Professor David Chadwick is taking part in I’m a Scientist, get me out of here! from 4-15 March, as part of British Science Week.
I’m a Scientist is an online activity for school students to connect with scientists. It is an X Factor-style competition between scientists, where students are the judges. Students challenge the scientists over fast-paced online text-based live chats. They can ask anything they want, and vote for their favourite scientist to win a prize of £500 to communicate their work with the public.
The event started on 4 March when students started asking questions of the Scientists. Thursday 7 March saw the first live chat, with students encouraged to log in with family and friends and ask questions. Tuesday 12 March is the start of the evictions when the scientists with the least votes will be evicted from the competition. The final live chat is on Friday 15 March and at 3pm the voting closes and the winners of I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here are announced.
David said ‘Some of the initial questions the students asked were very penetrating, and you had to think long and hard before answering. But this was fine as you had plenty of time. However, when the live chat started you had no time to think as the questions were coming thick and fast, in fact, faster than you could touch type your answers. So it was quite a challenge to give the students a meaningful answer that would both engage and enthral them, whilst simultaneously not make you look like an idiot who should be thrown out straight away!”
You can review David’s profile and see the questions and his answers at https://relationshipsm19.imascientist.org.uk/profile/davidchadwick/