Setting up ScienceGrrl’s shop

I’m Liz, I’m a Clinical Technologist at The Christie Hospital in Manchester by day and the Merchandiser for ScienceGrrl by night (also weekends).

I have a BSc (Hons) in Physics with Medical Applications from The University of Liverpool and have been working as a technologist for almost a year. I love it, as proven by this action shot of me happy at work!

Since February 2013 I’ve been working getting all of the ScienceGrrl merchandise ready and sorting out the shop which will be going live very soon. All the sales will help to raise funds to send young girls and boys on trips to help show just how interesting Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths are and encourage them to really engage with these subjects. This year’s team of 4 girls and 2 boys were funded by us to go to Mission Discovery Summer School in King’s College London and we hope we can send many more students on trips like this next year.

For me this all began just after summer 2012 when I emailed Heather about getting involved, she kindly invited me for a work experience day since I wanted to work in the same field as her and on that day I was hooked. I met her and Kate Sullivan and just seeing their enthusiasm, I knew I wanted to be involved.

A few months later I got an email just asking if I’d get some quotes for prices of pens, pads etc. with our logo on if I had time, so I did. Then, as I was just casually checking the website, I noticed my name was there under merchandise! To my surprise I had been given an official role that I didn’t even know about and was ecstatic to have been welcomed into the amazing family that is ScienceGrrl.

After getting many, many quotes for the items we settled on pens, pads, combo pads, lanyards and bags. Along with our limited edition AstroGrrl USB pens, we had our items sorted and ready to sell. Since then we’ve sold the merchandise at the Lancashire Science Festival, multiple days at Jodrell Bank and most recently our ‘Because Science is for Everyone’ lecture featuring Professor Brian Cox.

Now it’s all stored in my box room (aka ScienceGrrl Shop HQ) awaiting delivery to you lovely people or to be whisked away to another science festival somewhere in the country.

There have been days when I’ve had a front room full of boxes … hours going mad sorting through and counting boxes of usb minions, I mean AstroGrrls… more hours stock taking every other item…

In the end though I can’t complain, it’s a pleasure to work with and get to know such brilliant women (and men) who are all so enthusiastic about science. To be a part of such an amazing organisation is a massive privilege, I’ve been given the opportunity to communicate my love of science with kids (and their parents) and make some wonderful friends. The merchandise has been so much fun to organise, I have enjoyed every minute of it knowing that the proceeds will go to help some young person realise just how amazing science really is!

Signing off, come say “Hi!” if you see me at an event (and if you’re a Wittertainee you’ll know who else to say hello to too…)

Liz Britland @LittleLizzieB