Generate: Scientists of the Future

The Museum has partnered with renewable energy company Ørsted for a three-year initiative to build the scientific career aspirations of London schoolchildren.

Through the Generate: Scientists of the Future project, students will build their knowledge of the diversity of science-related careers and the role of science in our lives.

Making science relevant to students

The Natural History Museum brings science to life by providing inspiring, interactive and curriculum-driven learning experiences. We are the place for students to engage in real-world science and we have hundreds of scientists working on big global challenges.

We have partnered with Ørsted to inspire the next generation of scientists by enabling access for more schools to visit the Museum and experience our curriculum-rich learning.

In this project students take part in interactive, educational sessions and meet people whose work is making an impact on our world. We showcase the diversity of science-based jobs in both the Museum and in industry, giving young people an insight into the corporate world and the crucial topics of renewable energy and climate change.

Students can experience how science is present in all aspects of our everyday life, as well as varied and inspired career opportunities within this fascinating field.

Year-on-year visits to build students' experiences

We are furthering our relationship with schools and evaluating the learnings that result from year-on-year engagement with the same academic group. This unique partnership with Ørsted will build on the body of knowledge around the impact of out-of-classroom learning experiences upon attitudes to science, scientists and scientific careers.

Linking with local schools

Generate: Scientists of the Future is enabling four schools from the Westminster and Lambeth areas to experience repeat visits year-on-year at the Museum. The selected schools have low levels of engagement with the Museum. They are bringing a year group each year for three years to the Museum for a specially arranged day of activities, from Year 7 through to Year 9. 

Each year the students take part in one of the Museum’s science shows, have time to explore the galleries and have bespoke interactive sessions with scientists from both the Museum and Ørsted.

Monitoring the results

Each year, we are evaluating the groups before and after their Museum visits to examine any changes in their perceptions of science as both a subject matter and career option. As the programme continues, we can also track any longitudinal changes to their perceptions. We hope to excite students with the prospect of one of the many varied careers in science.

First year reflections

The video below shows the experiences of students, teachers and Ørsted volunteers at the workshops run in the first year of the programme.