I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here! is an online science enrichment activity that runs throughout term-time in the UK. School students interact with scientists in text-based live chats in themed 'Zones'. At the end of the event the school students vote for their favourite scientist and the winner is awarded prize money to support further science communication.
Background Pilots for I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here began in 2008, and were well received by school students and teachers. It was founded by Shane McCracken of Gallomanor Communications. The activity is divided into several zones, which focus on either general science or a specific industry. The funding for each zone is provided by an associated learned society, organisation or industry. Prior to 2020, the competition format was similar to The X Factor, and school students vote for the winner based on answers they receive to their questions submitted online and in live, text-based chats with the scientists. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m a Scientist became an 'on demand' activity with Zones lasting longer, and scientists staying until the end of each Zone. Participating scientists are given an opportunity to develop their communication skills whilst school students and teachers benefit from contact time with a real-life, practising scientist. The competition is also run for engineers, geoscientists, medics and astronauts, and many more.
The activity takes place annually in the UK, Ireland and Spain. It has also run in previous years in the United States, Malaysia, Kenya, Vietnam, Germany and Australia.
Winners
I'm a Scientist (UK) Source:
Winners 2010 – 2014
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Martin Coath Mark Hill Andy Hearn Jen Todd Jones Zach Dixon Kiran Meekings Murray Collins Matt Maddock Phil Wilkinson Rosie Coates Katy Milne Julian Rayner Robin Stafford Allen Jack Heal Lewis Dean Joseph Devlin Adam Tuff James Vokes Duncan Gaskin Aled Roberts Kerstin Zechner Jamie Pringle Chris Hill Leila Nichol Matthew Malek Sally Fenton James Chan Paige Brown Grant Kennedy Clara Nellist Ben Still David Pyle Adam Stevens Hayley Evers-King Amar Joshi Dean Whitaker Suzi Gage Martin Austwick Laura Soul Roy Adkin Joanna Brooks Ceri Brenner Fiona Hatch James Holloway Anna Middleton Vicki Onions Emily Robinson Jack Snape Tom Branson Nick Wright Stephen Curry Andrew Rae Katherine Haxton Jennifer Paxton John Foster Andrew Maynard Anna Williams Vicky Young Jonathan Stone Isabel Webb Mark Roberts Paddy Brock Sam Vinko Gary Boorman Jennifer Stephens Panos Soultanas Jim Caryl Sean Murphy Suzanne Harvey James Bell Katy Mee Carys Cook Joanna Cruden Andrew Swale Roberto Trotta Tom Hardy Zara Gladman Kirsty Ross Dave Briggs Sam Connolly Jon Copley Barbara Guinn Ashley Cadby Lyn Lim Sergey Lamzin Ian Sillett Cat O'Connor Bob Bonwick Simon Holyoake Daren Fearon Joseph Cook Helen O'Connor Allan Pang Rhodri Jenkins Daryl Jones Steven Kiddle Amy Reeve Carol White Sam Geen Dave Jones Joanna Buckley Wei Xun Tom Lister Keith Siew Ditte Hedegaard Ceri Thomas Gemma Sharp Nuala Carson Alan Richardson Peter Elliott Deuan Jones Dave Sproson Michael Cook Stuart Archer Loren MacDonald Hywel Vaughan Sam Tazzyman Anouk Gouvras Dave Farmer Andrew French Joanna Watson Evan Keane John Short Chris Whittle Jemma Rowlandson Rika Nair Nicola Ibberson Sarah-Jane Walsh Ekbal Hussain Suze Kundu Sarah Martin Becky Cook Rebecca Williams Tom Crick Samantha Weaver Jess Bean Naomi Osborne Ian van der Linde Lizzie Eaves Hannah Brotherton Fiona McLean Jennifer Gupta Alison Atkin Becki Scott David Davila Peta Foster Pete Etchells Mario Ruiz Matt Bilton Ben Still Eileen Diskin Sofia Franco Stefan Lines Enda O'Connell Sarah Tesh Katie Pickering Paul Higgins Vicky Forster Angela Stokes Robert Insall Simon Langley-Evans Sarah Ashwood Joanna Giles Kristian Harder Lisa Simmons Callum Johnston Matthew Tomlinson Helen Johnson James Hickey Matthew Camilleri Zach Dixon Alexander Pool Rosie Coates Arthur Dyer Lewis Dean Aled Roberts Matthew Malek Clara Nellist Amar Joshi Roy Adkin Anna Middleton Nick Wright John Foster Isabel Webb
Winners 2015 – 2019
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Thomas Clements Christopher Blanford Carrie Ijichi Neil Keddie Lee Steinberg Barbara Shih Cat Scott Sallie Baxendale Stephanie Mann Rosanna Tilbrook Jo Sadler Majid Ahmed Daniel Fovergue David Howard Martin McCoustra Carmen Denam Emma Dean (Osbourne) Craig O'Hare Max Jamily Sophia Pells Hugh Harvey Paul O'Mahoney Hannah Sargeant Tim Duckenfield Matthew Smith Elizabeth Cooper Lauren Laing James Gudgeon Sophie Williams Vassilis Sideropoulos Glafkos Havariyoun Scott Lawrie Lewis Wright Jacque Cilliers James Munro Peter Maskell Lowri Evans Alex Evans Jennifer Paxton Zoe Winshurst Anais Pujol Hayley Moulding Sanjib Bhatka Ali Hill Lowri Evans Ollie Brown Jonathan Hunter Liz Buckingham-Jeffery Daniel Marsh Oliver Gordon Sam Ellis Laura Finney Jermaine Ravalier Samuel Vennin Alexander Allen Philip Moriarty Matt Dunn Sam Carr Sam Burton Russell Arnott James Pope Joanna Bagniewska Matt Lee Daniel Jolley Stuart Higgins Frank Longford Koi Wangwiwatsin Dan Smith Alex Seeney Nick Werren Imogen Napper Angus Cook Rosie Cane Ella Mercer Anastasia Aliferi Jess Wade Dawn Lau Natasha Myhill Abbie Jordan Paul Laurance-Young James Gilbert Euan Allen Ryan Cutter Callum McHugh Joanna Barstow Sarah Beasley Elliot Jokl Ananthi Ramachandran Danny Ward Harry Wilkinson Andy Scott Joe Bathelt Georgina Hazell David Ho Pizza Chow Laura Wales Steve Street Duncan McNicholl Alex Reid Jolel Miah Richard Prince Megan Seymour Oli Wilson Rachel Sharman Elena Maters Thomas Farrugia Lauren Burt Senga Roberston-Albertyn Liam Taylor Bruno Silvester Lopes Chris Armstrong Zarah Pattison Graeme Poole Mark Johnson Jonny Brooks-Bartlett Darren Rhodes Kelly Rushton Jack Joyce Ryan Cheale Miranda Bane Iain Stainland Alex Batchelor Hayley Clissold Reka Nagy Varun Ramaswamy Sara Falcone Laura-Anne Furlong Jesus Calvo-Castro Jack Carlyle Cristina Villa Del Campo Ashley Hughes Ross King Nicholas Pearce Natalie Garrett
Winners 2020 – 2026
2020 202120222023202420252026 Greg Heikel Martin McCoustra Gareth NyeGeorge FodenFraser SmithJack HughesMehul Jesani Priya Silverstein Felicity Hunter Reece Bush-EvansMartin McCoustraCourtney PoveyMin YapErin Pallott Catherine Talbot Amelia Gilio Victoria FawcettYannick VerbelenRyan DurnallOleg KozhuraBen Cheung Binuraj Menon Dennis Relojo-Howell Mark RidgillBenjamin FosterSam RogersonEmily WallsChloe Gruyer Dave Constable Kip Heath Jake Sallaway-CostelloIlma QonaahGrace CallaghanPaul Trusty Douglas Bray Emma Yhnell Ben FutcherBirsu KandemirciMichael C Macey Ben Cropper John ShawDan DaySantosh Mahabala Ross Alexander Yueng LennLiz HalsteadChloe Tasker Stacey New Michael HillsCharli CorcoranGiampiero Valenzano Danica Pinto Jennifer AllenJohn Grasmeder Baptiste Ravina Alex BaxendaleBruno Silvester Lopes Mick Schubert Rafael Galupa Octavia Brayley Edward Banks Karen FungJonathan Teague David Sobral Luke TownsendMichael Schubert Shanmugapriyan M. David McGonigle Eliza Hunt Amy Rattenbury Amelia Gilio Parise Carmichael-Murphy Zsolt Keszthelyi Melanie Swang Kirsty Lindsay
I'm in Space (UK) Winners 2022 - +2022Ben Dryer
I'm an Engineer (UK) Source:
Winners 2012 – 2016
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Andy Hearn Gary Boorman Jessica Marshall Housden Neil Taylor Ross Miller Matt Maddock Graham Wiggins Felicity Harer Ryan Bakewell Robin Stafford Allen Mark Greaves Stacey Cutten Stuart Inglis James Vokes Zoe George Mohamed Salah Matt Round Chris Hill Alex Lyness Naomi Green Andrew Pidgeon Paige Brown Norbert Gogiel Chris Hackett Nicola Lazenby Lizzie Kapasa Mark Gowan Lee Margetts Laura O'Shea Zack Gill Matt Hobbs Will Scott-Jackson Eloise Taysom Rhys Archer Richard Symonds Stevie Wray James Clarke Michael Sulu Leon Wechie Will Avison
Winners 2017 – 2021
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Ana Gallego Demi Ademuyewo Leah Morgan Yannick Verbelen Michael Jones Ollie Morris Hollie Heard Brian Weaver Hester Baird Emma Ryan Guy Rixon Shruti Turner Chloe James Stacey Marple Eimear Tuohy Chris Parmenter Harriet Gamble Gina Schade Graham Cullen Jessica Korzeniowska Petros Papapanagiotou Fiona Freeman Femi Olushola Sean Doherty Boris Mocialov Lauren Ashmore Andrew Margetts-Kelly K'Jo O'Flynn Henry Watts
Winners 2022 - 2025 +2022 2025Paul James Tom Louth
I'm a Medic (UK) Source: +201720182019202120222023Shehla Imtiaz-UmerJamie HynesNeel HalderTeam Nottinghamshire Alliance Training Hub (NATH)Team Midland RCGPNottinghamshire Alliance Training HubRobert CullumTarik Shembesh
I'm a Scientist (Ireland) Source:
Winners 2012 – 2016 +20122013201420152016Eileen DiskinShane McGuinnessChloe KinsellaSinead BalgobinStephen DavittEnda O'ConnellSive FinlayJames SullivanEmma FeeneySebastian GornikPaul HigginsSinead CullenShikha SharmaClaire O'ConnellAoife LucidJoseph RocheCiaran O'BrienUday BangavadiDave ConcannonMark Kennedy
Winners 2017 – 2021 +20172018201920202021Shannon FullbrookJasmine HeadlamAoife CampbellMarcello ValenteGaël LymerEmma HanleyFiana Ní GhrálaighJessica FranklinMin YapCiara O'DonovanHugh ManningKatie StarsmoreSarah GuerinSheila CastilhoSouvik KunduSonia LenehanJake Cunningham Winners 2022 - 2024 +20222024Vincent MonchalJames Brown
I'm an Engineer (Ireland) Source:
Winners 2014 – 2017 +2014201520162017Laura TobinPadraic MorrisseyConor McGinnDavid NolanDavid TaylorMartin O'HalloranNed DywerJames HarpurCathal Ó Murchú
Winners 2018 – 2022 +20182019202020212022Fiona FreemanKevin O'BrienOllie OtterMike HincheyAisling LeeEimear TuohyDiana AbrunhosaConnor McGookinGraham CullenStephen O'ConnorFiona Malone
I'm a Geoscientist (Europe) Source:
Anna Rabitti Andreas Rudersdorf
I'm a Mathematician (UK)
Sarah Brown Amy Mason (2024/25) Jenny Power (2025/26)
I'm a Mathematician (Ireland)
Daniel McAleese Badal Mondal (2024)
I'm a Scientist (USA)
Amelia Grose Srishti Baid
I'm a Computer Scientist (UK)
Henry Duke (2024/25)
References