Isabel was voted the winner of the Plants Zone in March 2014. Here she writes about how she used her £500 prize money for two different projects to inspire students about plant science.

If you’d like the chance to win funding for your own public engagement work, apply for the next I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here: imascientist.org.uk/scientist-apply

My money was split between two purposes. The first was to aid the travel of students from rural Norfolk (and East Anglia) to attend the Year 10 Science Camp at the John Innes Centre. This science camp gives GCSE students the chance to experience life as a scientist.

The second event was Fascination of Plants Day. I helped fund one event at the John Innes Centre, whilst volunteering at an event in Oxford run by the Oxford University Botanical Gardens and Harcourt Arboretum. The events were part of a global day celebrating plant sciences and enthusing the public about the importance of plant science research. In Oxford we ran a series of stands, including one run by myself and a fellow student about building self-contained ecosystems. Our event was incredibly successful, and we were invited back to run the same event the following year, and have been invited to run a stand at an event at the Botanical Gardens. The event was also featured in local press.

In all, £250 was spent on travel grants, and £250 on printing and resources for the John Innes Centre Fascination of Plants Day event. Since I’m A Scientist, as well as running the Fascination of Plants Day events in Oxford, I have also been involved in blogging, and have been to a couple of primary schools to enthuse the students about plant sciences and science in general.