Wellcome Trust

The Red Zone ran from 12 to 30 April 2021. The activity featured 28 scientists working across the UK, in a broad range of fields.

The winner of the Zone was Kip Heath, who won £500 to deliver further engagement activities. 28 scientists created profiles in the Zone. See who took part ❯

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Read the report: Green Zone Report – March 2020 [PDF] The Green Zone was launched as a pilot zone due to school closures in light of the global pandemic of COVID-19, Coronavirus. This enabled us to launch I’m a Scientist, Stay at home as an expansion and continuation of the Green Zone. We had a total of 82 scientists sign up to participate in this zone; ranging in specialities from animal behaviour to nuclear engineering.

Read the report: Nihonium Zone Report – March 2020 [PDF]

[caption id="attachment_13087" align="alignright" width="211"] Read the report: Nihonium Zone Report – March 2020 [PDF][/caption]The Nihonium Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. Continue reading →

Read the report: Food Zone Report – March 2020 [PDF]

[caption id="attachment_13087" align="alignright" width="211"] Read the report: Food Zone Report – March 2020 [PDF][/caption]The Food Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. Continue reading →

Read the report: Sustainability Zone Report – November 2019 [PDF] The Sustainability Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists: Stuart Goldie is a Postgraduate Research Assistant, discovering new materials for renewable energy. Scott Dwyer is finding new ways to control a parasitic mite that can kill honey bees. Lisa Kelly manages BASF’s distribution business, trying to supply products like cosmetics, food and pharmaceuticals in a sustainable way. Jack Saunders is a polymer scientist making new plastics for paints, to help keep things in better conditions for longer. Caragh Whitehead is a research technician looking at how plants can lead to improvements in all areas of our lives. Alex Batchelor, the winner of this zone, is a PhD student investigating how plant roots can get more phosphorous from the soil, to help them grow better and produce more food.

Read the report: Meitnerium Zone Report – November 2019 [PDF] The Meitnerium Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists: Sarah Knight works at the University of York, exploring why we get distracted by background noise when we’re trying to listen to another person speaking. Isaac Halstead is a PhD student looking at the psychological factors of gene editing attitudes – what makes a person support or oppose its use. Hira Virdee is a space laser scientist, using lasers to increase the power of satellite solar panels. Elena Maters, the winner of this zone, is studying how volcanoes affect our environment and why ash particles from different volcanoes influence chemistry and clouds. Anisha Wijeyesekera is studying how diet can impact the bacteria in our gut, and how this can positively or negatively influence our health. Alex Leide looks at how ceramics break at the nanoscale, to … Continue reading →

Read the report: Darmstadtium Zone Report – November 2019 [PDF] The Darmstadtium Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists: Simon Brown is a technician at University of Bath chemistry department. Selen Ozbek is a psychologist, investigating how blindness affects the circadian rhythm of veterans and army personnel. Paul Laurance-Young, the winner in this Zone, is a biomedical scientist in cellular pathology. Nawapat Kaweeyanun is a space physicist looking at Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, preparing for a mission to find out if it once hosted life. Natalie Fowler is a clinical scientist working at a hospital, ensuring the correct machines are being used and are working properly for the sickest patients. Katy Bruce is a PhD student in Forensic Chemistry, looking at whether traces of makeup at a crime scene could be used as reliable sources of evidence.

Read the report: Plants Zone Report – June 2019 [PDF] The Plants Zone was a themed zone for primary schools zone supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists: Shannah Gates is a PhD student growing root cultures to be used in medicinal compounds. Richard Gammons is researching how to use plants as chemicals to make fuels. Matthew Alkan is investigating whether driving cars is changing the smells of plants, affecting bees that use a plant’s scent to find and pollinate it. John Paterson is trying to understand how pollinators, like bees and hoverflies, know when the seasons are changing and why this is important for flowers and crops. Emma Markham works at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council funding research which helps people and the planet. Anna Gardner, the winning scientist, is a researcher of trees, studying how climate change might change oak leaves in the future.

Read the report: Hassium Zone Report – June 2019 [PDF] The Hassium Zone was a general zone supported by Wellcome and featured six scientists: Helen Faulkner tests drugs to be sure that they are safe for patients to take. Farah Elahi is completing a PhD looking at how virtual reality can improve young people’s mental health. Dave Underhill, the winner of this zone, is an archaeologist who runs projects aimed at increasing public understanding of mining and quarrying industries. Cheryl Williams analyses specimens from patients to help doctors with diagnosis. Bastian Saputra is researching how to modify bacteria to make them glow in the presence of soil pollution. Alun Owen is an Environmental Chemistry Technician who also teaches chemistry at university.

Read the report: Bohrium Zone Report – June 2019 [PDF] The Bohrium Zone was a general zone supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists: Rob Ives, winner of the zone, is an in-vivo scientist creating better tasting medicines for children. Imad Ouachan is developing new materials to protect offshore wind turbines blades from impacts. Fern Johnson is a trainee clinical scientist in bioinformatics, working in the genetics department of a hospital. Christian Gude makes plastics from waste gases using genetically engineered bacteria. Carol Wallace is a research technician working in an immunology lab that specialises in fungal disease. A sixth scientist unfortunately had to drop out at short notice.

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The Water Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. In the zone were six scientists:

• Silvia Imberti, who use neutrons to look at hydrogen bonds in liquids.
• Scott Graham, who is currently working as a microbiologist in an animal disease laboratory following a role with Scottish Water.
• Oliver Andrews, a lecturer who uses computers to investigate how global warming changes the oceans and marine life.
• Natalie Lamb, a PhD scientist researching how to treat drinking water better.
• Michelle Valkanas, who studies bioremediation and how can we use biological organisms to clean up the environment.
• Lowri Evans, the winner of the zone, is a marine biologist interested in fisheries and Marine Protected Areas.

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The Organs Zone was a themed zone for primary schools, supported by Wellcome. There were six scientists taking part in the zone:

• Rebecca Gosling is a heart doctor trying to prevent heart attacks with computer programs.
• Raashid Ali is a clinical scientist who works with doctors and nurses to support patients’ organs.
• Matthew Smith, the winner of the Organs Zone, is a cancer researcher trying to understand the disease of pancreatic cancer.
• Marie Cameron is a Lecturer, biomedical scientist and health service researcher.
• Hanna Jeffery is a clinical scientist at the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.
• Gareth Nye is a scientist understanding problems during pregnancy.

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The Nobelium Zone was a general science zone supported by Wellcome. In the zone were six scientists:

• Rosemary Josekutty Thomas, a PhD computer scientist researching how to change people’s behaviour using messages
• Oliver Gordon, the zone winner, who is doing a PhD in AI/Nanoscience at The University of Nottingham
• Leigh Kesler, who uses a particle accelerator to imitate the damage in fission and fusion reactors
• Jordan Kirby, a teaching and research technician at the University of Reading
• Hannah Dennett, a consultant who assesses the impact that developments, such as new houses or roads, have on air quality
• David Sünderhauf, a PhD student using CRISPR biotechnology to combat antibiotic resistance

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The Lawrencium Zone was a general science zone supported by Wellcome. In the zone were six scientists:

• Srinath Kasturirangan, a genetic engineer who builds Frankenstein molecules in an attempt to cure cancer.
• Natasha Dowey, a volcanologist and geoscientist who uses knowledge of tectonic plates to understand where oil and gas can be found.
• Nana Odom, a clinical engineer who works as a healthcare scientist in a hospital.
• Marialuisa Crosatti, a microbiologist working as a technician in a university.
• Gautam Kambhampati, a PhD student interested in using lasers to build a quantum computer.
• Alexander Allen, the winner of the Lawrencium Zone, is a PhD student interested in nanoscience.

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The Drug Discovery Zone was a themed zone supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists:

• Sebastian Cosgrove, who uses flow chemistry and enzymes to better control chemical reactions.
• Padhmanand Sudhakar, a computational biologist who engages with policy makers and politicians.
• Lee Steinberg, the winner of the Drug Discovery Zone, uses supercomputers to design new drugs and predict how they will behave.
• Jennifer Harris, who helps scientists discover and develop new treatments for patients.
• Fiona Scott, who makes new molecules in an effort to help cure cancer.
• Eleanor Senior, who tests the behaviour of cow parasites in order to locate genes for further testing.

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The Mendelevium Zone was a general science zone supported by Wellcome. It was a secondary school zone featuring six scientists:

• Morwenna Bugg reads and summarises scientific research for commissioners to decide how to work out what healthcare services we need
• Jamal Kinsella is a PhD student researching how people think while they are driving cars, so they can be taught to be safer
• Iain Staniland, the winner of this zone, works as an Antarctic wildlife ecologist researching seals, penguins and whales
• Heidi Gardner is a research assistant working out how to improve the way we conduct clinical trials
• Emma McEntee is a biostatistician working in drug development
• Carl Heron is an archaeological scientist and Director of Scientific Research at the British Museum

Over half of all the questions sent to the scientists in ASK were about science topics, with students wanting to know everything about the scientists’ areas of research and more general science questions. One student stood out by researching Carl’s journal articles and sending a 4-part question to him, including a comment on their favourite article, ‘Organic Mass Spectrometry in Art and Archaeology’. Continue reading →

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The Fermium Zone was a general science zone for primary schools, supported by Wellcome. It featured six scientists:

• Sophie Morse is a PhD student researching how to deliver medicine to the brain using microbubbles
• Simon Cork studies how our brains cause us to feel hungry or full
• Obi Umegbolu is a data analyst skills development coach, helping learners progress in the industry and supporting data analysis projects
• Kelly Rushton, the zone winner, researches mental health and how doctors, nurses and even animals can help patients with mental health issues
• John Midgley works as a technical manager at the British Geological Survey aiming to understand how changing the underground changes the world around us
• Jessica Leung is a quality technician at Kerry Ingredients and tests the flavours that go in our food and drink

This zone had fewer schools than other November zones, but students still engaged well in live chats. The final live chat, open to all schools, was particularly busy, with students telling the scientists they had joined the chat from home to find out who won. Continue reading →

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The Sustainability Zone was a themed zone for primary schools, supported by Wellcome. There were six scientists participating:

• Matt Bower works at the Scottish Government to maintain safe drinking water
• Maia Elliott writes at Global Food Security about how our food system could be made healthier and more sustainable
• Lyndsay Christie is a PhD student researching the diseases that infect fish and how we can control these to improve the health of fish
• Liam Taylor, the zone winner, studies how climate change affects the icy regions of our world
• Dionne Turnbull studies plant diseases and how plants can defend themselves from these infections
• Brendan Marrinan is a geo-environmental consultant where he assesses the contamination of land before someone can start building on it

Students in this zone showed great awareness of the current issues surrounding sustainability and the environment, and there were lots of discussions in ASK and CHAT about climate change, pollution and health. There were also a large number of questions about the scientists’ lives outside of work, their hobbies and families.

Fetlar Primary School on the Shetland Islands took part in this zone with a class of four students, who were all very engaged throughout the activity. Two of these joined both the evening chat and the 3hr open live chat from home. Continue reading →