A science ambassador in the spotlight

I am a final-year PhD student at University College London, UK, and have been involved with the Pupil Research Initiative (PRI) since 2002. PRI is a nationwide scheme funded by UK Research Councils and run by the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University. It aims to stimulate the study of science, engineering and technology by linking schools, teachers and students with trained PhD students from university departments and laboratories.

My role in PRI involves giving science demonstrations — for example, describing the synthesis of aspirin — and communicating science, in respect to science careers, to various schools in London and Berkshire. The PRI scheme aims to make school science more fun and enjoyable by sending researchers like me into classrooms hoping to encourage students who otherwise would not consider taking a science degree at university to do so. Anybody interested in promoting science can get involved in the classroom activity through the PRI.

Express yourself
The scheme has enabled me to take the challenging role as facilitator for the 'Express Yourself' national conferences held in Harlow and Warwick, where pupils gave short talks or presented posters on scientific investigations they had undertaken. At an annual conference held at the prestigious Royal Institution of Great Britain in London, 20 schools from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland came to compete for the Young Scientists of the Year award. Here my responsibilities were to chair the talks given by various schools and to be part of the panel of judges.

I wanted to contribute something that would make this event very memorable for the schools attending. Having now become a little creative, together with the support of UCL, I have produced a pocket-sized periodic table, which includes useful scientific formulas and can be opened like a map. Fortunately the success of this project has now gone further and the foldouts have been supplied to many schools nationwide. Anyone wanting any free sample copies can contact me (E: a.ibrahim@ucl.ac.uk).

As well as the satisfaction of encouraging the next generation of scientists to experience the excitement of real science, I have found that taking part in these activities has also had benefits for my own personal development. In particular it has enhanced my skills in leadership, communication, time-management and networking, at both the professional and personal level.

It is extremely important that researchers like myself take part in outreach programmes that help inspire young people to become scientists. If this matter is not taken seriously then this country might not produce enough scientists to accommodate the chemical or pharmaceutical industry. The result may lead large companies to move abroad and consequently affect the economy of this country as a whole. It is important to stimulate young people early on in the career to think about a future in the science industry.

It is always nice to realise that other people appreciate what you do, and at the Royal Institution last October I was pleased to be presented with the Science Communicator’s Award from UK Research Councils (the Wellcome Trust, PPARC, BBSRC, NERC and EPSRC) and the directors of PRI. This award is given to a very small number of researchers each year in recognition of their outstanding contribution to promoting and communicating science to society at a national level.

My PhD is almost at an end, but in the future, I would like to continue supporting many schools and continue promoting science if any possibility does arise.