Inspiring the next generation of scientists

Many science teachers hope to infuse their students with a love of science and, ultimately, inspire some to pursue it as a career. However, there is a lot of media coverage suggesting science is failing to engage young people, resulting in fewer choosing it as a career. Policymakers also express concerns about the ‘skills gap’ resulting from a lack of students pursuing qualifications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and project that this will leave the country short of skills vital to economic growth. In addition, many have expressed concern about the narrow profile of those who do participate in STEM, with women, working-class and some ethnic minority groups underrepresented, particularly in some of the physical sciences and engineering.

It is against this backdrop that the Science Aspirations and Career Choice (Aspires) project was launched in 2009. Aspires was a five-year longitudinal study that explored how the science aspirations of year 6–9 students in England develop over time and how they are shaped by gender, ethnicity and social class, as well as by families, peers and experience of school science. The project continues with Aspires2, exploring the development of aspirations through to year 13.

The article describes the findings of the Aspires project and explains what teachers can do to help their students aspire to career in science.