A few months ago I signed up for Skype a Scientist, a service that connects scientists with classrooms around the world so students have a chance to meet a real scientist. Today I had my first session with a 7th grade IB class in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a lot of fun! I introduced myself and my field and talked a little bit about what it’s like being a scientist, then I answered questions from the students for the remaining time. There were all sorts of questions from “What challenges did you overcome to become a computational physicist?” to “Is the Earth’s magnetic field changing?”

If you’re a fellow scientist or a teacher who wants to skype a scientist you can sign up on their website: https://www.skypeascientist.com/ The commitment is small (you can sign up to do just one session) and there’s no need to prepare a lecture. I had a blast and I’m looking forward to more skype sessions!