Question: Even by showing young people it isn’t all stereotypical scientists, will they still be interested?

Angela Stokes answered on 10 Nov 2014:

Hi Joe M W PrendergastVale
I think getting young people interested in the traditional science subjects is difficult – teachers in the main do a great job in trying to keep the interest up but they also have the unenviable job of instilling basic principles of research into young people and that’s not easy. I think if young people can see role models who are scientists but who do not necessarily work in a traditional laboratory environment then this gives them more options to think about.

For example if a job was to offer you trips to US, Australia, Asia and Europe on a regular basis, where you can meet people and have a final product which can help people and which you can enter as a science graduate, I think people would be interested.

Or for those that want to work with animals, showing how getting science qualifications can help with a career in veterinary nursing or zoo keeping.

I think young people don’t see how many doors can open up to them – if they did I think more would stay interested – and even one more staying interested is a positive outcome.