12.490/12.907 Communicating Physics
Class Contact: Klaas
Wynne
Lecturers: Carol
Trager-Cowan, Elaine Malcolmson, Dino
Jaroszynski, Klaas
Wynne
(12 lecture and tutorial hours, 4th/5th year, 1
credit, Semester II)
Place/time: Mondays 3-5 pm, JA8.11
The aim of this class is to introduce the techniques of communicating and popularising physics. Individually and in groups, students will perform a number of exercises linked to some or all of the following topics: scientific journalism, physics in art and literature, physics webpage and discussion forum, science festivals and science centres.
Prerequisites: None
Assessment: Continuous
Content of lectures in past years
Carol Trager-Cowan, JA208, Extn. 3465
Notes
Here you can find an MS Word
97-2002 document for Carol's 2007 assignment (28kb).
- Presentation of Science to the Public. (2 lectures) We will look at different methods of presenting science to the public, and will also discuss the motivation for doing so. We will discuss what methods may be appropriate for different audiences, e.g., you might use a different method to explain why the sky is blue to a five year old than to a reporter from the Times Education Supplement.
- How to fund Public Understanding of Science (PUS) Activities (1 lecture) We will look at the various bodies who fund PUS activities.
- Assessment. You will write a two page grant application for a PUS project in which you will "give details of your plans and arrangements for your project, including its objectives and specific activities, describing the target audience and the means of delivery."
Elain Malcolmson (Schools Liaison)
Elaine Malcolmson (Education Liaison Adviser,
Schools and Colleges Liaison Service), Graham Hills Building, Extn. 5784,
e.malcolmson -at - mis.strath.ac.uk
- Lecture 1: Communicating Physics to Kids - The Theory.
Why? What? How? Who? Where? An introduction to the importance of communicating
science to children.
We look at the role that Science Centres have to play in communicating science to children. Including an overview of GSC, its Education Programme and how we can support the 5-14 Curriculum. - Workshop: Communicating Physics to Kids - In Action. We will explore some of the kit that GSC uses to deliver physics-related science shows and spend some time experimenting. At the end of the workshop, students will use the kit to perform their own short demonstration of a physics concept aimed at school-aged children.
- Assessment: You will be expected to assist during National Science Week at one of the events in which the University is involved.
Dino Jaroszynski, C631
- Lecture 1. In this lecture we will attempt to consider some of the following questions and points: (1) How can art or literature be used as a medium for communicating physics? (2) What artistic media are available for use to communicating physics? (3) Science as part of culture, art as part of culture. Different ways of describing the world we live in. (4) How is the world of the scientist perceived by the outside world? What is potentially observable? (5) What has art got to do with physics? Making connections with the ordinary world. (6) How can we capture the imagination of the public using art as a medium to convey the world of the physicist. (7) Art used as a way of advertising physics or used to convey meaning and educate the public. (8) Contentious issues in science. The responsibility of the scientist. How is this portrayed by artists? What can we learn from this? (9) Discussion of class projects.
- Lecture 2. In this lecture we will here a poetry reading of poetry on science by a well-known poet. A number of examples of art work used to convey science will be discussed. We will have a discussion involving the scientists (you students) and the artists (poet and possibly another artist). Preparation for the workshop. List of tasks to be carried before the next lecture.
- Lecture 3 (2 hour workshop). Mini workshop will be held where the students will present artistic material that could be used to convey science. Debate. Self-evaluation. How well have we done. Have we succeeded in getting into the mind of Joe Public? Did it appeal to him? Can we learn from artists?
Klaas Wynne, JA814
- Scientific writing. Topics: Recognise and perhaps achieve good scientific writing for a general audience. Audience, writing style, illustrations, media, physics in "faction." Practical work: Find examples of good and bad popular science writing. Discuss what makes good and bad popular science writing. Are good illustrations (diagrams, art work, photos) important? Assessment: Use, for example, your 4th-year project report and convert it into about one magazine page understandable to a general audience. Students should read each other's work and criticise it (in a friendly way obviously).
- Web-based publishing. Topics: Summary of URLs, HTML, MIME types, HTML editors, graphics formats, java etc., style. The difference between linear text and nonlinear hypertext. Practical work: Design a web site making something in physics accessible to a wide audience. Assessment: Web site will be assessed for technical quality, original use of internal and external hyperlinking, use of text, use of graphics, accessibility to wide audience, beauty, quality of text.
Miscellaneous links
- SETPOINT SCOTLAND Website. This website contains an event database of what's going on in Scotland.
- Science on the streets homepage. This website is a companion to a walking tour through Glasgow. The next scheduled tour will be during National Science Week.
- Also check out ECO-WEB Quiz http://level2.phys.strath.ac.uk/ECO-QUIZ/.
- The BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) is a charity which exists to advance the public understanding, accessibility and accountability of the sciences and engineering.
- The Royal Society - Engaging with the public webpages.
- The RCUK Science in Society webpage.
- Psci-com - A free catalogue of high quality Internet resources, covering public engagement with science, science communication and the impact of science on society
- The Institute of Physics - Engaging the public webpages
- Planet Science