I am passionate about the communication and promotion of science to all. Throughout my academic career, I have developed my outreach portfolio,
providing me with plenty of avenues through which to explore this passion.
Some of my activities are detailed in the following sections below:
STEMNET/SETPOINT Scotland Science and Engineering Ambassador
The Science and Engineering Ambassador (SEA) Programme is the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Network's (STEMNET) nationally recognised flagship
programme. Ambassadors are individuals from a wide variety of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) backgrounds,
from all across the UK, who offer their time, enthusiasm and expertise to help schools inspire young people.
I recently became an Ambassador at SETPOINT Scotland West, and volunteer for a variety of activities, aswell as making contacts through the SETPOINT with other SEAs to recruit volunteers for activities that I organise.
I spoke about my Outreach experiences on the university of Strathclyde CM100 'Communicating Science' course for staff
and students in October 2007, to enthuse and inspire attendees to get involved, and even run their own outreach events.
You can access the talk via this link.
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'Glow Worms, Crime Scenes and Laser Beams'
'Glow Worms, Crime Scenes and Laser Beams' is a cross-disciplinary workshop to communicate the basic principles of light/optics, showing their
application in biology and chemistry, funded by an RCUK National Science and Engineering Week Award for 2008, for which I am the principle applicant.
The workshop is split into two parts: a series of simple,
interactive experiments, and a presentation by practising researchers to relate the basic
principles to current research and everyday life.
The event will be held at Glasgow Science Centre during National Science and Engineering week 2008 on the 15th and 16th of March, hopefully attracting more than a thousand people;
composed mostly of families. The interactive component will run as an open event, so the visitors are
able to drift in and out, with 6 stations; the spectrum and waves; communicating with light;
reflections, shadows and rays; the eye; lenses and microscopes; and light in nature. Each having
accessible experiments for the audience to try with the guidance of volunteers from the research
community, providing a unique opportunity for interaction between the public and practising
researchers. There will be 8 presentations from active researchers split over the 2 days, with
visual aids and a demonstration of luminescent chemical reactions.
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The 'Lumen' Light Project
I was approached by North Ayrshire Educational Services to consult on this project alongside an Artist and Science teachers.
Together, we aim to explore and present the subject of Light with children from North Ayrshire Secondary schools, in two separate sessions to be held in a nightclub in North Ayrshire, during the daytime on the 18th and 25th of february 2008.
The aim is to combine the science of light and lasers with creativity to produce a display/presentation or exhibition of 'lightworks'.
We hope that this will enhance the learning experience for pupils and compliment the teaching practice of science tutors, presenting the results
in an accessible and attractive way.
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The Rank Prize Funds Optoelectroncs College
The optoelectronics College is a new initiative for Senior School Science Teachers encouraging experiments in Optoelectronics across Scotland aimed at 12-14 year olds.
I was one of 10 active researchers invited to initiate the scheme, together with school science teachers, and science education advisors, at a residential symposium in November 2007.
We created five lesson plans and experimental equipment ideas to be implemented in physics classes across Scotland, related to the topic of Optoelectronics.
Funding for the scheme and the provision of the resulting experimental kits to schools is provided by The Rank Prize Funds. We also planned CPD and support materials for the teachers
who would be expected to deliver the scheme in the classroom.
If this Scottish pilot is successful, a similar scheme will be initiated across the UK.
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Science with coffee and Hobnobs
Many parents or guardians of primary school pupils have little knowledge of science,
and many lack confidence in their ability to help their children, though most welcome the chance to do so.
The 'Science with coffee and Hobnobs' scheme was funded by EPSRC, and ran from 2004 until 2006 in the South of England. The program consisted of
a series of meetings in the form of coffee sessions at primary schools,
where parents could increase their knowledge and confidence in the science their children study,
and engage in simple experiments with their children to apply the knowledge they gained.
I was a member of the steering committee for the scheme, and coordinated the experimentation part of the 'light' events,
aswell as recruiting volunteer demonstrators for each session, and producing parent handouts.
We aimed to overcome the problems of encouraging parental involvement in primary science education.
Using accessible meetings as a guide to the UK National Curriculum, we not only enriched children’s
scientific education through parental involvement and joint activities,
but also aimed to affirm and improve scientific knowledge of the attending parents.
The sessions also provided a unique forum for interaction between active photonics researchers and parents
to improve the profile of scientific research and careers within this group, with a view to improving the
profile of science within the local community.
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Lightwave
The Lightwave Roadshow is run by a group of volunteers from the Southampton University Student Chapter of the Optical Society of America, aiming to promote science in the community.
The roadshow is an interactive experience aimed at primary school-aged children (5 to 11 years old). Travelling out to schools, science fairs, family-day events etc. across the South of England.
The kit consists of an abundance of optics toys for children to experiment with from five key topics in photonics, and a ‘hands on' section for them to make their own optics toys.
The show mascot, Phil Photon, is used to personify a photon, making the concept presented much easier to grasp.
I was the coordinator of the scheme for the 2003/04 period, and continued as a volunteer until 2006.
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University of southampton IoP public lecture series
As a recent member of the committee of the South central Branch of the Institute of Physics,
I organised a series of public lectures at the University of Southampton.
The lectures ran on the evening of the first Tuesday of each month, for the 2005/06 period.
They were free, and aimed at members of the general public with an interest in the various topics discussed,
pitched at the understanding level of a sixth form student.
Speakers were invited from both academia, and industry, with an aim to cover a broad range of topics.
The series provided an opportunity to invite the members of the general public into the University's School of Physics and Astronomy,
promoting physics higher education, and raising the school's profile locally.
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Other schemes
In my various roles for the outreach schemes detailed above, I have also become involved with many other outreach schemes. A handful are listed below:
- The BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science)
The Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch organise regular public lectures at the Glasgow Science centre.
- Lab in a Lorry
As an SEA and member of the IoP, I am a volunteer for this sheme.
- Light Express
Very successful and inspiring laser light show run by the University of Southampton School of Physics and Astronomy.
- Science All Around Us
Run by the University of Southampton Chemistry department, Lightwave is invited to this annual key stage 2 funday.
- Aim Higher
The University of Southampton School of Physics and Astronomy runs a Year 8 Summer school as part of this project. For this purpose, I developed a modified version of the Lightwave roadshow which runs at the summer school each year.
- Cafe Scientifique
National scheme encouraging adults to enjoy popular science.
- Researchers in Residence
Scheme funded by EPSRC, encouraging researcher and local schools to forge links.
- ETOP 2005
'Educational Topics in Optics and Photonics' - A key SPIE/OSA conference in the field. I presented two papers at the 2005 conference in Marseille, France.
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