Inspiring the next generation of scientists with Generating Genius

This year the L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre is teaming up with Generating Genius for the first time to inspire promising sixth-formers to pursue a career in science.

Noor taking part in a Spectacular Colour Chemistry workshop
Karen Hatch

From now until the end of the summer holidays, twenty 17 year olds will participate in creative science and engineering workshops at the L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre, meet scientists from industry and academia and experience the practical applications of cosmetic science and marketing at a behind the scenes visit to L’Oréal’s UK headquarters. They will also be invited as special guests to Prof Pratibha Gai’s (winner of the 2013 L’Oréal UNESCO European For Women In Science Laureate) Friday Evening Discourse ‘Atoms in Action’ in June and to the 2014 UK and Ireland L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Awards Ceremony.

The programme launched on 9 April with students from six schools across Lewisham, Newham, Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham diving straight into two days of colour chemistry and genetics workshops at the L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre. They were also able to quiz UK Space Agency research Fellow Lewis Dartnell, well known science communicator and TV presenter Fran Scott and Cambridge physicist Suchitra Sebastian about their careers over lunch at the Ri.

Tony Sewell, founder and director of Generating Genius said: “I am delighted that L'Oréal UK & Ireland and the Ri have agreed to partner with Generating Genius in a venture that will bring science alive for the young people on our programme. For us it meets all of our big objectives, mainly to help students understand science in an applied context. All of our students are on track to get a high grade at A-level. The programme will not only give these students increased academic knowledge, but also the development of self-confidence and communication skills necessary to access our top universities and companies.”  

Kristen Dodd, L’Oréal’s External Affairs Manager said: “The work that Generating Genius does to engage students from disadvantaged backgrounds is hugely important and we are delighted to be able to open up the LYSC and L’Oréal to this talented cohort. L’Oréal and the Ri are committed to engaging young people with science and as these students are at the critical stage of applying to universities, we hope that their experiences at the LYSC will reinforce the wide variety of careers studying science can lead to.”

Find out more about the L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre and Generating Genius at generatinggenius.org.uk.

News

This year the L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre team are delighted to collaborate on a new programme with L’Oréal UK & Ireland and educational charity Generating Genius to give promising A-level science students from disadvantaged backgrounds a real insight into what it is like to be a scientist.

The aim of the four month hands-on programme is to showcase the wealth of exciting careers studying science can lead to and to encourage the students to pursue a science, technology, engineering or mathematics related degree at university.

The Royal Institution is closed 19 March

The Ri is closed this week on Tuesday 19 March.