States of Matter Archives

Science communicator

7 July, 2023/0 Comments/in creative, curious, logical Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Science (Primary) Algebra, Animals Including Humans, Earth and Space, Electricity, Everyday Materials, Evolution and Inheritance, Forces, Forces and Magnets, Geometry, Light, Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Measurement, Number, Plants, Position and direction, Primary, Properties of shapes, Rocks, Science, Seasonal Changes, Sound, States of Matter, Statistics/by Melanie Horan

Science communicators communicate science to the general public. They need to make scientific research understandable to people who may not have a background or career in science. Science communicators can be a science journalists or work in a university press office promoting the scientific research carried out by academics. They may deliver science shows or organise events at science festivals, schools or science centres or design and make interactive exhibits for science centres.

Attributes: creative, curious, logical

Useful links:

The Primary Science Teaching Trust has a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Caroline Riggs and a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Ginny Smith who are both science communicators. They also have a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Dr Sarah Bearchell who is a children’s science writer and presenter and a downloadable slideshow about Margaret Donald who is an operations coordinator. It’s part of their resource A Scientist Just Like Me.

Polar scientist

7 July, 2023/0 Comments/in creative, open-minded, passionate Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Maths, Maths (Primary) Animals Including Humans, Earth and Space, Everyday Materials, Geography, Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Plants, Primary, Rocks, Science, Seasonal Changes, States of Matter/by Melanie Horan

Polar science helps to inform the sustainable use of resources and to protect the planet. It includes many different types of research in the polar regions. Glaciologists study the ice in the polar regions. Space physicists study how space interacts with the upper atmosphere using lasers. Atmospheric scientists look for pollution, ozone and other changes to the atmosphere. Marine or terrestrial biologists study life in the polar regions, while oceanographers study the seas and oceans. Geologists study the rocks and sediments in the polar regions to understand the climate in the past. Meteorologists study the links between the polar atmosphere and changes in global weather.

Attributes: passionate, creative and open-minded.

Useful links:

The Primary Science Teaching Trust has a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Prem Singh Gill who is a polar scientist. It’s part of their resource A Scientist Just Like Me.

Meta researcher

7 July, 2023/0 Comments/in curious, patient, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Computer Science, Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Animals Including Humans, Earth and Space, Electricity, Everyday Materials, Evolution and Inheritance, Forces, Forces and Magnets, Light, Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Number, Plants, Rocks, Science, Seasonal Changes, Sound, States of Matter, Statistics/by Melanie Horan

Meta researchers study research itself. They study research methods, reporting, reproducibility, evaluation, and incentives. They ensure, promote, and defend robust science, free from biases. They ensure all results from scientific investigations are evidence based.

Attributes: curious, patient, resilient

Useful links:

The Primary Science Teaching Trust has a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Emma Wilson who is an a meta researcher. It’s part of their resource A Scientist Just Like Me.

Crystallographer

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in collaborative, hard-working, passionate Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Maths - Geometry - Position and Direction, Maths - Geometry - Properties of Shapes, States of matter Geometry, Maths, Position and direction, Primary, Properties of shapes, Science, States of Matter/by Jonathan

Crystallographers study atomic and molecular structures. They work in many disciplines, including chemistry, geology, biology, materials science, metallurgy and physics. They study diverse substances such as living cells, protein molecules, superconductors and ceramics. Crystallographers use methods such as x-rays, atomic force microscopy, neutron diffraction, electron crystallography, molecular modelling and high-pressure diffraction in order to discover how the atoms in a material are arranged and understand the relationship between the atomic structure and the properties of these materials.

Attributes: collaborative, passionate, hard-working

Nanotechnologist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in creative, curious, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Maths - Measurement, States of matter Maths, Measurement, Primary, Science, States of Matter/by Jonathan

Nanotechnology is chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, engineering and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanotechnologists find ways to deliberately make materials at nanoscale to take advantage of their enhanced properties such as higher strength and weight, increased control of light spectrum, and greater chemical reactivity than their larger-scale counterparts. They also look at how matter and particles can be changed or manipulated and altered at nanoscale and the affect that these alterations have on the overall molecule or piece of matter.

Attributes: curious, creative, resilient

Chemist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in creative, observant, organised Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Biology, Chemistry, Science (Primary) States of matter Animals Including Humans, Earth and Space, Living Things and Their Habitats, Number, Primary, Science, States of Matter, Statistics/by Jonathan

Chemists study chemicals and matter on atomic and molecular level. They investigate and measure reaction rates and other properties of substances in order to understand more about those substances. They experiment with simple forms of matter to understand how elements join together to form different substances. Chemists typically specialise in one of the sub disciplines of chemistry such as biochemistry, neurochemistry, nuclear chemistry or forensic chemistry- see the variety of examples below.

Attributes: creative, observant, organised

Useful links:

The Primary Science Teaching Trust has a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about chemist Dr Magdalena Wajrak and a downloadable slideshow about chemist Eliza Hunt.
There is a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Rabi Chaantyal-Pun who is as atmospheric chemist and a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Dr Anwar Khan who is an atmospheric scientist.
There a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Dr Kirsty Anderson who is a medicinal chemist.
There is a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Candy Jiang who is an analytical chemist.
There a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about theoretical chemist Susanna Bourne-Worster.
There a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about protein biochemist Dr Gulin Guler-Gane.
There a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about photchemist James Mortimer.
There a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about environmental chemist Pauline de Bigault de Cazanove
There is also this video of Candy Jiang, an analytical chemist in her place of work talking about what she does.
It’s part of their resource A Scientist Just Like Me.

Solid State Physicist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in committed, imaginative, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Maths - Algebra, Maths - Statistics, States of matter Algebra, Maths, Primary, Science, States of Matter, Statistics/by Jonathan

Solid-state physicists study rigid matter, or solids using quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. They study how the large-scale properties of solid materials result from their atomic-scale properties. Solid-state physicists study the mechanical and thermal behaviour of solids including the thermal conductivity, the amount of energy that must be absorbed by a solid to produce a given change in temperature and the melting points of crystals. It is the electrical properties of a solid that are of most interest, in particular its electrical conductivity. This knowledge is used in the production of transistors and semi-conductors.

Attributes: committed, resilient, imaginative

Particle Physicist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in imaginative, patient, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Maths - Algebra, Maths - Statistics, States of matter Algebra, Maths, Primary, Science, States of Matter, Statistics/by Jonathan

A particle physicist is someone who looks at subatomic elements of matter, radiation and subatomic particles to discover how they exist, interact and shape the natural world. They seek to identify the most simple objects of which matter is composed of, and to understand the integral forces that drive their interactions and combinations. Experimental particle physicists design, build and develop the technology required to discover new particles beyond the Standard Model such as sensors, detectors and superconducting magnets. They use machines such as the Large Hadron Collider to find particles such as the Higgs boson. Theoretical particle physicists develop the advanced mathematical quantum theories which underpin the observed physics.

Attributes: imaginative, patient, resilient

Diagnostic Molecular Scientist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in collaborative, observant, organised Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Maths - Measurement, States of matter Maths, Measurement, Primary, Science, States of Matter/by Jonathan

A diagnostic molecular scientist performs diagnostic testing, designs and processes DNA and RNA isolation tests and completes research medical diagnoses including types of cancer, genetic disorders and infectious diseases. They work primarily in laboratory settings. Diagnostic molecular scientists study various human samples including blood and bone, foetal cells and hair follicles. Duties can include preparing samples, sequencing DNA, analysing data, and reporting findings.

Attributes: observant, organised, collaborative

Fluid Dynamicist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in communicative, hard-working, open-minded Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Maths - Algebra, States of matter Algebra, Maths, Primary, Science, States of Matter/by Jonathan

Fluid Dynamists are interested in the flow and movement of fluids and gases and the forces that affect this. Fluid dynamists study the evolution of stars, ocean currents, weather patterns, plate tectonics and blood circulation. Fluid dynamics has a wide range of applications, including calculating forces and moments on aircraft, determining the mass flow rate of petroleum through pipelines, predicting weather patterns, understanding nebulae in interstellar space and modelling fission weapon detonation. Some important technological applications of fluid dynamics include rocket engines, wind turbines, oil pipelines and air conditioning systems.

Attributes: communicative, hard-working, open-minded

Science communicator

Polar scientist

Meta researcher

Crystallographer

Nanotechnologist

Chemist

Solid State Physicist

Particle Physicist

Diagnostic Molecular Scientist

Fluid Dynamicist

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