24.02.2026
Written by Adrian McConnell, Chief Executive, CO Research Trust
There once was a woman who worked at SHU.
She asked Bea to visit, to show what they do.
They taught her about microscopes, cells and CO;
And Bea was a scientist, when it came time to go.
(Adapted. With apologies to The Old Woman who Lived in a 'SHU'..)
Last Wednesday was one of those days I’ll remember, not as the CEO of the CO Research Trust but as a dad.
The week after the UNESCO International Day of Women and Girls in Science, it was half term, and I was lucky enough to take my 10-year-old daughter Bea, to visit the awesome researchers at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), who tackle the biggest unknowns about carbon monoxide (CO) exposure and health.
SHU extended the invite after I spoke to Dr Mari Herigstad about Bea’s keen interest in biology and the human body, thanks to the books of Adam Kay!
At the CO Research Trust, our mission is to fund scientific research that helps reduce deaths and serious harm from CO exposure. Research shows that CO can affect vital organs like the brain and heart even at low levels long thought to be safe. It’s important, and a powerful reminder of why good science matters.
Meeting the scientists! Champions for women in STEM
Led by Dr Mari Herigstad, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Sheffield CO Research Group, the team’s work spans physiology, neuroscience, cell biology and developmental biology.
The team made Bea so welcome and at ease, answering all her questions and taking the time to show her the tools of their trade, and the importance of what they do. I was grateful for the effort they all put in to make sure she got the most from the day (I think she left a bit starstruck by Megan who led the tour!).
Celebrating female scientists and role models
Being there with scientists, mostly women, and talking about research that matters - is exactly what the visit was all about. It gave my daughter the chance to see that science isn’t an abstract idea you learn from a textbook; it’s a living, breathing thing driven by real people solving real problems.
I really wanted her to meet with the team and see real science in action. As a young girl, I wanted her to see strong female role-models doing amazing things, and I hoped they would inspire her.
What I hope she took away
It’s one thing to tell kids that STEM subjects are important - it’s another thing entirely to show them what a career in science looks like: curiosity, rigour, collaboration, and a drive to ask questions even when the answers are hard.
Wednesday was a bridge from theory to reality. Bea saw:
I asked Bea to write down a few of her thoughts about her visit to SHU.
Bea’s Thoughts
Today I was lucky enough to be invited to Sheffield Hallam University by the awesome Dr Mari, to meet some real scientists.
First a brilliant PhD student called Megan taught me a bit more about what they do, what carbon monoxide is, and how my dad is involved.
Next, I was able to go on a tour of the labs.
Megan and Celine let me look through a microscope, and Dr Prachi took time out from her teaching to show me what both healthy cells and cancer (breast cancer) cells look like. It was really interesting!
I even learned how an MRI scanner works! But don’t ask me to explain to you!
Thank you, Dr Mari, Megan, Celine, Josh, and Dr Prachi, for my amazing day. I love science even more now!
Final Thoughts
The UNESCO International Day of Women and Girls in Science is a chance not just to celebrate women in science but to inspire the next generation. We couldn’t schedule the visit for the day, but made it happen the week after.
My hope is that experiences like this one stay with her - not just as a memory, but as an invitation to explore, question, experiment, and maybe become a scientist herself.
Because science needs all of us - and the earlier we show children what’s possible, the better equipped they’ll be to make it happen.
Thanks to everyone at SHU who made it such a special day for Bea and drove home the importance of outreach and showing kids what is possible.