• Question: How do you increase your knowledge in science for the future - that can help you get a good job? what can you do at a young age that can prepare you...?

    Asked by <3 SCIENCE! to Kevin, Liz, Beccy, Rosie on 12 Jun 2017.
    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 12 Jun 2017:

      Learn all different sorts of science – see what you really love?

      What makes you really want to learn more?

      Use the web to find out what sorts of jobs there are. There are lots of resources now to make STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) widely accessible. See if you can do work experience (I’m not sure how old you are – so maybe this will happen later).

      But don’t decide on a speciality too soon – keep those options open. Some areas of science are changing so quickly right now.

      It’s important to remember that it all comes in useful. Languages help you communicate with more people, grammar helps you communicate more effectively, history helps you understand how our current world came to be the way it is. All of these things are important in understanding the settings of disease. For example, West Africa is the way it is now in large part due to the colonial past. So understanding its history and the ethnic diversity of the peoples is important for understanding people’s beliefs and behaviours.

    • Photo: Liz Buckingham-Jeffery

      Liz Buckingham-Jeffery answered on 12 Jun 2017:

      Hi! There is so much you can do, so I’d recommend doing things you find interesting otherwise you’ll just get bored. Obviously, go to school! But outside of school you can read books (fiction books, or books about whatever school subjects you are interested in), and also blogs. Some scientists write really interesting blogs.

      Also, do you know about TED talks? These are short, interesting talks on a whole range of topics, not just science. I watch these quite a lot… mostly in the gym! I need something to keep me running on that treadmill! And if you watch one and it is particularly interesting, then do some more research on the topic on the internet.

      Here is a TED talk about the disease cholera and John Snow (no, not the one from GoT!) that fits with the theme of this zone to get you started! Enjoy!

    • Photo: Rosie Fok

      Rosie Fok answered on 12 Jun 2017:

      Keep your eyes and ears open and learn about the world around you. Start to question everything. Why is something a certain way? Would it be better if it was a different way? How would you go about proving that?

      And watch some of the amazing TED talks, like Liz says.

    • Photo: Rebecca Corkill

      Rebecca Corkill answered on 14 Jun 2017:

      TED talks are pretty epic!
      Also, start looking into podcasts and blogs.
      One of my favourite ‘sciency’ podcast is the Infinity Monkey Cage with Prof. Brian Cox.
      Basically, try to expand your learning outside of school.
      There are also many schemes you can be involved with like my university offers a year 10 summer science camp.
      https://www.jic.ac.uk/Year10/
      I would also recommend following scientists on Twitter, I have found many opportunities that way!

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