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imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 25 🎅🏼

Thank you to everyone who followed our journey with #IASAdventCalendar this month. We hope you enjoyed it.

To conclude the calendar, we want to share a message from a student that shows the impact that scientists can have via I’m a… Chats.

Happy Holidays!
A student tagged all the scientists in their chat and thanked them for answering their questions and educating them, adding that they look up to being like those scientists in the future.
December 25, 2024 at 10:00 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 24 🎅🏼

What are your hobbies?

Talking about hobbies is an easy way to get to know people, and perfect to help students understand how human scientists (or computer scientists) are.

More about I’m a Computer Scientist: https://buff.ly/4fLWa8j

@wearecomputing.bsky.social
A student asked what scientists in the chat do in their free time, and Viviene said she takes care of her plants, plays tennis and videogames, and hangs out with her partner. Fran replied he loves roleplaying games like DnD, so another student asked him for his favourite class and race in the game, to which Fran replied he’s currently a half elf bard specialising in dramatic storytelling.
December 24, 2024 at 12:09 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 23 🎅🏼

I’m a… Chats give students a chance to share what they’re working on in class and discuss it with professionals in the area.

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student shared their project for which they’re doing research into weather models. Dr Becks said she works with food models, so the student asked her how they usually look, for reference. Dr Becks explained she collects data of what each animal eats and how fast they reproduce to then connect the dots.
December 23, 2024 at 9:22 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 22 🎅🏼

There are increasingly more talks on sustainability nowadays, and students haven’t missed the chance to test scientists on the issue.

To match their curiosity we have to ask: how is your job sustainable?

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student asked how being a scientist is sustainable, and Sophie and Anita replied that scientists answer sustainability questions and test to make things more sustainable. Alexander added that while lots of experiments are not sustainable, the things they discover help make things more sustainable.
December 22, 2024 at 6:59 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 21 🎅🏼

Grades don’t always reflect one’s potential, and we could all use a reminder of that from time to time.

What other reminders like this would you share with a young student?

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student asked Giulia if she was good at science at school, to which Giulia replied yes. The student said they aren’t very good at it, which Giulia questioned, reminding them that how good they are at it isn’t always reflected by their grades.
December 21, 2024 at 11:10 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 20 🎅🏼

Can you prove Santa is real scientifically?

As Christmas approaches, we come to share the Christmas spirit from the I’m a… Chats!

Find out more about I'm a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student asked if scientists could prove that Santa is real scientifically, to which Tommy replied yes though it’s complicated, and Martin said Santa must be a quantum object or he wouldn’t be able to do his job in the few hours available to him.
December 20, 2024 at 1:25 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 19 🎅🏼

Students test their own knowledge in Chats, like in this I’m a Computer Scientist Chat. They can have so many curiosities to share!

Did you know these ones?

Find out more about I’m a Computer Scientist: https://buff.ly/4fLWa8j

@wearecomputing.bsky.social
A student asked Jarrod for his role model, which resulted in a conversation recalling the achievements of engineers such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Charles Babbage, Nic Tesla, and Edison.
December 19, 2024 at 11:15 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 18 🎅🏼

Fulfilment is key when choosing a career, and answers like Emilia's help students figure out what they want to aim for. This Ask feature gives scientists more time to write developed replies.

Find out more: https://buff.ly/3BzMhvF

@roysocchem.bsky.social
A student asked whether working in science is fulfilling, and Emilia replied that absolutely, because you get to understand the world better and in some cases to have a direct impact on people’s lives.
December 18, 2024 at 9:25 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 17 🎅🏼

I’m a… Chats feed students’ curiosity and aspirations, because scientists can recognise students’ potential through the questions they ask.

What would you tell a student who wants to be a scientist?

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student said they want to be a scientist when older, and Millie encouraged that idea.
December 17, 2024 at 3:20 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 16 🎅🏼

I’m a… Chats encourage student-scientist connections to help students see themselves more as potential mathematicians, scientists, engineers or computer scientists!

More about I’m a Mathematician: https://buff.ly/3Ovw0L7
A student asked Rachel what her favourite math class is and Rachel replied Physics, which is the same as the student’s favourite. The student loved that they had that in common.
December 16, 2024 at 12:30 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 15 🎅🏼

Is maths everywhere?

It definitely is incredibly broad, as mathematicians keep sharing more and more examples on how it applies to real life in I’m a Mathematician Chats.

Find out more about I’m a Mathematician: https://buff.ly/3Ovw0L7
A student asked how maths will help them when they are a chef when they’re older. Laura, Fran, and Caroline agreed that maths are needed to calculate ratios and quantities, and to convert one unit to another.
December 15, 2024 at 7:00 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 14 🎅🏼

I’m a Scientist aims to challenge stereotypes surrounding scientists, to make this career path more familiar and accessible to students. Here it challenges THE stereotype.

How do you prove this stereotype wrong?

More about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student asked scientists to prove wrong the stereotype that scientists are people in lab coats mixing potions. Scientists replied with descriptions of themselves that ranged from Becky measuring sunlight in a room with jeans and t-shirt on, to Isabelle spending her time as a field assistant in hiking boots and a head torch, to Alex working at a lab yet never mixing potions, to Catherine taking care of research costs by mainly talking to lots of people, to Rodrigo just wearing normal clothes, and to Marianne working at a nuclear station but working from home most of the time.
December 14, 2024 at 2:20 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 12 🎅🏼

Working as a team and asking for help when needed is key for good work, like Alana and Tom insisted on in this I’m an Engineer Chat.

What would you do if you didn’t know the answer to a question?

Find out more about I’m an Engineer: https://buff.ly/2UqX2Fc
A student asked what would the engineers in the chat do if they couldn’t solve a question, to which Alana and Tom answered that they’d ask someone who knows, because it’s all about working as a team.
December 12, 2024 at 7:30 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 11 🎅🏼

What’s the best question you've been asked by a student?

Students can ask the most interesting questions, and giving them a chance to discuss them with professionals is a way to recognise their potential.

More about I’m a Computer Scientist: https://buff.ly/4fLWa8j
A student asked what the best coding language is for flying a rocket. Mark suggested C because it lets you know accurately what it’s up to, while Mohan said usually separate languages and interfaces are used.
December 11, 2024 at 4:00 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 10 🎅🏼

Karen started off this Marine and Oceans themed Chat with a question that students were more than ready to answer!

Do you have a favourite marine animal too?

Find out more about our Marine and Oceans themed Chats: https://buff.ly/4g6sGlG
Karen asked students their favourite marine animal, which got replies like sharks, fishies, killer whale, hammerhead shark, and dolphins.
December 10, 2024 at 11:58 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 9 🎅🏼

Are you an AI bot?

Students are becoming increasingly curious about this in our Chats.

The I’m a Computer Scientist project offers Chats on AI and other themes for them to ask their questions.

Find out more: https://buff.ly/4fLWa8j

@wearecomputing.bsky.social
A student asked if the computer scientists in the chat are AI bots. Henry said no and encouraged the student’s suspicion, rewarding the student’s doubts by saying they're thinking like a cyber security engineer.
December 9, 2024 at 11:00 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 8 🎅🏼

Do you make any mistakes?

It can be challenging to not be put off by our mistakes and to learn from them instead. Scientists in I’m a… Chats are ready to share this positive mindset.

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student asked scientists if they make mistakes, to which Chloe, Jack, and Rachel replied that they do, same as everyone, and that they learn from them and there’s always others to check their work too.
December 8, 2024 at 8:00 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 7 🎅🏼

What is your favourite number?

This is the most common question in I’m a Mathematician Chats and it doesn’t fail to prompt a waterfall of interesting replies.

Find out more about I’m a Mathematician: https://buff.ly/3Ovw0L7
A student asked for the mathematician's favourite numbers. Replies ranged from 0, because it needed to be invented for maths to work, to pi/2 because Amy wrote it a lot in her PhD, to 16 because it’s halfway through the month, to 11 because it’s Laura’s favourite position in rugby.
December 7, 2024 at 3:00 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 6 🎅🏼

Was Maths invented or discovered?

Questions like this show how students’ curiosity can match that of mathematicians and prompt interesting conversations, like it did in this I’m a Mathematician Chat.

Find out more about I'm a Mathematician: https://buff.ly/3Ovw0L7
A student asked whether mathematicians in the chat believed maths to have been discovered or invented. Michael Sullivan and Amy agreed that the concept of maths was discovered, but we invented the ways we describe and write things. Nik Robinson added that models are just useful approximations.
December 6, 2024 at 7:00 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 5 🎅🏼

Students can shed a creative light on science, and I’m a… Chats provide a space for them to explore their ideas along with professionals.

Can you share your ideas with that creativity?

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/2Q6gZQd
A student suggested a wind turbine with fans plugged in and used to power the wind turbine to get infinite energy, which Ruth helped them understand would lead to a closed loop of electricity, with no energy to be used for other things.
December 5, 2024 at 10:00 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 4 🎅🏼

Have you faced any ethical issues in your jobs?

A student brought this question to an I’m a Computer Scientist Chat to make scientists reflect.

Find out more about I’m a Computer Scientist: https://buff.ly/4fLWa8j

@wearecomputing.bsky.social
A student asked computer scientists if they faced any ethical issues at their jobs. John said they always have to be careful to meet all the regulations and laws, and Amber added that she had to refuse to make a product for a client because she disagreed with the purpose of it.
December 4, 2024 at 12:30 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 3 🎅🏼

We all have different sources of inspiration, from teachers to curiosity itself, and it can be contagious when hearing about it.

What inspired you?

Find out more about I’m a Scientist: https://buff.ly/3V8ssSU

@researchireland.bsky.social
A student asked what inspired scientists to become scientists, to which Harish replied his Biology teacher and Brendan talked about his curiosity since he was a child.
December 3, 2024 at 9:30 AM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 2 🎅🏼

Do you need to be really clever to be a scientist?

Alessandra’s reply is a perfect example of how to deal with one of the most common questions asked by students on the I'm a... site.

Find out more: https://buff.ly/3V8ssSU

@researchireland.bsky.social
A student asked what made Alessandra think she was smart enough to become a scientist, to which she replied she didn’t decide it because she was smart enough, but because she had good teachers who encouraged her and she enjoyed it.
December 2, 2024 at 4:40 PM
imascientist.org.uk
#IASAdventCalendar Day 1 🎅🏼

How did you reach the current point of your career?

It can feel reassuring for students to learn how widely career paths vary, even within the same profession. The engineers in this I’m an Engineer Chat provide a great example.

Find out more: https://buff.ly/2UqX2Fc
A student asked what qualifications are needed to be an engineer. Four engineers agree that it depends on the type of engineer you are, for example, Jack started as an apprentice and got a degree while working, Caroline got a BSc in Physics, and Alessio got a Master and a PhD.
December 1, 2024 at 11:00 AM
imascientist.org.uk
With December about to start, we’re preparing an advent calendar of Chat snippets to share here, so keep an eye out for them!

#IASAdventCalendar
November 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM