The theme for British Science Week 2023 is ‘Connections’, and one connection we’re excited for young people to explore is their connection with science itself!
The importance of connecting
In 2022, the British Science Association, who run British Science Week, surveyed 2,000 14-18-year-olds on their perspective of science. The survey found that only 34% of 14-to-18-year-olds in the UK think science is relevant to their life, and only 12% think scientists represent their views and values.
Another statistic that shows how far society needs to come for everyone to feel is connected is that just 8% of the young people surveyed could think of a scientist who looks like them.
Is science the odd one out?
A 2019 survey on public attitudes to science found 22% of the UK public described themselves as feeling ‘actively connected’ to science, whereas 40% said they feel actively connected to sport. Interestingly, there is tonnes of science in the world of sport – like forces, anatomy and physiotherapy – so this could in fact be a great place to start for some!
It’s clear that science isn’t quite clicking with everyone. So, we’ve asked some scientists (some of whom might be familiar to you) to share what makes them connect with science. Hopefully, they inspire young people to see the science all around them. Scroll down and swipe through the images to find out what they say.
These photographs will be on display from 7am-7pm, 9-11 March 2023 in London Bridge station (in the middle of the lower ground concourse, between the Tooley St and St Thomas St exits). Find out more.
View a text-only version of the campaign
Who’s in the campaign?
- Mona Chalabi, data journalist
- Seyed Nasrollahi, video game developer
- Helen Sharman, astronaut
- Ade Adepitan, broadcaster
- Sophie Langdon, PhD student
- Marc Davies, T cell engineer
- Liz Halstead, psychology lecturer
- Dawn Bonfield, materials engineer
- Antonio Forte, professor of engineering
Share your connection to science
Could you picture yourself as a wildlife conservationist? A marine biologist, perhaps? Or is space more your thing?
Save these backgrounds (or find your own) and use the green screen function in TikTok or Instagram to explore your connection with science!
TikTok
- Download or save one of our backgrounds
- Open TikTok, click the + to create and set to front camera
- Find a green screen effect (search for it in ‘Discover effects’)
- Select the background from the + symbol
- Tell us what your connection to the image / science is! Don’t forget to tag @britsciassoc and #BSW23
- Download or save one of our backgrounds
- Open Instagram, click the + to create a reel and set to front camera
- Select a green screen effect in the effects
- Select the background from the ‘Add media’ button
- Tell us what your connection to the image / science is! Don’t forget to tag @britishscienceassociation and #BSW23
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Thank you to the Science Museum and King’s College London for providing venues to conduct the campaign photography.
Campaign photography (except for Mona Chalabi) by Pablo Herrera Pérez.
…or use these name tags to tell us what you’re doing to celebrate British Science Week!
Fill them out and post on social media or print them out for younger ones!
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