Twitter.
The 2017 Genomics Zone is funded by Genentech and Human Longevity, Inc.
I’m a Scientist USA is delivered by Keep on Questioning. Keep on Questioning is a project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA). The Center for Transformative Action is an independent 501(c)3 educational non-profit organization affiliated with Cornell University.
]]>We asked the winners for some words following their win.
“This last two weeks have been proof that learning never stops! I would like to thank you so much for reminding me that and also challenging me to read more broadly than I normally would.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity to respond to a range of questions from curious young scientists from around the country! It was a fantastic refresher course on common and not so common knowledge. Some of the questions required a great deal of thought even though they sounded simple. I am sorry I could not answer all of them within the given time span.”
“I am humbled to have participated in this year’s event and to have had an opportunity to interact with students from some of the schools in Kenya. It has been a fun learning experience and I appreciate you all, from the organizers of this event, my colleagues at work and the students from the participating schools that showed great enthusiasm and were always eager to have their questions answered promptly.”
]]>Năm nhà khoa học tham gia sự kiện lần này hiện đang làm việc và nghiên cứu trong lĩnh vực Y sinh. Một số thông tin cơ bản về đời sống và sự nghiệp của các anh/ chị ấy đã được cập nhật trên website của chúng ta rồi đó, các bạn nhớ ghé xem và làm quen với các anh/ chị tại mục Gặp gỡ Nhà khoa học nha.
Sự kiện sẽ bắt đầu từ 03/01/2017 đến 13/01/2017 với sự tham gia của 320 bạn học sinh đến từ 9 trường THCS ở Hà Nội và Tp. Hồ Chí Minh. Ngoài việc đặt câu hỏi và trò chuyện trực tuyến với các nhà khoa học, 320 bạn tham gia cũng chính là 320 vị giám khảo chọn lựa chủ nhân mới cho Giải thưởng Khoa học trường học năm nay.
Nhanh tay tìm hiểu thông tin về các hoạt động HỎI, CHAT và CHỌN đi nào các bạn ơi!
Hãy “Like” trang Facebook Khoa học trường học để được cập nhật nhanh và sớm nhất mọi thông tin về sự kiện Chat với Nhà khoa học:
]]>Well done to all of the student winners, and everyone who took part. There were so many interesting questions, and comments, but there could only be one winner in each zone. So, for fantastic engagement during the event, for posting brilliant questions and comments, the student winners below will each receive a certificate and a gift voucher.
Winner: SectumSarzzies, St Molaga Senior NS
Winner: 528mutg28, St Michael’s Holy Faith Secondary School
Winner: 388newg35, Dunanri College
Winner: UniCorr, S N Naomh Colmain
Winner: 925xygg26, Inver College
After taking part in I’m a Scientist, we ask the students to answer a few questions to help us gauge their attitudes towards science. We randomly choose one student who filled in the questions to win a voucher. That student is Chocolatemonkey123 from Gaelschoil Na Cruaiche
]]>Map of schools taking part in November’s I’m a Scientist
I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here is back! In November students at over 50 schools all over Ireland will be interacting with 25 scientists across 5 different zones.
Between 7th – 18th November school students will put the scientists through their paces in fast-paced live chats and probing questions on everything from light, to mutations, to the creation of new materials.
For the latest news and announcements about the event, find us on Twitter, @imascientist, and follow the hashtag, #IASIE
Let’s meet the scientists and schools taking part…
This zone is funded by Science Foundation Ireland.
I fire lasers at things and look at the light from the explosions
I want to combat shortsightedness in children and teenagers! I aim to prevent shortsightedness and stop it getting worse so you will not have to wear glasses to see distance tasks like the board in school.
I’m trying to understand what super fast lasers do on a very small scale so we can use them in future technology.
Helping Electrons and Photons be friends
I work in a laser laboratory where we make holograms which can be used for lots of different things including as gas detectors, security holograms on passports, and even in solar power!
This zone is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
I am responsible for regulating Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in Ireland.
I love my job teaching science at DkIT and solving questions about cancer as a cancer researcher.
I want to find out how and why simple animals, for example jellyfish, can heal and regrow their bodies much better than humans after getting injured.
I am a medical scientist working in a Microbiology Laboratory in a large teaching Hospital, and I investigate what bacteria or viruses are causing infections in the patients.
Trying to figure out why tuberculosis becomes resistant to the drugs used to treat it, by studying its DNA.
This zone is funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
I try and make tins of tartan paint from chemicals that can pattern themselves.
I must design and build a teeny tiny battery (less than 1mm in size) that is very powerful, safe to use, and environmentally friendly!
I make the thinnest possible materials (2D materials) in a furnace to hopefully use them in future technology.
I work with tiny particles and study how they talk with cells, we try and trick cancer cells into taking these poisonous particles in to kill them.
I use high powered computers to simulate chemistry experiments on solid materials, so that these materials can be used to help solve the energy crisis.
This zone is funded by Science Foundation Ireland.
I use computers to predict how growing different crops could make climate change better, or worse.
I use computer simulations to understand the behaviour of materials.
I use mathematics and computing to find patterns in biology that can help a doctor choose which is the best treatment for a cancer patient.
I use data visualisation to help target HIV health care in South Africa.
I train Nurses and Doctors how to how to use small portable devices that will give a blood test result within a few minutes.
This zone is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
I make tiny amounts of drugs that are illegal (I have a license, I swear: I’m no Walter White!) to figure out how criminals are making them, so I can tell the police how to track people ordering suspicious supplies!
I work on the mechanical properties of the human skin: How hard/soft is it, How should it be cut to avoid ugly scars, How much force does it take to pierce it?
I work on seeing what happens when some of the most energetic and destructive objects in the Universe (black holes and neutron stars) come close to stars like our own sun.
I work in haematology which means I test your blood when you get blood taken at the doctors.
I study how proteins (little machines that work in every living thing) change when they bump into tiny manmade particles, to see if they do anything interesting or dangerous.
The project will involve several secondary schools within the following counties:- Kilifi, Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru which have access to internet connected computers.
The project is inviting scientists and teachers to take part in this event.
Read information for teachers here.
Teachers apply here
Apply before Friday 28th October 2016
Read information for scientists here.
Scientists apply here
Apply before Friday 16th December 2016
]]>This November, your favourite online science engagement activity returns with 5 different zones.
Read about them below, or if you want to jump straight to the application, teachers apply here: imascientist.ie/teachers and scientists here: imascientist.ie/scientist-apply.
The Harlan-J.-Smith telescope (USA) is used to point a laser at a mirror on the moon.| Image: McDonald Observatory / Wikimedia
As well as being needed to see the world around us, light is very useful in scientific research and industry. We can harness light from the sun to generate electricity using solar cells, helping to fight climate change. Lasers are used in everything from medicine to entertainment. In this zone, you might meet scientists who are finding ways of making solar panels cheaper to make or studying the light from stars thousands of light years away.
The Light Zone is a primary schools zone and is funded by Science Foundation Ireland
A mutation is a change in the genetic material of a living thing. This means changes to the DNA or to the chromosomes which carry the DNA, and all changes can be passed in to the next generation. Mutation can happen for lots of reasons, for example damage from radiation, certain chemicals, or just at random. The scientists in this zone could be working with gene mutations in order to help find cures for genetic conditions like asthma, developing new techniques to safely change DNA, or studying how pollution in oceans can cause animals to mutate.
The Mutation Zone is funded by the Wellcome Trust
Materials are all around us, each made up of different combinations of atoms. Atoms are the building blocks of materials, and by joining different atoms together we get every kind of material. New materials are cleverly designed substances based on recent technology, to make things like materials that can be worn to monitor your heartbeat and record unusual symptoms, or chewing gum containing finely powdered glass that can help to protect teeth and gums from decay. In this zone, scientists might be making new materials that generate electricity in environmentally ways, or researching new ways to make consumables like plastic from plants.
The New Materials Zone is funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry — To be eligible for this zone scientists should be a member of this society
We live in the era of data and computers, with scientists collecting massive amounts of information to analyse and use in a multitude of ways. Data can be gathered from all sorts of place, for example social media, or information from satellites in space. But what do they do with it all? Scientists in this zone might be using data to develop more efficient weather forecasting systems, working out how to better run public services in busy cities or looking at millions of models of people to study how a certain disease spreads. They could even be using data from huge computers to work out how the universe is constructed.
The Smart Data Zone is funded by the Science Foundation Ireland
General Science Zones take five scientists from a range of different research areas. We welcome any type of scientist to apply for this zone, as the more diverse their research areas, the better.
Apply before Monday 26th September. We’ll send an email out soon after you sign up asking which zones and how many classes you would like to bring online.
Apply before Monday 26th September. Take a look at this page for our advice on your application!
We are also running zones in I’m a Scientist UK. Click here for more information.
]]>
This follows an announcement from the Ministry of Education asking all voluntary school activities to re-apply for permission to run.
More information and updates to follow.
]]>Despite the likely trepidation the scientists are feeling, they all seem to be loving the event, answering a huge number of questions in ASK, over 300 questions so far, and in the 16 live chats they have already taken part in.
Yesterday Stephanie remarked
Glad to know I can keep chatting with the students even after elimination, it’s super fun talking to them.
We have schools from 13 different states, from California to Connecticut, Montana to Georgia and even a Canadian school in Ontario. Our scientists have been taking part in live chats really early in the morning from Arizona and late into the night from Africa. Online STEM engagement enables amazing interactions to take place across vast distances and for the past week Mark Ritchie has been chatting to students from Tanzania, where he is visiting the Serengeti to do some field work.
All the scientists are doing a fantastic job fitting in the hectic chats and satisfying the curiosity of the students while continuing with their day jobs, which range from studying people’s brains to researching the bacteria in plant roots, from monitoring patients anesthesia during surgery to generating electricity from soil.
These pictures and videos from Ms Hardaway’s class in Atlanta and Ms Burke’s class in Delaware provide an insight into what is going on in the classroom while our scientists are frantically typing away.
Great chat today with @imascientistUS! My kids asked some thoughtful questions and the scientist were very engaged! pic.twitter.com/CpQHdLSJst
— Kamilyah (@KSH_TheDreamer) April 27, 2016
Keegan the scientist just joined the chat! Cc @imascientistUS #cddolphins pic.twitter.com/J8p9s5RMWi — Room 302 (@CDroom302) April 28, 2016
Asking Dr. Dirt what would happen if there wasn’t gravel in soil #cddolphins Cc @imascientistUS pic.twitter.com/o1JBUtZgzc
— Room 302 (@CDroom302) April 28, 2016
We even had a principal at Carrie Downs Elementary in New Castle, Delaware join a chat to ask the scientists a question.
Even Mr. Timm has a soil question for the @imascientist scientists! #cddolphins pic.twitter.com/mil78r9iBc — Room 302 (@CDroom302) April 28, 2016
Probably the most moving moment of the year occurred last week, when we received an email from Ms de Luca who teaches students with physical and medical disabilities.
I can’t tell you how excited they were to actually be chatting live with scientists. If you could have seen my class set up, you would have been amazed too. Students using a head mouse to chat on their computer, aides getting on to help other students, it was great!
It is genuinely difficult to find the words to express how pleased that made us and we hope to enable many such interactions in the future.
There have been lots of other amazing moments and as always the students have been surprising us with their questions and curiosity.
We started off the event on National DNA day and fittingly Melissa has been explaining what sex chromosomes are and why she studies them.
We’ve also had big questions like How was the earth made? and more personal questions like What makes you a good scientist?
You can read through all the answered questions and comments in each zone.
But ultimately, it’s the connections that the scientists make with the students that leave a lasting impact on us all.
Well Isaiah, there’s four days left so we hope you submit more questions, take part in more chats and the scientist you vote for wins!
]]>Between April 25 and May 6 school students from 13 different states will put the scientists through their paces in fast-paced live chats and probing questions on everything from how we think, to how plants grow, to why do we feel pain, to how do you get electricity from soil?
We’re delighted to receive funding from the Agronomic Science Foundation to run the Soil zone and we encourage you to take a look at the resources available on the Soils 4 Teachers and Soils 4 kidz websites.
As always it has been really difficult choosing our competitors. We really hope all the other scientists who applied will be able to take part in future events.
So lets’ introduce the scientists taking part…
“I use computers to study the biology of sex differences and now, Gila monsters!”
“I study what the brain looks like when you’re thinking hard and remembering things.”
“I’m a molecular biologist trying to figure out how viruses carried by mosquitoes make us sick.”
“I study pain and pain medicines in patients; sometimes I work with rats & their brains as tools to learn more.”
“I study how scabs form.”
“Plants have no legs, so they cannot go to the supermarket and grab the food they want; for this, they have the roots. I study how the roots grow through the soil to reach the water and the food they need.”
“I study how animals that eat plants, mice to elephants, help make healthy soils.”
“I study how plants gained the ability to partner with microscopic creatures in the soil.”
“I work to understand, and help others understand, how soil, as the foundation for all life, integrates physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, and other sciences.”
“I make electricity from mud, using bacteria!”
Over the next couple of weeks the scientists will be filling in their profile pages with more details and teachers will soon be receiving the information packs so they can start preparing their classes.
For the latest news and updates on the event, head over to our website www.imacientist.us, or follow @ImascientistUS on Twitter.
I’m a Scientist USA is delivered by Keep on Questioning and supported by Gallomanor Communications. Keep on Questioning is a project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA). The Center for Transformative Action is an independent 501(c)3 educational non-profit organization affiliated with Cornell University.
The 2016 Soil zone is funded by the Agronomic Science Foundation Gateway fund. The Gateway Fund fosters innovative approaches to inspire young students and guide them to a career in agronomy, crop or soil sciences. Gateway funding enables novel methods to identify, inspire, and recruit high school, undergraduate and graduate students to develop an interest in agronomy, crop or soil sciences. The Agronomic Science Foundation (ASF) also supports young people through the Gateway Scholars Program. This program is designed to introduce high school students to the multitude of scientific disciplines in which members of ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are engaged in by inviting students and teachers from local high schools to attend the Annual Meeting and interact directly with scientists who are changing the world through research to meet challenges in global agriculture, food production, alternative energy, and the environment. This project allows ASA, CSSA, and SSSA to give something back to the community hosting the Annual Meeting and will help identify potential talent that the agricultural and environmental sciences need to thrive in the challenging times ahead. Students and educators should submit a proposal to participate in Gateway Scholars.
]]>Click for Jeff’s profile
Jeff was voted the winner of the Hydrogen Zone in 2015. We asked him to tell us what he’s been up to over the last year with his $500 and here is what he said…
I used funds from I’m A Scientist USA to create a number of sets of 3D printed bat skulls for use in public education and outreach around southeastern Michigan.
Bat skulls
Since the competition, I have partnered with two major nonprofits – the Organization for Bat Conservation (#savethebats) and the Detroit Zoological Society – in addition to my longtime work with the educational nonprofit 826michigan. With these groups, I present my research and overall concepts on ecology and evolution at the Detroit Zoo, at the Cranbrook Institute of Science, and at schools around the region.
The lowly skull: you may not think very much about it on a daily basis, but it encodes a wealth of information about the natural world. Paleontologists around the world use skull fragments to identify and describe extinct animals. Engineers and physicists use skulls to model stresses, strains, shearing, and slicing functions in all sorts of modern animals. Ecologists and evolutionary biologists, like myself, use skulls to both understand how life on this planet interacts with environments and other organisms, and how those relationships have changed through Earth’s history.
I spend my days rooting around museums of natural history, like at my home institution, the University of Michigan, and studying the evolution of modern bats and their skulls. Despite being enigmatic, misunderstood, and even feared, biologists have long marveled and studied how incredibly diverse bats are as a group of modern mammals. Modern bats, as a group, are veritable Swiss army knives in terms of feeding behavior. Bats have evolved to exploit nearly every type of food that exists in their environment: around the globe, bats feast on a smörgåsbord of invertebrates, vertebrates, fruits, nectar, and blood alike. They can only do this because of how incredibly disparate their skulls are; different bats have different crania, teeth, and mandibles to meet the highly variable demands of their diets. Carnivorous bats have large crests for muscle attachments and powerful canines, while the infamous vampire bats have stouter skulls with small, needle-like teeth adapted for piercing through thick hides.
Museum specimens in general are a phenomenal way to really showcase the diversity of life on this planet, in its many forms and functions. However, there is always the prickly issue that many museum specimens are rare: the products of exotic expeditions, painstaking fieldwork, and historical relics of previous centuries and decades.
By harnessing technology pioneered by engineers and medical professionals, however, I am working on a novel way of presenting biodiversity to the public. Part of my research involves using high-resolution X-ray computed microtomography to scan bat skulls – essentially, a CT scanner that works at very fine scales. With these data in hand, I have partnered with engineers at the University of Michigan to make high-fidelity replicas of bat skulls for education purposes. These are highly durable, replaceable, and can even be scaled up in size to focus on different regions of skulls.
Of the many hats I have to put on as a scientist in ecology and evolutionary biology – teacher, researcher, writer, etc. – I most value my position as an ambassador for the field.
I never expected to also be an ambassador for 3D printing technology, yet parents and students alike are always amazed at how incredibly detailed material from our printers can be. But most importantly to me, I find it incredibly rewarding and stimulating to see just how fascinated others are about bat skulls, even if they are “just” plastic reproductions. It is my hope to continue perfecting this pipeline, and making reproductions of even rarer specimens – fossil bats, for instance, would be a prime candidate. It is only with hands-on experiences like these that we, as biologists, can really showcase how bizarre, how wondrous, and how truly incredibly the processes of ecology and evolutionary really are.
]]>The project will involve several secondary schools within the following counties:- Kilifi, Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru which have access to internet connected computers.
The project is inviting scientists and teachers to take part in this event.
Read information for teachers here.
Teachers apply here
Apply before Monday 25th April 2016
Read information for scientists here.
Scientists apply here
Apply before Monday 2nd May 2016
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If you have already applied we will be contacting you to confirm your participation in this event.
Teachers apply here: imascientist.us/teachers
Apply before Friday 8th April
Scientists apply here: imascientist.us/scientists-apply
Apply before Monday 4th April
This year’s AAAS annual meeting was held in Washington D.C. and we were invited to run a session providing advice on communication skills from previous winners of the I’m a Scientist competition.
This year’s theme was Global Science Engagement, a fitting topic for I’m a Scientist, a program that now operates in seven countries on five different continents. This is impressive expansion for an initiative that started in 2008 in the UK. In contrast, AAAS is among the oldest scientific societies in America, having been founded in Philadelphia in 1848 and holding meetings annually since 1946.
I presented the session along with previous winner, and Advisory Board member, Prof. Andrew Maynard, with four other previous contestants answering questions online; Sean Murphy, Paige Brown, Lindsay Hunter and Jeff Shi.
Before our session I was invited to speak on a panel by Pallavi Phartiyal (Union of Concerned Scientists) and Erin Heath (AAAS) titled Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Policy (ESEP). I was joined by panelists in areas as diverse as broadcasting, public engagement and government policy, including the Chief Science Advisor to the New Zealand Prime Minister, Sir Peter Gluckman, who received the AAAS award for Science Diplomacy at the 2016 conference.
The selection of expertise and experience enabled the audience to get a really nice overview of a wide range of communication areas being presented at the conference. Each panelist introduced themselves and the subject of their session, followed by an open floor Q+A. The session was organized to establish coherence and commonalities between the experts delivering communication themed sessions, with the outcome that there was little, if any, divergence between the core messages and advice originating from the panelists. One of the common threads that came out from the discussion, and was seen across the conference, was the power of honesty and authenticity to genuinely engage the public with science.
The I’m a Scientist session was scheduled for two days later and we were starting to get a number of questions submitted to the ASK section of the AAAS 2016 zone. Just to illustrate the dilemma of ‘the scientist as expert’ @katieeprater asked this question:
I’m a Scientist not only benefits the students; many scientists have a renewed excitement for their work and lots of inspiration after the event, as they detailed in their responses to this question from @elysethegeek:
It seemed like we’d only just arrived at AAAS and yet Saturday rolled round pretty quickly and before we knew it we were setting up laptops, preparing handouts and checking internet connections, ready for our session. Just like the actual I’m a Scientist events, we wanted to make sure our audience could ask questions and take part in the live chat so we set-up a chat room for the event, crossing our fingers that people would have devices they could use to access the site and the AAAS WiFi in the room would be fast enough for everyone to participate.
Well, it was! Not only that but people had no problem logging on from their phones and participating. Describing the experience of a live chat is one thing but actually logging on and taking part familiarizes the experience of the I’m a Scientist events far better and enables people to visualize what it is really like chatting simultaneously with thirty or so young people.
Twenty-five to thirty people attended the session, mainly composed of scientists looking to improve their communication skills and science communicators. In order to pitch the session appropriately we elicited the existing knowledge in the room about I’m a Scientist. The vast majority of the participants were completely new to I’m a Scientist so we spent some time introducing the program, explaining how it worked and the application procedure.
Judging by the twitter comments it was aspects such as the ability to connect scientists with marginalized or underrepresented minorities, the safety of the platform, the ability to see winners’ successful engagement and the fact that I’m a Scientist is a competition that most appealed to the attendees.
Following this we provided some examples of good answers to the application question “How would you describe your work to a 13-year-old in one sentence?” and asked the participants to try this for themselves, comparing their descriptions with those sitting next to them.
In the meantime, our moderator for the day – Allyson MacLean (@allybear64) – opened up the chatroom so people could log on and start asking questions of our experienced competitors. We had eleven people log on to the live chat and a flurry of questions to myself and Andrew in the room. We were able to demonstrate just what ‘Global Science Engagement’ is by connecting not only American based scientists but also Lindsay Hunter in South Africa with the AAAS attendees.
As the majority of those present were novices to the program, a degree of familiarization with the format and the way the chats worked was required, with Andrew and I answering questions relating to the two windows and how to submit questions. We were also asked about the students who take part, the application procedure and the ability of the participants to share images or video with the students. The attendees initial impressions were extremely positive and once people were familiar with the way the site works excellent questions were being posed to our scientists in the live chat as well as in ASK, such as:
girlandkat : If you get picked for the “I’m a Scientist” panel, what is the commitment? (e.g. number of live chats, other activities, length of time on the panel)
Andrew : @girlandkat – commitment varies. I was spending an hour or so a day – but it went really fast, and was exceptionally rewarding
We hoped the session would inspire more scientists to apply to the competition and judging by the many conversations we were engaged in during and after the session, and Justin Smith’s comment during the live chat, the next time we run an event we’re likely to have a flood of new applicants.
justin-smith : I’m thinking of applying. This is right up my alley.
justin-smith : In fact, revise that, I’m definitely going to apply. I think this is awesome.
The AAAS conference was a great opportunity to share what the I’m a Scientist team and competitors have learned about science communication from over 5,000 live chats and answering 83,000 questions, as well as to connect with new scientists and communicators working in the sector.
We’ll sum it up with this quote from the live chat:
If you would like to take a look at our presentation you can download a pdf copy here.
]]>Margie McCarthy (SFI), Uday Bangavadi (Nitrogen Zone), Claire O’Connell (Nanoscience Zone) & Shane McCracken (I’m a Scientist)
Claire and Uday joined the Science Foundation Ireland partnership meeting last Thursday to talk about their experience of participating in I’m a Scientist and to receive their €500 prize from Margie McCarthy from Science Foundation Ireland. Claire spoke about how the event helped her better understand what young people thought of scientists and appreciated the opportunity to demonstrate that persistent stereotypes do not hold true.
Uday spoke about the challenging questions from students. He explained that answering simple questions like How do lasers work? in terms that an 8 year old will understand are challenging but in a good way. Both told the audience that they hoped this science outreach event for schools in Ireland would continue.
]]>The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) seeks to “advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people”. Each year, thousands of leading scientists, engineers, educators, policymakers, and journalists gather together to discuss recent developments in science and technology. The theme of the 2016 Annual Meeting is ‘Global Science Engagement’, and I’m a Scientist is a global science engagement phenomenon that now operates in seven countries, on five continents, so it only seems right that we bring it to the conference.
The Annual Meeting offers career development workshops for those working in science and technology-related fields. This year I’m a Scientist USA will provide an in-person workshop combined with a live chat and science communication Q+A zone. The Zone will feature previous winners of the competition revealing the secrets to their success and how you can develop and harness those same skills to boost your career.
Attendees of the workshop will be able to meet and interact with previous winners as well as submit questions to the online zone.
Come along to hear from Professor Andrew Maynard, Director of the Risk Innovation Lab at Arizona State University and a winner of I’m a Scientist, as well as Doctor Tristan MacLean, Founder and Director of I’m a Scientist USA reveal the secrets to successful science engagement.
The event will feature a live chat with Jeff Shi, winner of I’m a Scientist USA 2015, Paige Brown (@fromthelabbench), renowned blogger and winner of I’m an Engineer, Lindsay Hunter, runner-up I’m a Scientist USA 2015 and one of the discoverers of Homo naledi as well as Sean Murphy, winner of I’m a Scientist in 2012.
Title: Building Your Communication Skills with Winners of “I’m a Scientist” Competition.
Date: Saturday, February 13
Time: 1:00 -2:00 PM
Location: Washington 1 (Marriott Wardman Park)
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