Building outreach skills and a career in science
28 April 2025
In this UCL RESILIENCE case study, recent trainee Eleanor Mathias tells her own inspirational story of how something that started with the straightforward impulse to gain new technical skills led to something more transformational in her thinking about her future careeer trajectory at a cross-roads moment in her working life…
When I registered for the Cell Culture & Analysis MBI (Hands-On) course with RESILIENCE in January 2025, it was without any understanding of the wider outreach context of their work. I had recently left a research role in chemistry, and my main motivation was to get practical training in an area where I saw an interesting opportunity to develop a sought-after skill. Having finished university during COVID lockdowns, I was keenly aware of areas where I would benefit from additional training and was excited to see UCL offering short courses in person.
Now reflecting on my experience, while I did gain that valuable practical training experience of cell culture and analysis as I hoped, participating in the RESILIENCE course impacted and informed me as an early career researcher in two less expected ways.
Spending time with other delegates was tremendously reassuring
Firstly, spending time with other delegates was tremendously reassuring in terms of the universal need to continue training and professional development, especially post-COVID. As it was an in-person course and with it being delivered continuously over several days, there was a brilliant opportunity to have frank discussions about our experiences across higher education since 2020.
“Speaking with RESILIENCE’s lead on outreach activities, in particular, was critical for informing my own personal view of a balance between academic research and outreach.”
Secondly and crucially, I also had an opportunity to discuss RESILIENCE as a much broader concept and the outreach that they deliver across a variety of avenues, including events for school age delegates. Speaking with Dr Bernice Wright (a teaching lecturer in Biochemical Engineering at UCL and leader of RESILIENCE’s outreach activities) in particular, was critical for informing my own personal view of a balance between academic research and outreach.
Personally, I had been deeply involved with outreach with high school students and undergraduates both as an undergraduate student myself and in my research position, and I always found that this was an important part of combining my love for science and science communication. However, I was much less aware of opportunities that existed for roles which combined this outreach with research, and I was keen to become involved.
From trainee to science explainer
Excitingly, these conversations - both during the course and afterwards - led to me participating in delivering an outreach programme with RESILIENCE at UCL for their STEM Careers Event where I had the opportunity to write and deliver a lecture on small molecule drug design and discovery. This was significant for me as it was the first time I both produced and delivered my own educational content for a group of students.
The first time I produced and delivered my own educational content for a group of students
I found that alongside being challenged to consider the very best way to explain science with the upmost clarity and relevancy, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the kinds of questions which students came back with. Many of these informed the degree to which I had been able to communicate a topic to that individual student, and it was exciting to hear questions which reflected their broader interests in the topic!
“I see now, not only the value of science outreach and public science communication but, practically how this can be an integral part of an academic research role.”
Going from registering as a RESILIENCE delegate for specific technical training to working with RESILIENCE on delivering science outreach has informed the type of science career which I wish to pursue. I see now, not only the value of science outreach and public science communication but, practically how this can be an integral part of an academic research role.
Working with RESILIENCE on delivering science outreach has informed the type of science career which I wish to pursue
Having spent time with teaching and technical staff accompanying delegates to the STEM careers event showed me the kind of outreach event which I believe would be valuable, and the expertise at RESILIENCE lays out the path to delivering such events. Seeing Bernice incorporate virtual reality alongside traditional lectures and lab tours, and how this approach to learning benefited certain students by giving them a less formal environment to approach us with questions was particularly interesting. It is my aim now to begin to design an outreach event, combining my area of science knowledge with the practical know-how at RESILIENCE.
We wish you every success Eleanor, and will be watching your progress with interest!
The Mammalian Cell Culture and Analysis training course which Eleanor attended is just one of the extensive suite of training opportunities offered by UCL through their MBI programme. You can find many more examples in RESILIENCE’s regularly updated Events Listing. More broadly, being part of the RESILIENCE network brings numerous advantages for individuals, for educators, and for industry. So, don’t delay,