To commercialise great science, inspire young scientists

Steve Bennett thinks that developing and commercialising great science is really very simple… it starts with our children

It’s hardly a new idea, of course, and this isn’t just about filling the STEM subjects with enough numbers or “the children being our future.” It’s about turning the best and brightest minds onto science at a young age and nurturing that interest because, fundamentally, those who follow vocations are the ones who ultimately light up the industry in years to come.

Needless to say, this is easier said than done. Science suffers from something of an image problem, with kids often perceiving a career in science as a lifetime of lab coats and microscopes. What is crucial is that we show how this need not be the case. A solid scientific grounding can just as easily lead to science-related work in the creative industries, journalism or business. Communicating this effectively is key.

Happily, there are initiatives geared to doing just this. Last year, for example, hundreds of people took part in the inaugural Great Science Share, which saw young people and people in industry sharing what they enjoy about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The programme, which returns this year, is a great example of connecting children, teachers and businesses in a way that is both innovative and engaging.

[box type="shadow" ]On Thursday 18th May, the Business of Science Conference returns for its second year. It will cover topics including the development and commercialisation of great science, the role of science to drive economic growth and leadership skills within science.[/box]

In a similar way, the Founders4Schools scheme brings young people into contact with business leaders, with the aim of sparking interest and inspiration. The platform allows teachers to invite business leaders from the local area into their classrooms, citing research showing that students who have four encounters with employers are three times more likely to pursue a STEM subject.

Events like Daresbury Open Week, meanwhile, get students out of the classroom and into the business environment. The event, held last year and due to be rebooted this year, gave school students an opportunity to see science careers in practice, with 45 groups from upper primary to sixth form level shown around the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus.

Of course, for every young person who discovers a non-lab-based science career that captures their imagination, there are those for whom the lab is what science is all about! With that in mind, BASF’s Kids’ Lab programme is aimed at enthusing children about lab-based science with engaging experiments and has put labs in over 30 countries around the world.

Giving young people the opportunity to approach science from these different perspectives helps to show them just how varied a career in science can be. Most importantly, though, it increases the propensity for those lightbulb moments that do not always exist inside a classroom.

What’s more, creating these opportunities isn’t just important from the perspective of empowering individuals. From a national perspective, “developing skills” is the second of the ten pillars outlined in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, which cites a need to boost STEM skills. There’s no better way to do that by engaging and exciting young minds, creating vocations and having bright, interested people choosing science as a career.

Author: Steve Bennett is the founder and managing director of Science North, an organisation set up to develop and deliver the Business of Science Conference.