Future Geoscientists is a virtual game to enable students to imagine diverse futures of geoscience. Working in collaboration with the Imperial Geoscience department, the game explores how to bring youth foresight into university science outreach. Rather than being lectured about possible future careers, young people were empowered to imagine their own futures and possible careers in Geoscience in worlds adapting to climate change.
Additionally, Geoscience’s associations with the oil and gas industry have made it less desirable in an age where young people want to have a positive impact on the climate. Imagining the future has been shown to boost students' sense of agency and interest in STEM subjects. Can scientific outreach and recruitment events double up as a space for futures literacy?
The game is inspired by Situation Lab's "The Thing from the Future" and will involve randomly combining predictions from members of the earth sciences department to create new ideas for possible futures. Students will discuss the appeal and plausibility of their ideas with a trained geoscientist who will add informative context to these future visions and listen to students’ preferences for their future world.
In collaboration with Dr. Kathryn Hadler and Imperial College London Societal Engagement team.
Web development by Eva Oosterlaken.
Funded by Imperial College Rapid Response Seed Fund
