Different Science Careers

A career in science involves a lot of different fields and specialties, all though it would be a task to name them all they can be listed into basic categories. Three wide areas that science careers can be put in are research, teaching and practical application. All three of these are in some way dependant on each other. It’s not uncommon for a scientist to work in more than one of these broad areas, depending on what their careers ask of them.

When dealing with research and the discovery of new things that build on past established ideas and principles. For example if a drug can be known to be effective at fighting against viruses a scientist may decide to focus on this drug and further develop it to be even more effective. A career in the Environmental sciences such as ecologist will involve a lot of research, because of this if a scientist is working in a certain field they will devote themselves to this subject for their career or a single project.

Careers that focus on practical application use scientific ideas to create sudden benefits. For example you could see this in a computer science career, where what work is done today could well be used in tomorrow’s technology. A career as a Medical Doctor is also a science career where practical application is important. If we didn’t apply science to areas of health there would be no trusting healthcare.

Opportunities lie in all fields of science. A professor will often talk about the value of science as a personal and intellectual development. If someone is interested in a science career in education may not just spend time in a classroom but in the practical application and research fields as well. An advantage of this area of work is that there is also a shortage of work therefore it is a good time for people wanting to become science teachers.

Many people who work in the science sectors may not scientists this is what they are. It might sound strange but a Weather forecaster on T.V is a scientist because they focus on atmospheric conditions. A pharmacist is a scientist who is mainly involved with chemistry and biology. If a person who works in science is tagged as a scientist or not, science is still has a lot to do with the career.

Key Stage Three Teaching and Homework Resources from the Science Museum

London’s Science Museum is a publically funded museum and tourist attraction which is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The Science Museum’s website provides resources for teaching science at KS3, including classroom and homework resources.

The resources available for KS3 science from this website are separated into 6 topics. These are Electricity and Magnetism, Energy Transfer, Light, Materials, Genetics and Brain Science and Medicine. Each of these topics features a range of activities which are related to KS3 science and teaching science at this level. They can be used in teaching science in the classroom, as a homework project or a challenge for a science club.

The Science Museum also offers ideas for KS3 science-related activities that are recommended for science and engineering clubs. These include projects such as a Martian shelter, bath fizzers and robotic bugs.

Inside the Science Museum itself, there are many hands-on, interactive exhibits for KS3 science pupils to explore, with have been created with the requirements of teaching science at this level in mind. The hands-on galleries that can help in teaching KS3 science include ‘Energy- fuelling the future’, which explores the importance of energy today and also its future implications, and ‘Launchpad’, a popular gallery which allows visitors to explore science and technology first-hand through exhibits and shows. Other galleries within the museum which feature exhibitions that are applicable to KS3 science cover the subjects of climate science, computing, materials, flight, energy, the future, the history of medicine, exploring space and the development of the industrial world. There is also a range of special exhibitions, events and an IMAX cinema that can help to teach KS3 science.

There is also a range of resources available to teachers available through the Science Museum and its website. These include training resources as well as ideas and material to help in teaching science at KS3. There are opportunities for teachers to explore the Science Museum without their pupils outside of normal opening times, courses that cover different areas of training for teaching science and ideas for engaging students through forming science clubs.