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Dr. Sharon Ann Holgate is a science writer and broadcaster. She has written for New Scientist, Focus, The Times Educational Supplement, and broadcast for the BBC World Service and regional stations. She won a Merit Award in the 1994 Daily Telegraph Young Science Writer of the Year competition.

We interviewed Dr. Holgate about The Way Science Works, which she has
co-authored with acclaimed writer Robin Kerrod.

Q. The Way Science Works - a brilliantly illustrated book that encourages children to discover science for themselves. What inspired you to write this book?

A. The fact that I could hopefully inspire others. I'd love to think that what I have written might encourage some of today's children to take up science as a career, in the same way the books I had as a child encouraged me to become a physicist.

Q. This year is Science Year, which particularly focuses on raising the scientific understanding of those aged 10-19. Do you feel that young people today need to raise their scientific awareness?

A. With science and technology having an increasingly large impact on our lives, I think we all need to raise our scientific awareness so that we can make informed choices on the sort of future we want.

Q. The book includes 'hands-on' experiments to illustrate scientific theories. For example, swinging a bucket of water upside down without the water falling out demonstrates centripetal force. How much do you feel experiments like this help children to understand science?

A. A lot. Nothing can replace actually seeing something happening in front of you. It certainly helps me, even as an adult, but then my doctorate is in experimental physics rather than theoretical physics so I guess I would say that, wouldn't I!

Q. What was the most difficult topic to explain in your book?

A. I think that some scientific topics are hard to understand regardless of how well they are explained. Certain things, as the book points out, are not yet fully understood by scientists. Others are understood quite well, but are simply hard to visualise. Science is challenging, but the fact that some of it is hard to understand, and the fact that we don't have all the answers yet is what makes it so interesting. Science is like a big jigsaw puzzle with many of the pieces still missing. Hopefully the next generation of scientists will come along and put some of those pieces into place.

Q. What would you say are the best resources for a parent to interest their child in science?

A. Apart from this book?! There's a lot of good stuff on the Internet put up by schools and science centres around the world, but nothing can quite replace actually visiting a science museum or centre. I think the sorts of interactive exhibits most contain nowadays are great. Also I think making sure your child has a library ticket is one of the best investments in both their general and scientific education that you can make. Other than that just encouraging children to look at the world around them, and taking the time to explain what everyday things are and how they work shouldn't be underestimated.

Buy The Way Science Works