Forensic scientist teams up with pupils for new book

The founder of life sciences firm Surescreen has teamed up with local school pupils to put together a new book.

Jim Campbell OBE, who is a forensic scientist, has been answering science-related questions from pupils at Morley Primary School and put all his answers in the book called ‘Ask a Scientist’.

Mr Campbell is a regular visitor to the school, which is located next door to SureScreen’s headquarters at Morley.

SureScreen is a 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 the manufacturing and automotive supply chains.

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.”

Headmaster Tony Taylor said: “When Jim visits school, the children 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.”

The book is available from Amazon and will be available from Waterstones.