Faculty researcher honoured for inspiring the next generation of medical scientists

A Faculty researcher has been recognsied for her drive and ambition to bring science and medicine to a new generation by the Royal Society of Biology.

Dr Lucy Green, Associate Professor of Developmental Physiology and Assistant Director of Institute of Developmental Sciences at the University of Southampton was awarded this year’s Established Researcher Outreach and Engagement award.

The award celebrates Dr Green’s outreach work to inform, enthuse and engage the public in topics such as developmental biology, health and physiology.

Dr Green has been recognised in particular for her creation and leadership of an outreach programme for A level pupils, delivered by a team of academics, technicians and undergraduates at the Institute of Developmental Sciences. The programme includes hands-on developmental genetics science experiments which enable pupils to experience university-level lab research.

As part of her work targeting a slightly younger audience, Dr Green has also developed a large scale Kerplunk game, which acts as a metaphor for all the components that underlie human health. A barrel of ball-pit balls is held in place by large sticks that represent factors that keep a human healthy, and as each stick is removed, the balls drop away, representing a person’s health diminishing.

The game proved very popular amongst children at the University of Southampton science and engineering festival, and also won an award from the University for its innovative approach.

In addition, Dr Green led the creation of an engagement programme for A level students, which includes hands-on developmental genetics science experiments, enabling pupils to experience university-level lab research.

She will receive a prize of £1500 and present her work at this year’s Biology Week Annual Awards Ceremony.

Dr Green said: “Receiving this award means a great deal to me. Outreach and engagement is important in making science accessible to the public. It is also key in keeping the voice of young people firmly within the conversation about science advances and the way these can improve global health for the next generation.”

Dr Steve Cross, Chair of the award’s judging panel, said: “This year’s winners display an exceptional level of talent when it comes to public engagement. Dr Green’s application showed good public engagement practice throughout. Lucy leads cross-disciplinary teams to run activities considering the impact these have on different groups. She shares her experience of outreach activities also to a variety of audiences at public engagement conferences and scientific conferences.”