Jim Campbell with Jessica Jackson, Julia Baker, Jack Johnson and Nathanael Taylor
The founder of one of the UK’s leading life science companies has written a book which aims to answer the big questions – straight from the mouths of children.
SureScreen founder Jim Campbell OBE has been answering those burning questions from pupils at Morley Primary School and has put all his answers together in his book called ‘Ask A Scientist’.
Mr Campbell is a regular visitor to the school, which is located next door to SureScreen’s headquarters, in Morley Retreat, Church Lane, Morley.
It is a UK-leading forensics firm which specialises in using DNA analysis to help ecologists identify some of Britain’s most endangered species and also operates a materials consultancy and testing service for manufacturing and automotive supply chain.
The children were invited to submit their questions into a wooden box left in the school and Mr Campbell took them away and researched the answers fully to get back to them.
Mr Campbell specialises in arson cases and is regarded as a leading authority on drug and alcohol screening and medical diagnosis.
He said: “As a forensic scientist we are thought to be an expert in everything but we just have a good general knowledge.
“I’ve worked on cases and appeared in court as an expert witness, particularly in arson cases.
“In these cases you’d expect them to ask about how things burn or the temperatures but then the judges and solicitors ask about the construction of the roof or the installation of the boiler so over the years you become knowledgeable in a lot of things but not necessarily an expert.
“I wanted to give the children a full answer to their questions and responded in a way that they can understand so I took all the questions away and researched them before putting them altogether in these books.
“I hope that it will help children across the country understand more about science and encourage them to keep asking questions.”
Mr Campbell became a governor after he was inspired by his own education at a small school and this has allowed him to create excitement around science for the pupils.
He has treated them to a look around his laboratory and found the youngsters had plenty of science questions. This inspired him for this project and he placed a box in the school so they could put pen to paper to ask the important questions.
The scientist had so many questions from the inquisitive youngsters. The children came up with some insightful questions such as how do dolphins sleep with one eye open and one eye closed? How was Earth made? Which animal has the largest population? Why are some girls mean and sassy, it is a mix of hormones?
Mr Campbell said: “Some of the questions were a challenge and I had to do some investigating to get the whole picture.
“I wanted to make the book balanced so that children could use it to research for themselves and understand it and parents can use it as a basis for further discussion.
“I couldn’t have done this without the children.”
Pupil Julia Baker said: “It’s really cool to think that our questions that we have thought of are going in a book.”
The children have even designed the bright and eye-catching cover for the book.
Headmaster Tony Taylor said: “Children at Morley Primary School are incredibly inquisitive and love to ask questions and discuss answers. When Jim visits school, they always have an endless supply of wonderfully deep and mind-blowing questions – perhaps the type of questions that adults take for granted.
“After Jim led an ‘Ask A Scientist’ assembly, within only a few days, the hand-made question box was spilling over with questions of wonder. Jim answered each and every question with a conversational and, most importantly, understandable, answer personalised back to the child.
“Children loved having their questions read out alongside Jim’s scientific answer.
“It was fantastic of Jim to drop in some Latin to link with children’s Latin lessons in school. I am sure our next school year will continue to keep Jim busy with our children’s next batch of questions.”
The book is available from Amazon and will be available from Waterstones.
