There is little discussion or promotion of the value of learning languages in STEM, despite the very international nature of STEM fields and their positive stance towards international collaboration and mobility. Similarly, there is relatively low interest in the languages sector in engagement with STEM subjects, despite the languages sector’s frequent claim that it is an inherently interdisciplinary field. With this in mind, a group of Lancaster University students and staff have launched the SciLang Podcast, which showcases the benefits of bringing language and science together.

Produced and hosted by Katerina Martinkova (International Business Management (Germany) BSc Hons) and Agnieszka Dutkowska-Zuk (Institute for Social Futures/Languages and Cultures/LICA Doctoral Researcher), with the support of Dr Tim Douglas in Engineering and Dr Derek Hird in Languages and Cultures, the SciLang Podcast shares personal stories of how bringing languages and STEM together in meaningful ways have enhanced careers and lives.

The SciLang Podcast series consists of fascinating conversations exploring topics such as the role of languages in scientists' lives, positive language challenges, and how languages change (us). The podcasts are available on Spotify, Anchor, Pocket Casts, and the Languages and Cultures YouTube channel. The SciLang Podcast is part of a wider initiative to promote “Languages in Science and Science in Languages” through research and a global network of people who combine languages and STEM subjects in their work.

Katerina Martinkova writes:

Working on the SciLang project was a really rewarding experience and I am grateful for being a part of the SciLang team. Before I took part in this project, I have already had experience with podcast editing thanks to my volunteering activities for a mental health company based in Prescot. However, during the project I got a unique chance not just to edit the podcast but also to be in the role of the interviewer, which expanded my knowledge of the field. My two insightful interviewees, Stefani and Cesco demonstrated the correlation between languages and science and introduced to me some new advantages of being multilingual.

I really enjoyed working with my colleague Agnieszka from whom I have learnt many transferable skills during our meetings. Starting the project in July from scratch and being able to bring the whole podcast series to our listeners just 3 months later is an incredible achievement to which I also must give credits to Tim and Derek, the two lecturers from Lancaster University who stood behind the whole project idea. I am proud of what we did together and look forward to hearing about and/or taking part in the next DeLC projects.

Agnieszka Dutkowska-Zuk writes:

Being a part of the SciLang Podcast has been a wonderful journey. A journey that has fed my curiosity about different views on language in science, taught me new skills, and ended with a product that I am very proud of. Learning how to produce a podcast is an achievement in itself, but it was also a journey of finding my voice in the conversation around a topic so close to my heart that I rarely have a chance to join. It pushed me to ask myself: as an international student, how do I feel working primarily in English? What can I do to make the language sphere in science more inclusive? Recognizing challenges, exploring different points of view, and creating a new platform through the podcast was a great attempt to answer these questions.

However, the journey wouldn't be wonderful without the people I met on my path. My lovely guests shared their views and stories, which truly inspired me, made me laugh or caused me to think about some issues more deeply and from a different angle (and hopefully, our listeners will feel the same!). Each question led to five more in my head. Each answer led to a new understanding of the multidimensional language scenery in science. For example, have you ever wondered how English has changed since its widespread use in science? How do languages influence our identity and the way we think? Is language merely a tool to communicate? We ponder on these questions, and many more, in our podcast.

Last but not least, all of this was possible thanks to the team dedicated to this project. I have greatly enjoyed working with Katerina; this podcast would not have existed without her dedication and expertise. Tim and Derek fuelled our interest in the topic and supported us throughout the project. Now, I hope joining this adventure will bring our listeners as much joy as it brought me.

Dr Tim Douglas writes:

I am delighted that so many people from different academic disciplines have shared their stories of how language has enriched their careers and lives. I have always suspected that there is a community of scientists with a passion for languages and, thanks to the podcast, I hope there will be more appreciation for languages in STEM and enthusiasm to learn and use them! I am very grateful to Agnieszka and Katerina for conducting so many thought-provoking and insightful conversations and producing them in podcast form in only three months, and my colleague Derek Hird for all his support in our initiative to demonstrate how language and science complement each other.

Dr Derek Hird writes:

The SciLang Podcast has proven the benefits of integrating languages and sciences in holistic ways, thanks to the dedication of Agnieszka, Katerina, and Tim. Next steps in the wider “Languages in Science and Science in Languages” initiative include establishing a SciLang Network to link people who combine language and science in their work, sending SciLang student ambassadors to schools to inspire pupils and teachers to look for ways to bring languages and sciences together, launching a SciLang schools competition, and decolonizing the SciLang Podcast by exploring the role of different languages and the limitations of English in scientific activities with scholars, scientists, and polyglots from around the world.