The competition, which has been running for the past two weeks, is an online event where school students get to meet and interact with scientists.
Through a series of intense, fast-paced, online live chats, school students challenge scientists to explain their research in the most engaging way possible and vote for their favourites in a process of elimination.
Researchers from Bath went up against fellow academics in different ‘science zones’, each competing to win the student vote and secure £500 to help communicate their work to the wider public.
PhD student Jess Bean, competing in the ‘Indium Zone’, is one of today’s finalists. She said: “I’m really shocked to still be in, judging from the amazing answers the other scientists have been giving! It’s been so much fun talking to all the kids and I’ve learnt quite a bit myself about a really diverse range of science. The questions have been really insightful and it’s amazing what things come up in your research when looked at through a fresh set of eyes!”
Also through to the final is PhD student Alberto Lapedriza, competing in the ‘Reproduction Zone’. Alberto, who recently won the public vote in the University’s Images of Research exhibition, has enjoyed the process of meeting and interacting with students.
He said: “The competition has been very busy, with lots of questions to answer every day. The students have asked me some very interesting questions about the use of animals in research, skin cancer, embryonic development and zebrafish. The live chats have been quite challenging, because they are very fast, with a lot of impatient students asking questions at the same time, but they’ve been really fun. It’s been an exciting and rewarding experience, and I hope the students have enjoyed it as much as I have. I’m really happy to be in the final.”
Rhod Jenkins from the University’s Centre of Sustainable Chemical Technologies is the third finalist, hoping to win in the ‘Energy Zone’.
Results are expected at 4pm on Friday 28 June.
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