AROUND 200 pupils from across South Worcestershire were welcomed to Malvern's science park to promote interest in some of school's less popular subjects - maths, biology, chemistry and physics. Dan Kendrick tagged along to see if students could be convinced that science really is cool.

WHEN school pupils first sit down with a career advisor, becoming a scientist does not tend to feature highly on many lists.

If you are good at biology, medicine is seen as the career for you, while physicists and mathematicians are nudged towards teaching and, increasingly, big accountancy firms.

But an innovative idea from QinetiQ - not the first from Malvern's leading research centre - sought to shatter the myths surrounding science, starting with its "geeky" image.

"We are challenging the perception of the science geek in a white coat and the idea that you can't do anything else but teach if you take the subjects," said Miranda Davies, graduate marketing manager for the organisation.

With this in mind, QinetiQ last week played host to seven schools from Malvern, Worcester, Droitwich and Evesham to whet students' appetites over career possibilities.

After a brief presentation, detailing exactly what QinetiQ has helped create - from liquid crystal displays and foetal heart monitors to radar and cricket's "hawk eye" - the teenagers got hands-on.

Although juggling, playing maths-related games and getting to grips with robots and night-vision goggles was plenty of fun, there was a serious side to the occasion.

"By taking science and maths out of the classroom we can show people that there are very exciting careers and opportunities available," said Ms Davies.

"We recruit 350 science and engineering graduates a year and are seeing a decline in the number of graduates and undergraduates in these subjects, which needs to be addressed.

"We also feel we have a responsibility, as a major local employer, to show students what they can do with science subjects and support schools in the area."

QinetiQ began as purely a Ministry of Defence organisation, before the everyday uses of its inventions became clear, leading to, among many other things, mobile phones.

While nothing is made on-site, it is a "think tank" that allows scientists - more like problem solvers - to pit their wits against all manner of problems for all manner of people.

Fourteen-year-old Chelsea Weston, from Elgar Technology College, happily confessed that science was not her favourite area, but equally admitted the day had it plus points.

"The robots were good and I understood the stuff we had covered in class," she said.

"The practical stuff is alright but the writing (in class) still seems fairly boring to me. Considering science is not really my thing it's been quite good coming out here."

Her classmate, Luke Harwood, needed a little nudging to publicly admit he liked science - such is the nature of the problem QinetiQ faces. But once that barrier had been crossed he was clearly an enthusiast.

"I actually quite like science and this has been really fun," he said.

"The robots were the highlight but I thought the way thermal imaging worked was also really good. It seems a fair way off but I would certainly consider working somewhere like this."

For science teacher Mark Newsome, also from the Bilford Road school, it was a big move in the right direction for Worcestershire schools to be able to see these facilities.

"It's been a very interesting day and a real eye-opener for the kids," he said.

"It's pitched at about the right level and it's done well because it certainly is difficult to break complex ideas down to a simple, accessible form.

"Days like this really help to put science into the real world and I just wish there were more of these kind of things.

"Schools have limited resources and teachers have to have a broad knowledge but here kids can speak to the experts. Even if some pupils are a bit nervous to ask questions it certainly gets them thinking."

Cynical pupils with little aptitude for, or interest in, sciences did not leave converted, but that was never the idea.

They saw scientists as ordinary people, in many cases with an extraordinary job, and left realising how the work affects every text message they send and programme they watch.

Maybe, just maybe, professional problem solver will be a bit higher on the career agenda in a few years' time.