• Question: How will you improve the world?

    Asked by Eleana to Connor, Jillian, Lidunka, Sarah, Steven on 17 Jun 2015. This question was also asked by Nami.
    • Photo: Steven Thomson

      Steven Thomson answered on 17 Jun 2015:

      I’d like to think I can do this in two ways. My research could help us to understand superconductors – materials that conduct electricity perfectly at ultra-cold temperatures (-200C or lower!), but are a bit rubbish at normal temperatures. We want to build better ones that work when they’re warm. If we can figure out how, we’d save an awful lot of energy – we could generate electricity better, store it better, and even make things like levitating trains and incredibly fast quantum computers! That kind of work could really change the world.

      The other way I think I can improve the world might sound smaller, but no less important. Taking part in events like this, talking to people about science and helping people find out more about what scientists do…that’s all really important. Together I think all the scientists taking part in this event are helping to make this world a bit of a better place by sharing their love of science, and you’re helping too by talking to us and asking questions!

    • Photo: Lidunka Vocadlo

      Lidunka Vocadlo answered on 17 Jun 2015:

      @Eleana the thing about science is that even if you are doing something quite weird and removed from everyday life (like…oh… I don’t know… the Earth’s core maybe?!) you are adding to the vast knowledge that we have. There is absolutely nothing wrong with curiosity driven research. And everyone’s research builds on everyone else’s to create the bigger picture. For example, the Earth’s core plays a vital role in plate tectonics. So in this respect we are improving the world by improving our understanding of it. But something else sometimes happens – if you are very lucky, there might be some spin-off that is really useful. Some of the most important discoveries were accidents while the scientist was working on something else – penicillin, the microwave, Coca-cola…

    • Photo: Jillian Scudder

      Jillian Scudder answered on 17 Jun 2015:

      I hope I’ll be able to improve the world by getting more people to understand the value and wonder that comes with science! I also hope that I’ll be able to be a good role model for future generations of scientists. It’s hard to say how my scientific research will directly improve the world, though the drive for new technology usually benefits everyone, but by working to communcate science, I hopefully can make a difference that way!

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