I'm a Scientist: CERN Sixth Form

Enrichment opportunities are not evenly distributed.

Visiting CERN is the apogee of enrichment for a student interested in particle physics. But like an apogee it is out of reach for the majority.

We propose using the tried and tested I'm a Scientist platform to help connect Y12 students from across the UK with the scientists and staff who use the CERN facilities funded by STFC.

The activity will run for two years from September 2022 to July 2024. Students will be encouraged to participate regularly and independently throughout.

The participating scientists will be recruited from UK research groups carrying out experiments at CERN facilities such as ISOLDE, GBAR and ATRAP. They will be asked to produce profiles for themselves and their experiment, provide experiment updates, engage with students in live chats, and answer follow up questions.

Students will be able to follow particular experiments, join in fortnightly term time open chats with a diverse range of researchers, technicians, and staff, embed their learning through quizzes and download a certificate to demonstrate their achievements. Their teachers will be able to monitor progress too.


The overall impact of the project will be twofold:

Students from schools and colleges that are not normally able to send students to CERN will have the opportunity to learn about the science happening there and connect with scientists working there. They will have another piece of experience to include on UCAS personal statements to match students from more advantaged schools.

Scientists will improve their communication and engagement skills. They will gain the skills, confidence and motivation to do more engagement. They will do more engagement.

The evaluation report will be published alongside all of our evaluation (good and bad) at about.imascientist.org.uk/evaluation

We also have a strong track record of discussing the learning from our projects through STFC Grantholder meetings, Interact conferences, etc.

Shane McCracken sits on the Tomorrows Engineers Code Thinking Group advising one of the larger STEM outreach organisations on their activities.

We regularly give interviews to publications. The Darwin Tree of Life project will feature in the soon to be published Schools Science Partnership toolkit from Christina Astin. We are also a founding partner in the International Year of Science Engagement (https://iyse2027.org/) being led by the Falling Walls Foundation based in Berlin.