Category Archives: Zone Reports

Water Zone Report – March 2019

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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.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Water Zone Report – March 2019

Time Zone Report – March 2019

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The Time Zone was a themed physics zone supported by the Institute of Physics. In the zone were:

  • Zoe Wimshurst, the zone winner, who works with athletes to help them improve their vision, see things more quickly and increase the amount of time they have to make a decision based on their sight.
  • Hamid Ohadi, an experimental physicist who works with mirrors and lasers to test new theories.
  • Kai Guo, who works with satellites to find the position of objects on the ground.
  • Claire Greenwell, a PhD student researching super massive black holes.
  • Jose Eliel Camargo Molina, who tests different particle theories and how they link to the collapse of the universe.
  • Hannah Collingwood, who works on time issues in various large projects such as the Square Kilometre Array.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, IOP, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Time Zone Report – March 2019

Seaborgium Zone Report – March 2019

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The Seaborgium Zone was a general science zone supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council. In the zone were six scientists:

  • Verity Fryer, a clinical scientist who analyses DNA in a hospital.
  • Sergio Adan Bermudez, a PhD student who uses lasers to research potential cancer cures.
  • Nick Werren, an STFC-funded PhD student and the winner of this zone, is a physicist who specialises in quantum biology.
  • Maria Walach, a physicist who studies the Earth’s magnetic field.
  • David Whitworth, an STFC-funded PhD student who studies dwarf galaxies.
  • Annette Raffan, a research technician who studies soil around plant roots and used Diamond Light Source for research.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, STFC, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Seaborgium Zone Report – March 2019

Rutherfordium Zone Report – March 2019

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The Rutherfordium Zone was a general science zone for primary schools, supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council. In the zone were six scientists:

  • Russell Arnott, the zone winner, who researches how the shape of plankton helps them survive in different environments.
  • Kathryn Boast, a Quantum Materials Outreach Officer who finds easy and fun ways to present research on different quantum materials to the public, much of which is done at Diamond Light Source and the ISIS Neutron and Muon source.
  • Jose Martinez-Gonzalez, scientist at the ISIS Neutron and Muon source who studies how water ‘dances’ on different surfaces.
  • Gabriel Gallardo, who works with the Large Hadron Collider to figure out what the universe is made of.
  • Affelia Wibisono, an STFC-funded PhD student investigating Jupiter’s x-ray northern and southern lights.
  • Adelie Gorce, an STFC-funded PhD student who uses massive telescopes to look for the birth of the universe and the very first stars.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, STFC, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Rutherfordium Zone Report – March 2019

Relationships Zone Report – March 2019

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The Relationships Zone was a themed psychology zone supported by The British Psychological Society. In the zone were six psychologists:

  • Sally Tilt, a forensic psychologist who works with inmates in prison.
  • Lucy Maddox, a clinical psychologist and author with an interest in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
  • Louise Rodgers, who works with young people in education and trains teachers.
  • James Munro, the winner of the Relationships Zone, is a psychology technician who wants to find out how the human brain works using magnets.
  • David Chadwick, a computer scientist looking at online security and relationships.
  • Dan Taylor, a PhD student who carries out research looking at sexuality.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, BPS, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Relationships Zone Report – March 2019

Perception Zone Report – March 2019

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The Perception Zone was a themed zone for sixth form students, supported by the British Psychological Society. There were six psychologists in the zone:

  • Vassilis Sideropoulos, the zone winner, is a laboratory technician looking at how the brain saves information and solves problems.
  • Tirso Gonzalez Alam uses MRI machines to scan the brain and work out which parts are responsible for which actions.
  • Matthew Longo is a professor of cognitive neuroscience who is studying how we perceive and experience our body.
  • Jane Aspell is a senior lecturer in cognitive neuroscience who looks at how the brain experiences body illusions.
  • Dawn Rose researches the link being music and wellbeing, particularly in people with Parkinson’s.
  • Alexandra Quigley is a psychologist for the NHS helping people who are experiencing pain.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, BPS, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Perception Zone Report – March 2019

Organs Zone Report – March 2019

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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.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Organs Zone Report – March 2019

Nuclear Zone Report – March 2019

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The Nuclear Zone was a themed zone supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council. In the zone were six scientists:

  • Sophia Pells, the zone winner, is a nuclear physics PhD student, looking at how we can produce radioactive atoms for treating and imaging cancer, using data from CERN.
  • Sarah O’Sullivan, a PhD student trying to make new uranium compounds by heating existing ones.
  • Meirin Oan Evans, PhD Student funded by STFC who uses data from a detector to find out what happens when high energy particles are smashed together.
  • George Fulton, a scientist at Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, who tests materials under the extreme conditions in a nuclear fusion reactor.
  • Emily Lewis, an STFC computer scientist at Harwell who makes models of different nuclear reactor designs to find out how they behave.
  • Andy Buckley who researches particle physics and predicts the outcomes of colliding super-high-energy protons together in the Large Hadron Collider.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, STFC, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Nuclear Zone Report – March 2019

Nobelium Zone Report – March 2019

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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
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Nobelium Zone Report – March 2019

Lawrencium Zone Report – March 2019

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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.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Lawrencium Zone Report – March 2019

Imaging Zone Report – March 2019

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The Imaging Zone was a themed zone supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council. There were six scientists in the zone:

  • Sonal Bhadane, a clinical expert in a company that makes radiation therapy machines and that works with STFC.
  • Zone winner Rosanna Tilbrook is an STFC-funded PhD student at the University of Leicester and is looking for new planets in the Next Generation Transit Survey.
  • Matthew Selwood, who is studying for an STFC-funded PhD making a new camera that can see through walls, detect contraband and see inside nuclear explosions.
  • Marleen Wilde, a medical technical assistant and part time PhD student at the University of Reading who does experiments at STFC facilities.
  • Dan Porter, who works at Diamond Light Source as a beamline scientist.
  • Atreya Acharyya, who uses data from NASA satellites to make predictions for new telescopes funded by STFC in Chile.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, STFC, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Imaging Zone Report – March 2019

Dubnium Zone Report – March 2019

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The Dubnium Zone was a general science zone supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council. In the zone were six scientists:

  • Tori Blakeman, who informs the public about the science innovation happening at STFC.
  • itus Mutwiri, who teaches at the Kenya Methodist University and does research for the International Livestock Research Institute.
  • Stuart Higgins, the zone winner and whose research group uses Diamond Light Source, is trying to understand how stem cells ‘feel’ and how those cells change.
  • Hannah Dalgleish, who studies star clusters to gain clues about how the galaxy formed and how stars evolve and whose research institute is funded by STFC.
  • Gill Harrison, who teaches obstetrics, abdominal and gynaecology ultrasound.
  • Alessandro Novellino, who works at the British Geological Survey.
Posted on April 16, 2019 modamy in 2019, STFC, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Dubnium Zone Report – March 2019

Molecule Zone Report – March 2019

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The Molecule Zone was a themed zone for Scottish schools, supported by ScotCHEM and with chemists based at universities in Scotland.

  • Sylvia Soldatou works on marine organisms to discover new antibiotics at University of Aberdeen.
  • Sumit Konar creates new crystals and molecules and solves their structures at the University of Edinburgh.
  • Martin McCoustra, the winner of the zone, is an astrochemist at Heriot-Watt University who studies how chemistry controls the evolution of the universe.
  • Kate McGonagle at the University of Dundee creates molecules that can kill parasites.
  • Bryony Hockin, a PhD student at University of St Andrews, studies chemical reactions powered by sunlight.
  • Aryanne Finnie, a PhD student at the University of Strathclyde, makes gold nanoparticles for bacteria-finding sensors.
  • Andrew Jamieson, from the University of Glasgow, was due to take part in the zone but unfortunately had to withdraw from taking place before the start of the event.
Posted on April 15, 2019 modamy in 2019, ScotCHEM, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Molecule Zone Report – March 2019

Drug Discovery Zone Report – March 2019

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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.
Posted on April 15, 2019 modamy in 2019, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Drug Discovery Zone Report – March 2019

CHRISTMAS LECTURES 2018 Zone Report

The 2018 I’m a Scientist CHRISTMAS LECTURES Zone was commissioned by The Royal Institution with support from Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

The online event gave school students, the viewing public, and the LECTURES attendees the opportunity to continue the conversation about the Royal Institution’s CHRISTMAS LECTURES series, “Who am I?”, as well as the surrounding scientific, societal, and ethical themes.

This Zone Report contains key activity data from the zone, here is what we learnt:

  • This was the busiest CHRISTMAS LECTURES Zone run to date; recording the highest numbers of registered users and schools taking part. The Zone saw double the average number of live CHATs run, and set a new record for lines of live CHAT in a CHRISTMAS LECTURES Zone, beating the previous record by more than 5,000 lines.
  • School uptake continued to improve on previous years, with students from 41 schools actively taking part in the Zone.
  • 170 members of the CHRISTMAS LECTURES studio audience submitted questions using cards provided. This is a significant improvement on the previous year, where 18 audience members used cards to submit questions to the Zone. Increased awareness of the cards this year is likely what led to more questions being submitted.
  • 20 experts actively participated through answering students’ questions, and taking part in live chats.
  • The questions in ASK and live CHATs covered a wide range of themes and ideas related to genetics and identity. “What would happen if…” scenario type questions were popular, as were questions about the future of humanity, and experts’ motivations to get into STEM.
  • Differing to previous CHRISTMAS LECTURES zones, experts were invited to take part for the duration of the event, rather than being allocated specific weeks. This was done to allow experts more flexibility in when they would take part, and reduce the admin required by organisers. Data shows that this change was successful, and did not adversely effect weekly contributions from experts.

Read the full report [PDF]

 

Posted on April 3, 2019 Moderator - Josh in 2018, Zone Reports | Comments Off on CHRISTMAS LECTURES 2018 Zone Report

Mendelevium Zone Report – November 2018

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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’.

Posted on January 14, 2019 modamy in 2018, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Mendelevium Zone Report – November 2018

Fermium Zone Report – November 2018

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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.

Posted on January 14, 2019 modamy in 2018, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Fermium Zone Report – November 2018

Einsteinium Zone Report – November 2018

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The Einsteinium Zone was a general physics zone supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council and featured six scientists:

  • Kathryn Harriss, from the University of Kent, investigates impacts between two objects at very high speed
  • Graeme Poole, zone winner, an astrophysicist studying meteorites to discover how the solar system began
  • Chris Davies uses data to fix problems and improve quality issues in the steel industry
  • Anne Green is a physics professor looking for dark matter as part of her research
  • Agnes Wojtusiak is a laser scientist at STFC who performs an array of different experiments and creates computer models
  • Adam McGuinness uses lasers to analyse the contents of the vesicles sent by cells to each other

This was a very busy zone, receiving over 25,000 views over the course of the activity. Students were interested in discussing physics topics such as space, matter and computing, but also wanted to get to know the scientists on a more personal level.

Posted on January 14, 2019 modamy in 2018, STFC, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Einsteinium Zone Report – November 2018

Sustainability Zone Report – November 2018

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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.

Posted on January 14, 2019 modamy in 2018, Wellcome Trust, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Sustainability Zone Report – November 2018

Sleep Zone Report – November 2018

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The Sleep Zone was a themed zone supported by The Physiological Society and featured six scientists:

  • Yousef Alqurashi is a doctoral student researching sleep and treating patients with sleep problems
  • Rachel Sharman, the winner of this zone, is at the University of Oxford looking at sleep medicine interventions in adolescent sleep and digital therapy for insomnia
  • Petrina Lau, from MRC Harwell, researches sleep and how it relates to disease conditions
  • Michael Ambler is trying to understand why animals hibernate to see if it would be possible for humans
  • Jason Ellis is a professor of sleep science and is trying to understand what happens in a person’s brain when they are sleeping
  • Emma Gale is currently a postgraduate student in sleep medicine at the University of Oxford

Extra resources
In the Sleep Zone we asked scientists to answer an extra question – ‘What’s the most important thing about sleep?’ – on the interview section of their profiles. Featured on all student profiles was a list of ‘Tips for a good night’s sleep’ and a ‘What type of sleeper are you?’ quiz, where students could find out their sleep chronotype.

We also gave teachers a link to some extra teaching resources provided by Hayley Moulding, sleep researcher and PhD Student at the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University. These resources included a Sleep Diary, the above mentioned chronotype questionnaire, activities for younger students and links to NHS advice on sleep and tiredness.

Posted on January 14, 2019 modamy in 2018, Physiological Society, Zone Reports | Comments Off on Sleep Zone Report – November 2018

About I’m a Scientist

    I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here is an online event where school students get to meet and interact with scientists. It’s an X Factor-style competition between scientists, where the students are the judges. Students challenge the scientists over intense, fast-paced, online live CHATs. Then they ASK the scientists all the questions they want to, and VOTE for their favourite scientist to win a prize of £500 to communicate their work with the public.  

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