Summary
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- Throughout 2021, RSC members participated in 10 Zones across the IAS platform, 3 of which were directly part-funded by the RSC
- 7,327 students logged in with 80% actively engaging:
- Students connected with RSC members in 180 live chats:
- Students from 185 schools took part.
- 64% of participating schools were widening participation or in underserved areas.
- 51 reported RSC members took part:
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- Scientists represented a wide range of areas within science, and showed students a wide range of backgrounds, careers, and routes into STEM.
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- Taking part in IAS supports students’ science capital:
- Research carried out in 2019 into the impact of taking part in IAS shows that IAS maps well onto the Science Capital Teaching Approach, supporting science capital dimensions including: science literacy, seeing science as relevant to everyday life, knowledge about the transferability of science/science qualifications, and especially, knowing people in science-related jobs.
- Taking part has a positive impact on RSC members:
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- 83% of survey respondents reported an increase in skill in communicating with lay people.
- “Taking part and winning has increased my reputation for outreach and I am asked to do outreach for the lab more now.”
- 77% of participating scientists were more interested in continuing with other forms of engagement activities after IAS.
- “A very positive experience that definitely encouraged me to engage more with the public and look out for outreach opportunities.”
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