The British Science Association (BSA) is thrilled to announce the return of the highly-anticipated ‘Smashing Stereotypes’ campaign for this year’s British Science Week – celebrating the diverse people and careers in science and engineering!

In its sixth year, the Smashing Stereotypes campaign - running alongside British Science Week - celebrates trailblazers in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) sectors to share stories about their journeys and day-to-day work.

This year’s campaign features stories from some remarkable people who challenge long-standing stereotypes about what it means to work in science.

Our goal remains the same: we want to inspire young people from all backgrounds and show them that careers in STEM are open to all.

VISIT THE SMASHING STEREOTYPES CAMPAIGN

 

A career in science is for everyone

From astronomy, climate science and motorsport, STEM careers are truly diverse. There are countless rewarding science-related careers to choose from. We want to champion science for everyone: whatever your interests, background, or career path.

We are proud to announce our partnership this year with Urenco, an international supplier of enrichment services and nuclear fuel cycle products. We’ve profiled people working here to show young people what jobs in STEM can involve and some examples of how you could land one – because there are no 'typical' paths to STEM success.

The Smashing Stereotypes stories include a series of short films, interviews, and behind-the-scenes photography.  

How to get involved 

Are you Smashing Stereotypes in STEM? We want to hear from you! Share your #SmashingStereotypes story with us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and other social media channels by using the official hashtag. Check out our digital toolkit below for more ideas. 

CHECK OUT THE DIGITAL TOOLKIT

 

Hannah Russell, Chief Executive, British Science Association (BSA), said: 

There are almost ten million (9.4m) people working in STEM industries, and we use British Science Week to celebrate the UK’s science, research and innovation workforce. The story of underrepresentation in these fields is well known, but it does not make the figures any less stark. By showcasing fantastically inspiring stories of people working in science who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in our sector, we hope to show that science can be for everyone. 

“A new poll we commissioned to mark British Science Week, found that nearly three quarters of UK adults (73%) believe that a good science education is vital for young people’s future job prospects and their daily lives. However, it is imperative that young people from all backgrounds believe that science is ‘for them’ and that we begin to tackle the demographic inequity. 

“This year we are calling on STEM businesses and institutions to celebrate and highlight the diversity within their workforce, and to share how they are working towards a more diverse and inclusive sector. We want to reach young people across the UK and inspire more of them to consider a future in science, research and innovation because they can see people who might look like them represented in that workforce”. 

Rosie Salkeld, Social Impact Lead, Urenco, said:

Our partnership with the British Science Association, and continued support for the Smashing Stereotypes campaign, underlines Urenco’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

This campaign is really engaging and we hope it will inspire young people who are thinking about their future options, by showcasing some of the diverse career opportunities and people working across STEM