Outreach activities in the Central Laser Facility 2010/2011
Introduction
It has been an important year for outreach by the CLF. On May 16 2010 it was the 50th anniversary of the laser and we certainly did not let this opportunity to talk about lasers go to waste. The CLF has continued to be involved in a diverse range of outreach activities from work experience to lecture tours around the country.
Laser 50
Front cover of the laser 50 brochure produced to celebrate 50 years of the laser
The anniversary of the first working laser was an important event for the CLF. We decided to mark the occasion with the production and release of a special Laser 50 glossy brochure in conjunction with the IOP and EPSRC. The brochure was compiled by Connor Curtis with Claire Dougan heading the project and Pavel Matousek overseeing the scientific content. Alongside this brochure some schools materials and shorter brochures were generated. During the week before the anniversary we staged a press conference at the Royal Institution. This involved several laser scientists from around the country talking about the past present and future of lasers. Several radio interviews (with Graeme Hirst and Kate Lancaster), a local BBC news piece, and an EPSRC produced podcast happened as a result. Mike Dunne also wrote an article for the Physics World Special issue in May.
Later in the year we held a stand in the Discover zone at Cheltenham Festival of Science populated with members of the CLF and the communications team. The brave volunteers enthusiastically demonstrated their way through six days of festival goers to raise the profile of lasers. The staff who helped at the festival were Kate Lancaster, Vicky Stowell, Peta Foster, Hazel Lowe, Sonia Chapman, Ceri Brenner, Keith Markey, and from communications Mark Wells and Katy Glazer. Kate Lancaster also gave a talk on high power lasers at the festival in conjunction with David Payne, and Stephen Bown. In September a special Laser 50 day at the British Science Festival was organised in conjunction with the Physics and Astronomy section.
Tours
As part of our ongoing commitment to share the work of the facility we continue to run tours for the general public, schools, and VIPs. Many areas of the CLF including the research complex have opened their doors over the past year with much positive feedback.
We also continue to participate in the other peoples business tours. These tours are designed for other STFC staff to find out what is going on in different parts of the labs and ensure a greater understanding of the organisation.
External events
Keith Markey on the Laser 50 stand at the Chelteham Science Festival 2010
Key members of the CLF have been promoting the work of the CLF through external events. There have been talks and demonstrations at schools locally and further afield such as Hereford Cathedral School and Denbigh school in Milton Keynes. Many members of the CLF are active STEM ambassadors and continue to participate in local events through that scheme.
Other external events given by CLF staff include demonstrations Big Bang Fair 2011 (and 2010), talks and demos at Cheltenham Science Festival / British Science Festival 2010, the GCSE science live lecture tour at large venues across the country, Cafe scientifique lectures at Salisbury and St Edwards school (Oxford), IOPs Lab in a Lorry, Oxford Science Live frontiers season, and the SET for Britain poster competition hosted by the houses of parliament.
Work Experience
We continue to take in school pupils for work experience in many sections of the CLF. We try to offer as broad an experience as possible to pupils taking part and get them involved in many aspects of the department. The engineering section has been extremely active in this area and has taken many students.
I'm a scientist get me out of here
Ceri Brenner took part on the online competition 'I'm a scientists get me out of here'. This saw Ceri having live, online chat and question and answer sessions with schools over the two-week event. The competition is divided into zones, and in each zone several scientists battle it out for the students votes in order to survive daily evictions. Ceri was the winner for her zone and the prize was 500 for her to carry out more outreach work. Ceri also blogged about her experience during the event for the STFC and CLF website.
Broadcast and new media
There has been much broadcast media activity over the last year, especially radio and online videos.
The CLF featured heavily in an episode of the BBC1 show 'Bang Goes the Theory' about lasers. Jem Stansfield spent a day filming in the CLF late last year for the show. Graeme Hirst and Vicky Stowell worked extensively with the team to make sure they got the footage needed. The show aired in April 2011.
Ceri Brenner appeared in a film about the CLF as part of the Backstage Science project. Backstage Science consists of a series of short films made by Brady Haran promoting the science that happens through the STFC. These videos can be found on YouTube and the STFC website.
Kate Lancaster appeared in an episode of 'The Beauty of Diagrams' with Marcus Du Sautoy for BBC4. In this episode she re-enacted Newton's famous prism experiment at Woolsthorpe manor (Newton's home). This was aired in December 2010.
Kate also appeared in a film made for Teachers TV on cutting edge physics, designed to help schools understand the latest developments in Physics.
We continue to use our website to promote the work of the CLF to a wider audience. Emma Springate in conjunction with Vicky Stowell have been working to keep the information up to date and to report the latest developments. We urge our users to utilise this mechanism to promote any developments as a result of the work done at the CLF.
Rutherford Prize for the Public understanding of plasma physics 2011
This prize is run on a yearly basis and is awarded to the best communication activity carried out by a PhD student in the area of plasma physics. The prize is £500 and is awarded at the IOP plasma physics conference.
This year it was awarded to Yvonne Sutton for a video entitled Electro-acoustic coupling in plasma. Yvonne is completing a PhD on this topic through the Open University. The video can be viewed on the CLF website.
For more information on submissions the main contact is Alex Robinson.
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge all of the staff and users who take part in activities that promote the work of the CLF, and the wider plasma community.
Written by Dr Kate Lancaster for the Central Laser Facility Annual Report 2010/2011
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