The concept of science capital gives us an insight into why and how some people participate in and engage with science related experiences and why some do not.
Need something to get you in the festive mood?
Science is about people.
Science is a social and creative endeavour.
When you feel connected, excited or passionate about something you have experienced or discovered, you want to share and talk about it with other people.
From exhibitions on contemporary science to periodic table tea towels in the gift shop, museums and science centres are brimming with science content.
With amazing authentic objects, cutting edge science stories and hands on experiences, museums and science centres are a rich learning resource that spark curiosity and show how science has transformed all our lives.
Science, technology, engineering and maths achieve incredible things, it can be exciting, awe inspiring, even entertaining and fun, but that doesn’t mean that everyone will automatically make a personal connection with it or feel that it is something for them.
Research shows us that many young people who enjoy science, grow up feeling that it is not for them.
We have found that many people see that science is just a subject that is taught in school and don’t see that it has any relevance to them beyond the classroom – yet in one form or another, it is part of our daily lives.
The language we use around STEM, both verbal and visual, often reinforces the idea that it is for people who aren’t ‘like me’.
In October 2016, the National Railway Museum launched Future Engineers, a new annual event aiming to spark young people’s interest in engineering.