Inspired by Chris Parameter (RAL Space) winning "I'm an Engineer, get me out of here!" in November, Ed Banks (PPD, Boubly) signed up for the March 2020 "I'm a Scientist, get me out of here!" competition.
We recently caught up with Ed to
learn more about his experience:
"I’m a Scientist was a fantastic
event to take part in; a whirlwind of chaotic and interesting questions",
stated Ed, still buzzing from the experience.
"Over the course of the two
weeks, I took part in around two dozen live chats - in each one there would be
around 20 schoolkids asking questions all at once! Whilst the theme of the
‘zone’ I was participating in had the theme of Particles, the questions could
be anything from particle physics to astrophysics to video games; and,
unsurprisingly, coronavirus was dominating people’s thoughts this time around.
It really was a great way to engage with students from all over the country and
talk about the work that we’re all doing, and I genuinely had a lot of fun
doing it.
"During the second week, each
day the students would be voting for which scientist would be ‘eliminated’;
based on who had been the most engaging or informative." This was a nerve-wracking time but Ed maintained his cool and hoped he'd done enough to stay in
the competition. One by one the scientists were expelled but Ed prevailed...
"Amazingly, I made the final day
and ultimately won the whole competition!" he said, delighted to have
survived elimination and won £500 prize money.
"I’d very much recommend
the experience to anyone considering it as this is a fantastic opportunity to
engage, meet new people, and take part in some outreach while having fun doing
it. I’d definitely encourage people to take part if they have the
time!"
Ed plans to use his winnings to
"kickstart" the CORUS project (Cosmic Ray detectors in UK Schools)
again. "This would involve getting some new raspberry pis to use with some
muon detectors that we have. With some new computers and adaptors, we could get
this project up and running again; and set up some detectors in local schools.
Through CORUS we can put particle physics in the hands of students, and make a
subject that can often feel very abstract a bit more accessible."
What a fabulous idea! Well done Ed on
winning the competition and good luck with re-launching CORUS.
Do you want to take part in "I'm a Scientist" or "I'm an Engineer"?
Across the UK, school students'
education has been disrupted due to the current 'lockdown'. To help keep
students connected with science, technology, engineering and maths while
they’re out of school, "I’m a Scientist" and "I’m an
Engineer" have launched "Stay at Home" - a series of text-based
chats that will run until 20 July.
You can take part! Everything happens online so it’s
easy for you to be involved right from your desk or smartphone and at times
that suits your schedule. Live chats last 30 to 45 minutes. They are text-based,
fast-paced and fun. You won't be expected to attend every chat. Sign up for
whatever you can fit into your schedule.
By taking part you will develop your
communication skills, gain a fresh perspective on your work, and find out what
young people think about science and engineering.
Sign up now to be part of the Zones
launching in the autumn term. For further details, and to sign up, please visit: https://imascientist.org.uk/stayathome/scientist-signup/
