Taking part in the chats has been an absolute pleasure. I never expected to receive the most votes, but it makes me so happy to know that students enjoyed our discussions. Thank you, students, for your votes, enthusiasm and hard work. And thank you, teachers, for everything, and, above all, for your patience.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the “I’m a Scientist” team for organising and facilitating the chats. A separate thanks goes to the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) and the Community for Change initiative, which made my participation possible.

Outreach efforts like this are beneficial on so many levels. I could go on all day about practical advantages, like how it gives students a better understanding of complex concepts, provides a more accurate image of the world we live in, and gives an insight into potential careers, among many other benefits that we all already know. However, what is often overlooked is that it also makes scientists look more relatable and, well, human. It helps students see that we are not some mythical beings, but people just like them with our own lives & interests, that we face our own challenges and that each one of us had a different path that brought us to where we are.