Question: your idea of running a workshop in schools is a good idea but what about continuing to try and help treat diseases like cancer and diabetes? wouldn't it mean that you drop all you've been working towards to fight such diseases when students like ourselves could just research/watch videos of embryonic stem cells?

Sharon Sneddon answered on 21 Mar 2011:

HI Imogen,
Good question.
So the whole point of this competition is for us to get other people(you guys) excited about science and also to try and show ourselves in a good way, like we are normal everyday people with normal lives and interests outside of work. We also want to make sure that people like you want to become scientists to continue our work, and one of the best ways to do that is to come to schools to show you what it’s really like being a scientist, as it’s quite different from the science you do in school/college. As I am also paid by the government and charity money, it’s important that the people who donate to charity and pay taxes get to know and understand what I so, so thats why we are encouraged to do events like this.
I would not be dropping everything research wise to come to schools, but just fitting it in alongside my research.

it is true that you could do the research yourselves and watch videos of cells but it’s nowhere near as exciting as the real thing, and in some cases, students don’t have to the opportunity to do so, so I think it’s important we are out there in your face shouting about how amazing our work is!