Meet the Scientist training: Wednesday, 2 October

9am to 3pm

LifeLab, Southampton General Hospital, University Hospital Southampton

Our focus at LifeLab is driven by the belief that young people must be given the opportunity and knowledge to make the right decisions for themselves if they are to make better lifestyle choices that will impact their health and future generations.

That work is the thread that ties together the community of health professionals, researchers and educators around the LifeLab project.

We also know that strong partnerships are based on investing in each other and so a pillar of our success is developing health professionals and scientists to be able to present their work to young people in a way that will inspire them to understand the link between research and health messages.

Meet the Scientist is a vital component of the LifeLab programme, and is a great way for students to develop as wide a view as possible of all the different ways in which science can be used.

The ‘scientists’ are drawn from different backgrounds – PhD, lab manager, research nurse, lab technician, postdoc, PI, lecturer, professor – not necessarily a traditional ‘scientist’ but a valuable part of the way research impacts and improves our lives.

Each year we run training sessions to improve presentation skills and enhance the potential for work to be used as an engagement tool. Participants are asked to think about the impact of their work and are then supported in being able to tell that story to a younger audience.

The day-long course also covers classroom management, how to facilitate discussions and nailing your research pitch in 30 seconds.

Participation is also an excellent opportunity for participants to reflect on career paths to date, communicate research, and inspire a younger audience.  The training also has benefits beyond LifeLab, as it will be useful for all public engagement work with school pupils. As part of the training, there is also an opportunity to register as a STEM ambassador with Winchester Science Centre.

To find out more contact LifeLab by emailing lifelab@soton.ac.uk or if you are a University employee you can book a place using the staffbook and gradbook links below.