Scientific thinking requires the critical analysis of information, while science itself thrives on the diversity of ideas. Yet, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects have historically struggled to be inclusive and accessible to students from underrepresented communities - meaning we often miss a diversity of voices. Furthermore, STEM subjects have often been rigid in their teaching structure, creating barriers to education for students with more specific (or unrecognised) learning needs. To address this, our science outreach course Think Like A Scientist was designed to improve critical thinking and encourage independent thought by applying adaptive education practices to create inclusive and accessible classroom environments. The program started in England in 2017 and has been applied in several different settings (e.g., schools and adult learning centres), but has mainly featured in prisons around the world (including England, Canada, Australia, Finland, and Spain). Our students in prison often have a complex relationship with learning – such as low confidence in themselves or the education system (which is also a common trait amongst science students from diverse communities). In addition, a classroom can present numerous other barriers for prison students (e.g., sensory, communication, information processing, and regulation) which particularly impacts neurodivergent learners (e.g., autism, ADHD, OCD, dyslexia, etc.). In our teaching in prison, we have been conscious of creating different educational access points that are not solely reliant on rigid teaching structures. In this public talk, I will outline the choices we have made in prison education to increase educational engagement - and how these choices can map onto other avenues of communication to widen participation in science and geoscience. I’ll also share the impact of such practices on our students and how placing learners at the centre of education can be transformative. Fundamentally, as a society we need an informed population from any background who can think critically, especially in today’s world of fake news. In our sessions, we replicate this through learning from each other to Think Like A Scientist. Schedule This Public Lecture will take place on Tuesday 15 December 2026 This is a hybrid event, which can be attended in person at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, or online via Zoom. 17:30–18:00: Guests arrive for the Public Lecture. Refreshments served in the Lower Library. 18:00–19:00: Talk takes place (including Q&A) 19:00-20:00: Drinks reception in Lower Library 20:00: Event end Speaker Bio Dr Phil Heron is an Assistant Professor in Environmental Geophysics at the University of Toronto in Canada. After receiving his undergraduate from Leeds University and PhD in Geophysics from the University of Toronto, he moved to Durham University (UK) as a Marie Skłodowska Curie Research Fellow. During the pandemic, he switched careers to work as an Operational Researcher for the UK Government, before returning to academia as faculty in Toronto from 2021. He has published research on a wide range of plate tectonic processes, including supercontinent formation and volcanic earthquakes patterns, as well as in the field of science communication. Phil also runs an outreach program called Think Like A Scientist, which works predominately in improving access to education for marginalised groups, including people in English and Canadian prisons. Website: https://philheron.com

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