Disruptive technology that can reduce poverty and crime, and improve our well-being generally arises from curiosity. However, it seems as if we don’t encourage and nurture this vital catalyst for change in our kids.
When asked how to get kids interested in science, well known astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, on Big Think, said ‘I have only one bit of advice: get out of their way. Kids are born curious. Period.’
Thus we should follow this approach and let children run free when it comes to discovery of science and its impact on the world. Although, when kids are not encouraged or their curiosity is not properly nurtured, they lose interest. There are a plethora of ways of keeping youngsters interested, as well as a number of campaigns and local initiatives to motivate children.
Children
It can be difficult to introduce children to science before their school years. Possibly In theory, the only possible way of getting children interested in science is to expose them to it through their daily routines. Instead of showing them entertainment based cartoons, scientific animation can foster intrigue and encourage curiosity.
For example, Sublime Science, a company that specialises in putting on spectacular science parties for children across the country, recently gained funding on the popular BBC program Dragon’s Den as well as winning a host of other accolades.
Teenagers
When it comes to keeping teenagers and young adults interested in sciences, the task becomes far more difficult. Introducing clubs and activities for teenagers might be ineffective for those who have the potential, but perhaps don’t have the enthusiasm to match. Thus, shadowing, placements, and apprentices could be key to encouraging these children to go into sciences once they see the potential career paths that can open up from doing something they enjoy.
Students
When we think about carrying on scientific study into further education, we expect them to continue to develop and thrive without the need for encouragement. However, young adults need encouragement too. They tend to lose interest if they do not receive sufficient career support. Thankfully, there are numerous companies willing to help the students through placements, internships and graduate placements, whilst also developing their own abilities and specialisms.
One such company is Tracerco, who offer a great range of placements for students wanting to pursue a career in science. They provide help and support for their graduates and encourage them to take up new innovative technologies. One of their latest inventions includes technology that can compute tomography to levels of up to 3km below the surface of the sea.
Paul Featonby, technology manager at Tracerco recently gave an interview to Bright Recruits, explaining what his job involves, and what scientific discoveries he is responsible for, which certainly provides plenty of insight to help aspiring scientists choose their path after University.
Overall, it is crucial to encourage children participate in sciences at all stages of their lives. Scientific discoveries are the driving force of human development. We depend on these discoveries, innovation and inventions to improve our well-being and increase our life-expectancy.