How would you encourage more boys/girls into STEM subjects? Do you prefer chemistry, physics or biology ? How long

Question: How would you encourage more boys/girls into STEM subjects? Do you prefer chemistry, physics or biology ? How long have you been a scientist for and where abouts do you work? If your in a relationship what does your partner think about you being a scientist?
- Keywords:
  career,
  education,
  gender,
  preference,
  work-life balance
Asked by Imbethbtw to Francesca, Laura, Matthew, Andrew, Rebecca on 10 Nov 2014.
- Matthew Camilleri answered on 10 Nov 2014:
  
  The first one is a very tricky question indeed, there is a fine line between encouraging students and being annoying, so the best way to do it is to be enthusiastic about my work. If you see a scientist who loves what he is doing then students will be encouraged to choose STEM subjects.
  
  My favourite subject would have to be chemistry, I never really enjoyed physics while I had problems with my biology teacher for pushing me into becoming a doctor.
  
  I work at the University of Bath, and have been here for 14 months.
  
  I am not currently in a relationship, but I have been in the past, and it is as another job. I do try and leave work behind me when I get home, although it is nice to have someone to talk to when things are going wrong.
- Laura Schofield answered on 10 Nov 2014:
  
  I would agree with Matthew that the best way to encourage others is to be enthusiastic about science! That and showing cool reactions that we can do on a daily basis! Did you know you can make smoke filled bubbles by putting dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) in soapy water?!
  I prefer chemistry but honestly, they can’t exist alone! Chemistry has massive crossovers with biology, physics, maths and engineering!
  I’ve always been a scientist. In my opinion you’re a scientist when you wonder how something works or why something is the way it is or what it’s made of and actively try to find out. I’ve been doing that for as long as I can remember! I work at the University of Nottingham and I’ve been here 7 years now! I came here to do a 4 year degree when I was 18 and once I’d finished that stayed on todo a PhD.
  I am in a relationship and my boyfriend loves me being a scientist! He’s an engineer so we have a vague understanding of what each other does (which comes in really handy when you want to moan about your day!) but we have totally different careers so it isn’t something we talk about all the time. It also means we rock at quizzes because our interests compliment each other!
- Francesca Palombo answered on 10 Nov 2014:
  
  I would say to boys and girls to be brave and take the right decision for themselves. I prefer biophysical chemistry! I have been a scientist since joining a research group (Molecular Spectroscopy) for my final year undergraduate project at Uni. I work at University of Exeter. My husband is a scientist too, so perfect match!
- Andrew McKinley answered on 11 Nov 2014:
  
  Lots of questions! I think there are more detailed responses elsewhere (answers to other questions) – these look to be pretty much the same questions as have been answered elsewhere.
  
  1) Gender into STEM: Very tricky! We need positive role models on all fronts – within STEM we have fantastic role models, but you don’t have to be a STEM professional to be a role model – there are many positive role models outside STEM. will.i.am is one example of a fantastic role model for getting people excited about STEM – and he is a music producer!
  
  2) I am a chemist, with a strong Physics leaning. I find physics absolutely fascinating, and I see my chemistry as an application of physics. Biology wasn’t something I ‘got on with’ at school.
  
  3) Been a practising scientist for 11 years (doing my own experiments since final year project as an undergraduate), but i’ve been studying ‘science’ now for nearly 20 years! I work in London at Imperial College.
  
  4) My partner is also a scientist.