Impact Case Study: Introducing the RESILIENCE STEM Outreach Fellows

I have been a STEM ambassador for a number of years and have done several events with my previous employer. I really enjoyed the STEM events I've taken part in - it's inspiring to see so many young people interested in science, and I am grateful for the opportunities to facilitate that interest. There are so many more opportunities these days for children to explore different. STEM career paths, something that I didn't have as much growing up. The earlier we inform kids of the different options available to them, the better.

RESILIENCE is very well organised in terms of running STEM events, and I am pleased to see that it has other chapters that operate across the country. It's especially cool to see representation in Teesside, where I lived and worked for several years. Teesside is an area that certainly needs more learning opportunities like what RESILIENCE provides. Also, shoutout to Bernice for being such a great organiser and leader!

Definitely!

Yes - it is much easier tagging along onto outreach events that are already mostly organised, especially since the PhD programme doesn't afford much time to set these events up ourselves. In the longer term (post-PhD), I'll probably take inspiration from the way RESILIENCE outreach events are structured, as I think they work well.

I'm motivated by the opportunity to inspire and empower young girls through STEM education. Seeing their enthusiasm and genuine excitement while engaging with science is deeply rewarding and encourages me to continue supporting such initiatives.

RESILIENCE stood out to me because it provides engaging and innovative learning experiences such as virtual reality and simulated labs, which I found fascinating and enjoyable myself. Having missed out on detailed exposure to different STEM fields during my secondary education, I appreciate how RESILIENCE offers this valuable early exposure.

Definitely. My experience with RESILIENCE has been extremely positive, reaffirming my commitment to contributing further to STEM outreach and educational engagement initiatives.

Absolutely. Working with RESILIENCE has reinforced my understanding of the significant role scientists and educators play in shaping young people's educational journeys. This experience will greatly inform and inspire my future outreach efforts.

Initially, curiosity to see how it's done, because I remember some entertaining STEM outreach lectures that I attended as a school student and because I remember how poor the career's guidance, I had available to me was. After the first sessions, the enthusiasm of the kids, the entertainment factor of seeing their responses, and recognition of the extra hurdle that a 'COVID education' has put in the way of the current generation of young people.

Not going to lie - knowing the people involved was a big factor! But also, the focus on less advantaged schools, the use of VR (again curiosity factor) and the focus on teaching kids about biochemical engineering in particular.

Sure :-). I'm planning to continue to support RESILIENCE and working on a project to turn biochemical engineering into a best-selling children's classic!

Certainly - this has been my first serious foray into STEM outreach - so it's bound to have an influence on how I imagine this should be done... I've also seen some interesting examples of good practice and some people who have impressive engagement skills to learn from.

I am interested in STEM outreach because I believe in empowering the next generation through accessible education and inspiring curiosity.

I wanted to participate in outreach through RESILIENCE because immersive VR's practical element offers a unique and engaging way to explore and understand the complex medicine manufacturing process and biological concepts.

In addition to supporting RESILIENCE, I have also participated in outreach activities, such as the UCL Festival of Engineering and Spring into STEM, to encourage underrepresented groups to participate in science and engineering.

Following my experience supporting RESILIENCE outreach, I have been selected to be a UCL Institute of Healthcare Engineering Impact Fellow. This position provides training on public/patient engagement, science communication, outreach, etc., to advance my skills in this area.

My passion for Biochemical Engineering was sparked whilst completing an In2Science internship at UCL, I thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experience in the laboratory and learning about the day-to-day life as a researcher. I wanted to get involved in STEM outreach to support and inspire others just as I had experienced during my placement.

After hearing about the RESILIENCE programme, I was excited to help support and provide guidance for outreach and training activities to those looking to study or pursue a career in STEM. I wanted to develop my communication skills especially in terms of explaining research concepts to non-technical audiences. I also was interested in learning more about VR and how it could be used to deliver virtual laboratory training.

In the future, I hope to help with more outreach activities to further develop my confidence in public speaking and leadership skills as well as potentially leading my own outreach activities in the future.

Through assisting with the outreach activities for RESILIENCE, I have gained an understanding of how these activities can be planned and executed for a range of audiences which will aid me in doing so in the future.

I enjoy sharing my love for science and helping to make it accessible and exciting for younger generations. I believe that early engagement can inspire curiosity, confidence, and a lasting interest in STEM fields, and I want to help create that spark for others.

I was drawn to your program because I appreciate the outreach initiatives implemented by the department. I value being part of a supportive community that is committed to making science more inclusive and approachable.

I would definitely like to continue participating in outreach activities. However, as I enter the final year of my PhD, I will need to balance my time carefully. I hope to stay involved as much as my schedule allows.

Absolutely. My experience with your team has shown me how rewarding and impactful well-organised outreach can be. It has given me new ideas and approaches that I would like to carry into future projects, whether within academia or beyond.

Personally, I have been involved with outreach both as an undergraduate student and in my previous research positions, and I always found that this was an important part of combining my love for science and science communication. I was inspired by watching programmes with Sir David Attenborough and Prof Brian Cox growing up, which helped me to see the power and excitement in science through excellent science communicators, and I knew I wanted to be able to help other young people experience that same joy for STEM subjects.

I was drawn to RESILIENCE as an early careers researcher specifically to take part in their lab skills training (Mammalian Cell Culture and Analysis MBI (Hands-On) course). 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. Seeing the breadth of outreach RESILIENCE offered, and knowing first-hand how well organised and thoughtful their training program had been encouraged me to become involved in their outreach for young people.

I am genuinely excited to be part of more outreach in the future. Attending an event like the Cheltenham Science Festival and collaborating with colleagues both across RESILIENCE and more broadly within the science sector in the UK was an enlightening experience as much as it was rewarding to see so many young people engaged in science.

I think my future outreach ventures will be influenced by working with RESILIENCE in several key ways, particularly having experienced the Cheltenham Science Festival. One specific thing that I noted about the activities for smaller children that RESILIENCE offered was that they provided something practical and fun to focus on - such as molecular modelling and pipetting - giving the children the time to naturally become curious about what they were doing. So many children asked insightful questions as a result of “playing” with science tools, which we take for granted in the lab.

I think it’s important that more people know about their options when choosing their career path. I also think it’s important to think about diversity within STEM.

I think RESILIENCE is a great initiative with engaging demos to encourage young people to be curious and engage with questions relating to STEM. I also think that the level of organisation put into the demos to give young people a better understanding of what goes on in a lab is amazing! It’s a great introduction to science as a career path.

I'd love to do more outreach.

The work with RESILIENCE has inspired me to think of different ideas with regard to how to engage young people with the science. I have already started to think about what new materials/surveying methods I would use next time.

During my STEM degree, I loved being able to explore different fields and discover what actually interested me rather than just following one expected path. That experience made me realise how important it is for young people to see the full picture of what STEM can offer. I want to help them feel curious and confident to find their own direction in STEM, whatever that ends up being for them.

What drew me to RESILIENCE was their use of virtual reality to teach both technical and soft skills. I think it’s such a clever way to let people practise without fear of mistakes or wasting resources, while also making training accessible to more people. It’s a reminder of how technology can change the way we learn and teach STEM skills.

Definitely. Outreach is one of the most rewarding things I’ve been involved in. Seeing how engaged and excited students get when they realise STEM is something they can do too.

Yes, absolutely. Working with RESILIENCE has shown me just how many different ways there are to make outreach engaging and effective. It’s also connected me with a whole network of people who are passionate about STEM outreach, and that’s something I know I’ll keep learning from in everything I do going forward.

I guess my main motivation was to answer one of your requests, with pleasure, and I was curious to see younger students learning something related to science. To see them try something that was not available when I was a high school student.

The connection of my department, Biochemical Engineering at UCL and Dr Bernice Wright, from whom the invitation happened.

Very happy to do more outreach and help students with their activities.

We are built from all the experiences we take in our daily lives, so everything I have learnt from this experience, will deepen my knowledge for future activities. I'll try to pass it on the best way I possibly can.

I think STEM outreach is incredibly important for sparking curiosity and showing young people what’s possible. It helps them see how science connects to the world around them and encourages them to explore it further. It’s also a chance to make science feel more welcoming and relatable to those who might not otherwise see themselves in it.

I first heard about RESILIENCE during my degree and really liked what they were doing. When I saw the opportunity to volunteer, I jumped at the chance. The programme stood out because it brings science into schools in such an engaging and accessible way. I never had anything like that when I was growing up, so being part of it felt meaningful.

Definitely. This was my first time doing STEM outreach, and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been a great learning experience and something I’d love to keep doing.

Yes, absolutely. Being part of RESILIENCE has taught me a lot about how to explain science in a simple and engaging way, especially for younger audiences. We used Meta virtual reality headsets during some of the sessions, which made things fun for the kids. It also helped me develop patience and adapt my communication to different people. Those are skills I’ll carry with me into any future outreach work.

I want to be involved in STEM outreach to inspire children and pique their interest in sciences. Science can be a daunting subject in school, and it is important for children to see it as accessible and fun. Going to science festivals and other outreach programmes allow children to be immersed in science without the pressure of making a good mark. I want to be involved in shaping their experiences and helping inspire future scientists!

I was drawn to the welcoming nature of RESILIENCE. It feels like they really want to help young scientists and give them all the tools needed to pursue their career!

Yes! I volunteered at the Cheltenham Science Festival and had a lot of fun working with everyone!

Yes- working with RESILIENCE has given me a great example of how outreach is conducted. I will definitely be using everything I have learned in the future!

I’ve always enjoyed STEM outreach. When I was younger, I saw it as one of the main reasons I got interested in science in the first place. It’s a great way to explain and share complex topics, especially in STEM, with the next generation and with people around you. I often end up learning new things myself, even when I’m the one running the sessions!

Being part of UCL Biochemical Engineering, I was naturally interested in what RESILIENCE is doing. They’re working on closing the skills gap in the industry, which I think is a major issue since university doesn’t always prepare us for that side of things. Honestly, if I were still in school, I would’ve loved to take part in one of their placements!

Definitely. I’ve done quite a bit already, especially as one of the outreach leads for the UCL 2024 iGEM team, but I’d really like to get more involved with RESILIENCE in particular.

Definitely. I’m much more likely to follow the RESILIENCE model going forward—it clearly works!

Having recently come through the UK school system myself, I understand how important it is to highlight the diverse pathways into STEM beyond the traditional routes. I am passionate about ensuring the aspiring new generation of STEM professionals are aware of all the opportunities available to them and feel inspired to pursue STEM.

I was particularly drawn to RESILIENCE because of their innovative use of virtual reality to teach both laboratory techniques and soft skills. This approach allows for repeatable, no-risk training that eliminates consumable waste while improving accessibility. It’s a forward-thinking solution that reflects how technology can enhance education in STEM.

Absolutely – being involved in outreach is extremely rewarding. Seeing the excitement, the younger generations have towards STEM and their engagement in these outreach events is a huge motivation to continue.

Yes, Resilience has given me insight into the plethora of opportunities available in outreach. It’s also connected me with a wider community of like-minded professionals, which I’ll continue to draw on in future outreach ventures. Their approach has broadened my perspective on what effective STEM engagement can look like.