The Ensonglopedia of Science

This project is a collaboration between the Physics & Astronomy Department at the University of Sussex (hereafter UoS), a number of other UK scientific institutions, and a team of award-winning science communicators working in theatre and music. It will get young people excited about contemporary scientific research by presenting it through music and comedy.

The Arts Council-funded live show that forms the project's centrepiece will be a fast-moving, fact-packed theatrical experience that appeals to children and adults alike. Music videos will be made to spread the show's scientific learning to a broader audience. Teaching aids linking all parts of the show to the school curriculum, and highlighting relevant career paths, will be distributed.

While the project informs its audience about many areas of science, the current application focuses on 6 songs & their accompanying videos, which communicate these areas of research:

* A song about atoms, particle physics and the standard model, with reference to the discoveries made at CERN. The accompanying video will find an original and light-hearted approach to representing atomic structure pictographically. The scientific advisor is Dr Darren Baskill at UoS.
* A song about Bangs (Big & small). This song will explore a) Big Bang cosmology, from the first nanoseconds up to recombination (with reference to the data gathered by the STFC-funded Planck Satellite); and b) explosions in general, including gamma ray bursts (with reference to the STFC-funded Swift Space Telescope). Scientific advisor: STFC-funded Professor Mark Hindmarsh at UoS.
* A song about quantum mechanics, exploring the cutting edge of research into quantum technology. Scientific advisor: bestselling science author Dr John Gribbin.
* A song about fusion energy, produced in partnership with Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. It will a) explain the fundamentals of nuclear fusion with a focus on the energy created in our sun, b) differentiate between fusion and fission power, and c) highlight the steps towards achieving a sustainable fusion reactor.
* A song about entropy and the possible scenarios for the end of the Universe, with reference to STFC-funded research into dark energy at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh (ROE). Scientific advisor: Professor Andrew Liddle at ROE.
* A song about time, exploring our everyday understanding of the concept, Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, the role of time in quantum gravity, the Arrow of Time, and irreversibility, with reference to STFC-funded research at ROE. Scientific advisor: Dr Marina Cortes at ROE.

Other project areas not funded by STFC will communicate entomology (in partnership with London's Natural History Museum), botany (Cambridge University Botanic Garden), stem cell research & cancer treatment (Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine), DNA (Nemesis Bioscience), childbirth (Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust), anthropological science (Loughborough University) and others.

The project will supplement the science learning within schools by a careful linking of each segment with the curriculum at all relevant key stages, which will be provided to schools in the booking pack and teaching aids accompanying the show, on the project's website, and in a mail-out to schools.

The teaching pack will additionally detail the career paths taken by the project's scientific advisors, promoting the sciences as a career choice. By characterising science as an ongoing quest, the project will spark the imaginations of the audience and ignite a desire for further study. It will encourage debate between youngsters and their parents, teachers and peers. It aims in particular to encourage scientific participation amongst children in deprived areas, through a focus on these areas during the tour of schools. In the longer term, it is hoped that the project will help the national economy by inspiring the next generation of scientists

1. Live performances
2. Marketing
3. Video audiences
4. Informing scientists, educators & communicators

LIVE PERFORMANCES

The primary resource is the live performance 'The Ensonglopedia of Science', which will reach its audience through an extensive UK/international tour, parts of which are already confirmed, including shows at Brighton Science and Fringe Festivals, in Malta, Canterbury, Wales, and at schools in Lincolnshire and Brighton.

The remaining bookings will rely initially on the catalogue of venues, schools and rural touring networks who have previously received the team's 'Scientrilogy' (see attachment for list of previous venues).

All audience members will receive a free Glossary of Terms after the show (with explanations of scientific terms, games, show info & credits), as a resource for those who have had their imaginations sparked and want to discover more. Such glossaries are a highly commended feature of Scientrilogy performances.

The songs will be played in isolation at science events with particular themes, e.g. the University of Sussex's (UoS) Physics Masterclasses and the Natural History Museum's Lates.

MARKETING

The company are experienced in marketing science theatre to attract a live audience. A 1000+ strong email list from the Scientrilogy tours and multiple Twitter accounts will be employed to publicise the show. Most venues have their own brochures and mailing lists for publicising performances.

An experienced theatre photographer will take publicity & performance shots, and several project partners are providing in-kind photo shoot locations.

John Hinton has made many appearances on local BBC and community radio stations to talk about (& perform songs from) his science communication projects. Such slots, and appearances on local TV stations, will be actively sought to promote the live show and provide an extra reach for the science.

The Arts Council grant supports a feasibility study to adapt the Glossary of Terms to Braille, and providing BSL-interpreted showings, widening the reach to include disability groups.

VIDEO AUDIENCES

Ensuring a healthy online audience for the videos is key, and will serve as a considerable further dissemination of the scientific knowledge. The videos will be promoted through the websites, social media feeds, & print materials of all project partners. A particularly valuable resource is the SEPnet website, to which the UoS Physics & Astronomy Department is closely affiliated. Links to the videos, together with indications of curriculum Key Stages they address, will be emailed to school science departments across the country, to encourage the videos' use during classroom teaching. This in turn will encourage the pupils to seek out other videos in the series in their own time.

INFORMING SCIENTISTS, EDUCATORS & COMMUNICATORS

Articles about the project will be submitted to Physics World, New Scientist, The Guardian's Brain Flapping blog (for whom John Hinton has previously written 2 guest articles), and to the newsletters and internal publications of all partner organisations, and will be published on the project's own website www.ensonglopedia.com.

Dr Darren Baskill of UoS will give a presentation about the project at a meeting of the Institute of Physics Schools Outreach Support Network.

The company's experience of touring the Scientrilogy leads them to expect scientists, science educators and communicators to attend the live shows, particularly at the science festivals, and thus be informed of our work by seeing it in action. Anecdotally, educators often comment on how useful the shows have been in providing ideas for classroom teaching, which will be greatly enhanced with the additional resource of accompanying videos.

A detailed evaluation of the project, including an evaluation of the co-operation with each of the project partners, will be published on the project's website, and distributed to all partners.