The Milky-Way Hands-on with Gaia

Lead Research Organisation: University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy

Abstract

This project will continue and enhance the outreach activities of the Gaia team at the University of Cambridge in bringing the Gaia mission to school students and the general public in a hands-on way. Gaia is a European Space Agency cornerstone mission to map the Milky Way: we are taking advantage of the inspirational value of astronomy and space science to engage the public with cutting-edge, STFC-funded research and to attract pupils to STEM subjects. As part of this project, our team of Gaia experts will bring our existing interactive Gaia stand, which includes technical scale models and hands-on activities, to science fairs and similar events at schools' and public venues.
This project will use Gaia as a context to highlight the broad range of STEM careers relating to astronomy and space-science missions. Gaia encompasses disciplines from engineering to develop the technology for the mission, to advanced computing to tackle the challenge presented by big data, to the many areas of fundamental science research needed to interpret these data. The UK has had a significant industrial involvement in Gaia, and also has a key role in delivering and analysing the scientific data meaning that we have examples of well-known employers for students. We will highlight the range of exciting career opportunities to pupils - especially those at Key Stages 2-4 - and their teachers and parents.
We will also use these events as a way to increase traffic to our Gaia website https://gaia.ac.uk. At our schools' events, we will engage large numbers of school students and their teachers in conversations about how they can get involved with the aim of enthusing them about the idea of taking part in real science. We will explain the educational resources we have available on our website (and in development) and sign up on the day for more information, thus building a community of teachers that we can work with in the future to bring Gaia into the classroom. We will develop teacher packs to support teachers in getting further involved in the classroom, and other group leaders, and Gaia presenter packs for scientists with presentation slides and supporting materials to facilitate scientists around the UK in giving Gaia presentations in their region. We will provide these groups with "freebies" - stickers, badges,.. advertising the website url.
The coming year will see Gaia's first public data release (September 2016), a key opportunity for engaging the public with the mission. (The second data release takes place approximately one year later and will include a wealth of extra data). We will explain the significance of the Gaia data being released by producing and distributing new information packs at our public events. We will update these for the second data release to explain the new data and the latest results from studies done with data from the first release. We aim to showcase the world-class astronomy research related to Gaia that is being carried out by UK and STFC-funded scientists. We will have a team of Gaia experts willing to travel to publicity events connected with the Gaia Data Releases.
The expected overall impact of this project is large: we will reach 40000 targeted demographic audiences at large events. Visitors are made aware of the Gaia mission, view our scale models and get an idea of Gaia's purpose, taking away further reading material and freebies highlighting our Gaia website, which has many further resources. At large events we reach on average 2,500 people per day with an in-depth conversation about Gaia science, technology, careers and how to get involved. Ten teachers perday sign-up for further information planning future classroom activities. And spread the word, multiplying impact.
The materials developed for the project will be used to inspire other audiences through speaker packs, allowing many local talks given by members of the UK-wide Gaia academic community.

Planned Impact

We will advertise the events that we will attend as part of this project on our website https://gaia.ac.uk/latest-events and through the publicity of the event organisers (the event brochure, website, etc). We will also post information on our Gaia website about the information packs and teacher packs that we develop through this project and will have available at events. We will post Gaia presenter packs on our website and advertise that schools, clubs and societies can request freebies from us for Gaia-related activities they have organised. We will advertise our events and resources through dedicated networks such as the National Science Learning Network, ESERO-UK and the National STEM Centre eNewsletter, which highlights secondary-focused news, blogs, resources and CPD activities.

We will distribute the majority of the Gaia information packs and teacher packs that we produce at the science fairs we attend as part of this project. We will distribute further smaller numbers of packs at additional events we attend, such as press conferences for the Gaia data release and at talks regularly given by members of our team outside of this project (to the public, schools, amateur astronomical societies, etc).

We will write blog posts about each of the events we attend as part of this project and post them on our website to inform a variety of audiences and interest them in what we are doing.

We will report on the status and outcomes of this project at national and international conferences, for example we will inform other scientists at Gaia and Gaia Alerts conferences (these usually take place in the UK or around Europe) and we will inform other science communicators and outreach specialists at meetings such as the outreach sessions of the National Astronomy Meeting in the UK. We intend to publish our practices and findings in science education journals, such as School Science Review and Astronomy & Geophysics (a publication of the Royal Astronomical Society).

Publications

10 25 50
 
Title Gaia artist in residence 
Description one million objects in space exhibition 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2014 
Impact lots of interest in science from the arts community 
URL http://gaia.ac.uk/latest-events
 
Description This work partially supported wide public awareness of UK success in space science through Gaia. Gaia has become the most successful space science mission of all time, in terms of the number of refereed scientific articles based on Gaia data in the technical literature. It has also earned a very high and positive reputation with the public. This award helped support the teams' efforts to explain Gaia at science fairs, Teacher training, presentations to policy makers and industry.
Exploitation Route This work has been used a akey example of how to generate wide public support for future space missions. A relevant White Paper has been been submitted to UK Space Agency.
Sectors Aerospace

Defence and Marine

Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Education

 
Description this supported part of the very high media profile associated iwth the Gaia data releases and their science impact. There was direct effect on interest for educational uses, politicians cited the UK international leadership, photo opportunities arose. Gaia success supported the case for involvement in future space missions, and aerospace industry support.
First Year Of Impact 2016
Sector Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Cultural

Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description UK Gaia CU9: Delivering Gaia to the Community: 2019-2024
Amount £588,912 (GBP)
Funding ID ST/S002103/1 
Organisation Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2019 
End 03/2023
 
Title Gaia-ESO Survey 
Description building the first large trans-european collaboration in stellar spectroscopy 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2013 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact the methodology we developed is the basis for all major future planned stellar spectroscopic surveys. 
 
Title design improvement sto the ESA ESAC database system 
Description The ESA Gaia data are hosted inside ESAC, the main ESA data system. UL-led improvements to the design of ESAC to manage the large and complex Gaia data set are underway. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2015 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Gaia is one of the most popular space data sets worldwide. The design advances are being made available to support the UK IRIS national data-intensive computing system 
 
Title operational improvements to the HADOOP data processing system 
Description the Cambridge-based Gaia HADOOP data processing system was used during commissioning by the Cambridge/UK HPC system team to enhance security processes on multi-user HADOOP systems. This will influence design and implementation of the UK national genomics data system 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2017 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact This will influence design and implementation of the UK national genomics data system 
 
Title Gaia data release DR1 
Description the first ever data giving a 3-D measure of the local universe. A unique moment in history 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2016 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Gaia DR1 revolutionised study of the Milky Way, stellar evolution, and very much more. 
URL https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/data-release-1
 
Title Gaia data release DR2 
Description the first ever 6-D view of our local universe. Opening a new window. This is a unique advance in astrophysics. precise data for 1.7billion sources. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact over 800 scientific papers have been published based on Gaia data in 2018 alone. 
URL https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/data-release-2
 
Description Cambridge DiRAC 
Organisation STFC DiRAC Data Analytic Cluster (HPC Facility Cambridge)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution state of the art hardware system which provided expertise and experience to support Cambridge's DiRAC leadership role.
Collaborator Contribution experience with security of a real large data system
Impact knowledge
Start Year 2016
 
Description European Space Agency - ESA 
Organisation European Space Agency
Country France 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution define, develop and implement the spectro-photometric, spectroscopic and crowded imaging data processing system for the ESA Gaia mission; discover and publish science alerts from Gaia data; manage the data release documentation system, design (aspects of ) the archive structure
Collaborator Contribution manage the Gaia mission, host and operate the public data access system through ESAC
Impact during 2018 over 800 science papers were published from public Gaia data
 
Description Gaia alerts schools collaboration 
Organisation The Institute For Research In Schools
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution we provide gaia Alert science discoveries suitable for school follow-up, and information to support the project
Collaborator Contribution They find the school, identify the class, organise the work, and deliver the results. They aslo bring the school class to media events.
Impact media events
Start Year 2014
 
Description Gais-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey 
Organisation National Institute for Astrophysics
Department Arcetri Observatory
Country Italy 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution co-leads
Collaborator Contribution co-leads
Impact 450-person collaboration, 96 Institutes, over 70 papers so far. This is the biggest large-telescope stellar survey project ever attempted.
Start Year 2012
 
Description continuing collaboration with aerospace industry 
Organisation Airbus Group
Department Airbus Defence and Space UK
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution joint development of outreach, joint development of policy meetings, prize talks to invited groups, prize award ceremonies
Collaborator Contribution joint development of outreach, joint development of policy meetings
Impact joint outreach activities - support for most of the many listed elsewhere (about 40 events in total). Presentations/interactions with policy groups
 
Description continuing collaboration with public media 
Organisation British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Department BBC Scotland
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution this partnership covers all relevant UK and international media. It includes all the UK national newspapers, many international news agencies and sites, and many free-lance journalists, as well as specialist science media and journals. This is an ongoing more frequent than monthly series of interactions
Collaborator Contribution they disseminate the information
Impact major education of public, influence of decision makers on space science outcomes
 
Description Big Bang Fair 2016 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact BigBang fair visited by 1000's of school pupils for STEM impact
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016,2017
 
Description Big Bang Fair March 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact "Big Bang" national science fair at NEC Birmingham
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017,2018
URL https://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk
 
Description Gaia data release media events 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact media event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description Stargazing Live 2014 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Gaia was featured in Episode 3 of the very popular BBC Two TV programme Stargazing Live.

Lots of questions from public to live TV show.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014
URL http://gaia.ac.uk/events/archive/stargazing-live-2014
 
Description TV interview 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact TV interview which was picked up internationally and by UK government for STEM publicity
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL http://www.cambridge-tv.co.uk/Professor-Gerry-Gilmore-Gaia-Satellite/
 
Description cambridge science festival 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact several public lectures over 2 weeks and an open day
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017
URL https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/
 
Description media interviews, TV and other media broadcasts 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This groups media interviews, TV and radio and other interviews and enquiries, press releases and feedback on those. These happen on average once per 2 weeks, from global sources. Initially many start as background enquiries, so the input determines what is given high media profile.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019
 
Description public lecture ROG London 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact public talk, london
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description public open days, MSSL, Cambridge and Edinburgh, RAL, Leicester 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact these events happen several times per year, at each of the 5 main Gaia data centres, and are a primary interface between institutes and the public. They are hugely popular and Gaia display are always requested.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019
URL http://www.gaia.ac.uk/latest-events
 
Description radio interview - naked scientists 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact radio interview, with international re-broadcast
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017
 
Description talk to IoP members, July 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact public lecture and discussion
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description talks to public groups/societies/clubs 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact talks are given at least once per month to invited groups. these include societies, industry talks, policy talks, student groups, and many other clubs and groups. Some are private dinners for senior figures, some per-/post dinner talks for policy/industry groups, many for the interested public. They are gathered under this item, but include some 15-20 events every calendar year.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017,2018,2019
 
Description teacher CPD event 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact teacher Gaia science CPD event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014,2015,2016