Hi, I’m Katie the main moderator on In the Zone. It’s been great fun getting to know all you scientists, teachers and students and with the event over, it’s time to reflect on everything that’s happened!   The big run up! This was the first I’m a Scientist event that I’ve moderated on my own, and with it lasting 11 weeks I was a little daunted at first. The initial challenge was finding enough scientists, who fitted into the mind and body in motion theme. After spreading the word to sports institutes and our base of scientists who’ve taken part in previous events, it was great to see so many scientists signing up! In total we selected 42 scientists, based on their research, one sentence summary and student ratings. Scientists were studying anything from pole vaulting pensioners to growing muscles in the lab. The next challenge was getting teachers on … Continue reading →

  Throughout the 11 weeks In the Zone, students have been actively asking questions and having high energy live chats and now it’s time to say well done to the student winners in both zones.   Moderators and scientists have nominated students who asked loads of interesting questions and engaged really well in live chats and comments. The winners get a £20 WH Smiths voucher and a certificate. We’ve also listed the runners up in each zone, who participated really well.   And the student winners are: 7 – 11 Zone student winner: Ayesha3 For asking lots of great questions and participating actively! Some of our favourite questions include: “Why do East Africans win lots of endurance races? Why do people of West African descent win sprint races?” And “How do parents and where you were born affect your chances of being an olympian?“ Runners up: blondiecheeselover and grafitipig   … Continue reading →

We’re at the end of 10 high energy, heart pumping weeks In the Zone. Students’ and scientists’ minds and bodies have definitely been in motion, with students asking over 1780 questions on running, athletics, nutrition, strength and speed. And now it’s time to announce the winners!   Congratulations to… 7 – 11 Zone winner Alison! Alison has won the £500 prize to spend on science engagement. She plans to buy equipment and pay for the running costs of a regular online science podcast. She might even include some of your questions in her podcast…     And…   11 – 19 Zone winner Pete! Pete has won the £500 prize to spend on science engagement. He plans to develop a series of short, 5-minute videos where researchers who are at the top of their field have to explain big ideas or crazy concepts in an easy-to-understand and engaging way. Thank … Continue reading →

The last 10 weeks In the 7 – 11 Zone have been pretty intense. With over 1,600 students having 116 ‘buzzing’ live chats and asking over 1,700 weird and wonderful questions. Students and scientists have been exploring minds and bodies in motion, getting to grips with muscles, brains, bones and blood in the 7 – 11 Zone and the brain, health and sport in 11 – 19 Zone. This week’s 7 – 11 question of the week goes to student joel252000 for asking: “Why are different people scared of different things?” And in 11 – 19 to student rachelb95 for asking: “Do you think disabled athletes who can run equal times to able bodied athletes should be allowed to run in the same race as an able bodied athlete?” And the FINAL 5 scientists are… The finish line is now in sight, students have voted and it’s time to announce who … Continue reading →

With only 1 week till we announce the final 5 scientists In the Zone, the pressure is on! We’ll be counting students votes on Friday 6th July at 1.45pm and ONLY the most recent vote counts! So students, make sure your favourite scientists goes through to final and Vote now!   Live chats: Speedy fingers, muscle and aggression! In 30 manic live chats students have been putting scientists through their paces this week. Probing 7 – 11 scientists on: “has science helped athletes perform better?“, and “how did Fabrice Muambas heart fail?” In 11 -19 Zone students have been chatting about: “how does numbness stop the pain?“and “do hormones have a direct connection with aggression?” Scientists have definitely been feeling the strain. Helen said: “great chat! my fingers are hot from the speed of the typing!”   Questions, questions, questions In 7 – 11 questions have been flooding in! Students … Continue reading →

It’s crunch time … at 1.45pm on Friday 6th July we’ll be counting your votes & announcing the top five scientists to make it through to the final week In the Zone! ONLY your most recent vote counts! Who do you want to see in the final week? Here’s a reminder of all the scientists In the 7 – 11 Zone and In the 11 – 19 Zone.   Final week: Final Ask, Chat, Vote! From the 9th – 13th July you can Ask the final 5 In the Zone scientists your questions and Vote for who you want to win the £500 prize.  

Students had 19 lively live chats this week  and with only 2 weeks left, it’s time for students to VOTE for their favourite scientist to be In the Zone champions and win the £500 prize for science engagement!   BIG Questions: Students have been stretching their imaginations, asking the scientists over 200 questions this week. In the 7 – 11 Zone, question of the week goes to student ayesha3 for asking: “why do East Africans win lots of endurance races? Why do people of West African descent win sprint races?” And in the 11 – 19 Zone, question of the week is from student mrstagg, who was nominated by Jemma: “Can DNA be changed and rewritten like computer code?”   Lively Live chats: Students have been asking some pretty grizzling questions this week! In the 7 – 11 Zone, Uphill Primary students asked: “if you hang a weight from a … Continue reading →

Students have now asked over 1,000 questions and have 60 live chats booked for the rest of term! There’s still time to BOOK your live chat to get your students In the Zone! Questions: Bones and speed! Students have gone BONE mad this week! Asking Amy in the 11-19 Zone : “what’s the best way to make bone’s stronger?” And Alison in the 7-11 Zone: “how do bones heal if they break?” and “why are bones so hard?“ In the 7-11 Zone question of the week goes to student riaa for asking “how come people are faster than other people?”   And in the 11-19 Zone, student shayes18 for asking “when in a race and we see when to go, why don’t we go straight away when our brains recognise to go?”   More bones in live chats! In the 11 – 19 Zone live chats students stuck to the … Continue reading →

Live chats… In last week’s 7-11 Zone live chats students asked: “how many bpm does your heart do after an 10 mile cycle?“, “do any footy players take drugs” and “why do athliets need to take drugs?” And in the 11-19 Zone, students asked: “why do our taste buds change” and “how do muscles grow nd become stronger?”   7-11 Sporty questions… Students have been stretching the scientists, asking: “how can I improve my stmina?“,”how far do you have to move to stay health?” And question of the week goes to thomaslongton for asking: “what should you drink after a run?”   11-19 Brainy questions… Students have been getting our minds boggling: “how does your brain hold all the information you learn at school“, And question of the week goes to student jonjo123 for asking his mouth watering question: “why does our body become dehydrated?”   Thank yous! A big … Continue reading →

We asked participating teacher Liz Nicholson from St Marys Catholic School to write a report on her experiences In the Zone…   Why take part? When I started teacher training I had to do an exercise to get some young people to draw a picture of a scientist. Without exception they drew an Albert Einstein caricature, elderly, male, scruffy haired and inevitably wearing a white coat. This opened my eyes to some of the challenges that I would face. I’m a Scientist challenges these preconceptions and encourages young people to learn for learning’s sake rather than because there are examinations to pass and targets to meet.With the event spread over a period of 10 weeks I was aware that some would maybe struggle to stay the course, but I was surprised by the group’s enthusiasm when I suggested it to them.   Students asking questions… Pupils registered on the website … Continue reading →