Jim won the Genes Zone in June 2011. Here’s what he’s been up to with his prize money…

I learned of my win whilst I was actually participating in a group chat session with a school, which meant that added to my own excitement was the buzz from the school children who were thrilled to be there for the final results.
On the one hand I would have liked to use my prize money to run some practical experiments with two of the schools taking part in the Genes Zone, and on the other I would have liked to set up a webcam in a west African school, so roughly the same time zone, so that they could share a science lesson with a school in the UK. The latter task proved to be more of a logistical issue, and I decided that one way to achieve both aims was was to use the prize money to support an already established educational outreach project.

Students at Mbiriizi High performing distillation with TASTE

Then, in April of this year, I was following a science networking event called SciBar Cambridge via twitter when I learned of a charity called The African Science Truck Experience (TASTE) in a presentation by its founder Amy Buchanan-Hughes.

TASTE’s chief activity is the operation of a mobile science laboratory which visits schools providing practical science experience to students. The first mobile laboratory will begin to operate in January 2013, serving approximately 3000 students at 15 schools in the Lwengo district of Uganda.

In a country where science education is mandatory, it is a terrific shame that many rural schools cannot afford to stock the scientific materials necessary to demonstrate much of the theory being taught in classes; and sadly, across Uganda, biology and chemistry suffer some of the lowest pass rates of all subjects.

The project does not undermine the local teachers, but instead yolks their enthusiasm, and will provide training to enhance the confidence of teacher to participate fully with the mobile laboratory staff. The mobile truck aims to visit each school several times a term, hopefully embedding practical training as regular part of the curriculum. TASTE’s aim is to illustrate, instruct, and inspire, and it hopes this ethos can be spread more widely in the community through additional science camps during school holidays.

A group of students during a trial TASTE experiment

TASTE absolutely fulfills the ethos of how I’d wish to spent the winnings from I’m a Scientist, and I have therefore have gifted the £500 as a charity donation to them. TASTE needs to fund their mobile van, running costs and all the equipment and chemicals for their work; textbooks and screen projectors; teachers and lab assistants; and admin costs for running their central office. However, more importantly is the opportunity for the spirit of enthusiasm about science education to be realised, and provide valuable skills and knowledge that will have practical use the children of Lwengo.
I wish Amy and her Ugandan staff well, and look forward to seeing how their project develops. You can read more about, and make donations to, TASTE at http://www.tasteforscience.org/ and here’s a little page about my donation.