The University of Southampton

Going virtual with our Meet the Scientist sessions

scientists

A popular part of the LifeLab experience has always been the Meet the Scientist sessions where researchers from across the University Hospital Southampton and University of Southampton communities showcase their work.

Right now while we are not able to welcome students into our labs to meet these wonderful army of volunteers face to face, we are working on ways to allow them to continue to inspire the next generation online and digitally.

We want to be able to ensure they are still able to spark the enthusiasm and inquiring minds of our young people by telling their stories on video and online sessions.

Watch this space for more details on where you can see their inspiring work and learn about their career path and experiences. In the meantime if you are a researcher or scientist and would like to get involved in the sessions please email our team at lifelab@soton.ac.uk to find out more and a huge thank you for all those who have done so already.

Our existing volunteers always tell us of the huge rewards they get out of the sessions, and we are hoping to translate that into our online work.

Professor John Holloway who has delivered face to face sessions, said of his experience: “I would encourage all faculty researchers to participate in this scheme. It is a great way to illustrate your commitment to public engagement that research funders expect.”

Talking about the impact the sessions had on him, John said: “It reminds me about the sense of enthusiasm I had and what attracted me to do science in the first place.”

Other volunteers have spoken of how the sessions have made them look at their research in a new light and how they were the first stepping stone to a more confident approach to public engagement.

If you would like to volunteer email lifelab@soton.ac.uk. Find out more about the impact the sessions have had on volunteers here.