Inspiring and enthusing the next generation of scientists

Each year, Warwick invites a cohort of female Year 12 students to join an all-expenses-paid four-day trip to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), a world-leading science research facility in Grenoble, France.

To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Sunday 11 February), we spoke to the Physics department's Professor Tom Hase to discover more about the Scientist Experience scheme and find out how it's helped encourage young women to pursue science as a career.

Above: Students from the 2023 cohort explore the ESRF

Tell us about the XMaS Scientist Experience...

Tom: "Launched in 2015, the XMaS* Scientist Experience is a nationwide opportunity for any Year 12 UK Physics students who identify as female to come on an all-expenses-paid four-day trip to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), a world leading science research facility in Grenoble, France.

This amazing trip offers tours of the facilities including the EPSRC supported XMaS National Facility, opportunities to conduct mini research projects, give a presentation and - most importantly - meet amazing scientists who live and work in Grenoble, to find out what life could be like as a research scientist. There is also a little bit of sight-seeing around the beautiful French city.

The entry process involves researching the science and career of an inspirational female scientist and learning more about how the science undertaken on XMaS can be useful for society."

What's the overall aim of the experience?

Tom: "Our aim is to encourage students to consider science careers, to foster a sense of community, and ultimately to encourage self-belief. We want to challenge perceptions and take students out of the classroom on this trip – we show them international science in the real-world, with the aim of sparking an enthusiasm for the wonder of science.

We look for applicants who are curious about the world around them, who are creative and keen to learn more about science, in its broadest sense, and who are willing to share their enthusiasm. At the end of the experience, we hope they’ll be more confident in themselves and have a broader idea of what a career in science means and where it can take them!"

You’ve really championed this scheme, and were nominated for a Wonders and Wows award earlier this year for your work as an ally to women in physics.

Tom: "This is truly a team effort! The initiative’s origins came from discussing ways of encouraging more young women into science, particularly physics. A lot of effort is focused on getting young girls to take up science subjects at school, but we felt there was a need to inspire young women to take their scientific interests into future careers in science. It's difficult to articulate what a scientific career actually is, so it's essential that these young people can speak to female role models and explore the work they do in an informal manner. By being surrounded by other like-minded science enthusiasts, we can help to increase the students' self-confidence, validate their interests, and give them a positive image of a career in science.

We also wanted to challenge preconceptions and stereotypes of people working in STEM - not only for students but for their families, too. It's only through hands-on personal experiences that we felt the collaborative nature of working in the sciences can be experienced. The opportunity provides an inspirational setting to see science ‘beyond the classroom’, but with direct relevance to the school curriculum on the one hand and research in the ‘real world’ on the other. Additionally, the students see how ESRF provides a space for international collaboration, coworking and interdisciplinarity. Ultimately, the programme looks to inspire and enthuse the next generation of scientists."

What are some success stories from the scheme?

Tom: "When the group comes together on the first day, they don’t generally know what to expect. Many are the minority or even the only female in their STEM classes and to find that there are lots of other female students with similar interests and aspirations results in the forming of a really strong bond over the trip: relationships that continue into their university degrees.

Feedback is positive from parents and students alike. One student, a Coventry local from Finham Park 2 school, said that she wouldn't have got into university without the trip: "At my interview they asked me about female scientists I admired and I was able to tell them all about Ada Yonath, the scientist we’d written about for the competition." Another student confided that they had felt very worried about the prospect of going to university and whether they would be able to make friends, and said the trip had allayed their fears and boosted their confidence."

Find out more

Applications for the 2024 XMaS Scientist Experience are open until Sunday 25 February.

• Webpage: About the XMaS Scientist Experience
• Webpage: Scientist Experience 2023 - a summary

• External website: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)