MEDIA RELEASE - Immediate

10 Minute Volunteering for STEM
www.hiddensciencemap.org is launched today to tempt all scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians to volunteer 10 minutes of their time to tell the world about the science they use everyday.

The Science Council is calling all types of science people to come out and help them show just how much science and maths is used every day all over the UK, and the amazing range of different jobs there are out there.

From: Astronomers and archaeologists to aerospace engineers, civil engineers and city traders to systems biologists, pharmacists and farmers to fireworks designers,
seismologistsand satellite designers to sports nutritionists, vets and volcanologists to virologists,

if you are using science, maths, engineering or technology as the foundation for your work or career they would like you to put yourself onto the new www.hiddensciencemap.org which has launched today part of 2011 National Science and Engineering Week. Everyone in the science Diaspora can help us to show science is happening somewhere in every town and city, in every village, in every street, in the countryside and at the seaside.
Diana Garnham, Chief Executive of The Science Council, explains the need to branch out from the usual formal style of science career profiles, which can often put young people off being a scientist:

"The UK's science and technology sectors will be driving the economy in the 21st century so we need to do more than ever before to attract young people to aspire to be a scientist. But young people don't realise that there are scientists living and working all around them so our message needs to draw on the science in people's daily lives to show that there are more ways to be a scientist than they think."

The map is open to individuals, including retired science people and aspiring scientists and students, organisations, employers and teams of scientists. A short profile takes about 10 minutes.

Those with a creative streak, or with lots of friends and colleagues who want to join in, can make a place portrait (our name for a group image) to which personal and organisational profiles can be pinned.

Dee Rawsthorne, Outreach Coordinator for the Norwich BioScience Institutes, who organised the first 'place portrait' said: "It is great to be part of a larger event and have a bit of fun; and it was a way of doing important science communication which got everyone working together, but didn't require too much individual effort."
Science Council 17th March 2011.

Background to the Map
The Map was inspired by the report from the Science for Careers Expert Group published in March 2010. The report identified that there was an over emphasis on high achieving role models and case studies from academia and research which led to a narrow perception by young people of what sort of jobs and careers science could lead to. When built the map will have thousands of different case studies of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians working in knowledge generation, many every day and high street settings, emerging technologies, health.
Science for Careers Expert Group Action Plan
http://www.sciencecouncil.org/sites/default/files/ScienceforCareers.pdf

Science Council
It is an umbrella organisation for learned societies and professional bodies across science and its applications and works to advance science for public benefit. The Science Council promotes the profession of scientist through the Chartered Scientist designation and the development of codes of practice; it promotes awareness of the contribution of professional scientists to science and society and advances science education and increased understanding of the benefits of science.
http://www.sciencecouncil.org//

Future Morph
The careers from science web site with more detailed information about subject choices, qualifications and careers arising from the study of science and maths.
http://www.futuremorph.org/

Further information contacts
Diana Garnham d.garnham@sciencecouncil.org
Science Council Chief Executive Tel: 020 7922 7884 or 07768 055853

Katie Walsh hiddensciencemap@sciencecouncil.org
Hidden Science Map Project Coordinator Tel: 020 7922 7888

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