Astronomy in the Departure Lounge: Supernova Science at Southampton Airport
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
We aim to engage the public in the departure lounge at Southampton Airport with STFC funded supernova research from the University of Southampton.
Four fully trained astronomy postgraduate students/post docs based at a small stand in the departure lounge will engage passengers who are waiting for their flights during half term (in February 2016).
We think that the departure lounge offers a great location for a longer and higher quality of interaction between scientist and public, compared with interactions at, say, a festival or busking, as people will have more time to kill.
After having a discussion with the scientist the passenger will not only have met a scientist from a local university who is active in astronomy research but they will also have learned about what a supernova is and discussed why supernova research is important. We hope that the majority of passengers will also feel inspired to learn more about the supernova research and science in general as a result of the interaction.
The freebies (compressed towel and pen), which the scientists will give the passengers, will be a reminder of this interaction. We hope that the passengers will engage with the research (by visiting the website or on social media) after leaving the airport, as a result of this reminder.
We have chosen half term in order to reach out to a general public that includes families (we particularly welcome the opportunity to work with mothers and daughters as research has shown that mothers wield particular influence with regards to their daughters aspirations with regards to science https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/uploads/wise/files/not_for_people_like_me.pdf).
Four fully trained astronomy postgraduate students/post docs based at a small stand in the departure lounge will engage passengers who are waiting for their flights during half term (in February 2016).
We think that the departure lounge offers a great location for a longer and higher quality of interaction between scientist and public, compared with interactions at, say, a festival or busking, as people will have more time to kill.
After having a discussion with the scientist the passenger will not only have met a scientist from a local university who is active in astronomy research but they will also have learned about what a supernova is and discussed why supernova research is important. We hope that the majority of passengers will also feel inspired to learn more about the supernova research and science in general as a result of the interaction.
The freebies (compressed towel and pen), which the scientists will give the passengers, will be a reminder of this interaction. We hope that the passengers will engage with the research (by visiting the website or on social media) after leaving the airport, as a result of this reminder.
We have chosen half term in order to reach out to a general public that includes families (we particularly welcome the opportunity to work with mothers and daughters as research has shown that mothers wield particular influence with regards to their daughters aspirations with regards to science https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/uploads/wise/files/not_for_people_like_me.pdf).
Planned Impact
A Public Engagement supernova website:
This website will be marketed via printed and electronic brochures through local media - and social media (using the hash tag #AstroAirport ) , the University of Southampton marketing channels and through Sadie's links with BBC Radio Solent.
Leaflets and pens:
These 'freebies' will be given to those members of the public who wish to have more information on the research. After the event at the airport any left over pens will be given out at a number of different Outreach and Public Engagement Events - whenever we have the opportunity to engage with the public - e.g. At Stargazing Live events which are held annually on campus, at Science and Engineering Family Day (this event is also held annually drawing in an audience of over 3,000). We will also give out these leaflets at local schools and colleges when we use the 'Soton Astrodome' mobile planetarium to discuss the supernova research. Leaflets and pens may also be given out by the supernova team at future 'Research Roadshow' events. The leaflets will give more information on supernova research and the accelerating expansion of the universe and they will link to a specific page on supernova website so that we can accurately track those members of public who have arrived at 'the page' from the leaflets (funded from this specific project).
Evaluation Report:
An electronic quiz will be used to ascertain the public's perceptions and understanding of the scientific research before and after they participated in a discussion with a scientist at the airport. The quiz will aim to gather demographic information of the passengers and measure the impact of the activity. i.e. questions will be designed so that we can determine what they have learned as a result of the interaction and what their opinions are on the research. There will be an option in the quiz for them to give us an email address; we will use this to enter them into a prize draw at the end of each day
(a document detailing possible quiz questions is attached to this proposal - SupernovaQuizDraft.doc) .
We intend to send out another short survey to all those passengers who gave us their emails, and permission to contact them, 3 months after the activity at the airport. The results from this survey and the electronic quiz will be written up as a report.
Dr Jones will present this report at all the meetings she attends with other outreach officers, specifically at the bi-annual Ogden Trust Science officers meetings and at the annual South East Physics Network (SEPnet) officers meeting.
Research Paper & International conference:
A full write up this activity based on the evaluation report and discussions with outreach officers will be submitted as a research paper by Dr Jones. She will submit the paper to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) 'Communicating Astronomy with the Public' journal by the end of April 2016. If accepted she will also submit it as an abstract to the 'Communicating Astronomy with the Public' conference to be held on the 16th-20th May 2016.
This website will be marketed via printed and electronic brochures through local media - and social media (using the hash tag #AstroAirport ) , the University of Southampton marketing channels and through Sadie's links with BBC Radio Solent.
Leaflets and pens:
These 'freebies' will be given to those members of the public who wish to have more information on the research. After the event at the airport any left over pens will be given out at a number of different Outreach and Public Engagement Events - whenever we have the opportunity to engage with the public - e.g. At Stargazing Live events which are held annually on campus, at Science and Engineering Family Day (this event is also held annually drawing in an audience of over 3,000). We will also give out these leaflets at local schools and colleges when we use the 'Soton Astrodome' mobile planetarium to discuss the supernova research. Leaflets and pens may also be given out by the supernova team at future 'Research Roadshow' events. The leaflets will give more information on supernova research and the accelerating expansion of the universe and they will link to a specific page on supernova website so that we can accurately track those members of public who have arrived at 'the page' from the leaflets (funded from this specific project).
Evaluation Report:
An electronic quiz will be used to ascertain the public's perceptions and understanding of the scientific research before and after they participated in a discussion with a scientist at the airport. The quiz will aim to gather demographic information of the passengers and measure the impact of the activity. i.e. questions will be designed so that we can determine what they have learned as a result of the interaction and what their opinions are on the research. There will be an option in the quiz for them to give us an email address; we will use this to enter them into a prize draw at the end of each day
(a document detailing possible quiz questions is attached to this proposal - SupernovaQuizDraft.doc) .
We intend to send out another short survey to all those passengers who gave us their emails, and permission to contact them, 3 months after the activity at the airport. The results from this survey and the electronic quiz will be written up as a report.
Dr Jones will present this report at all the meetings she attends with other outreach officers, specifically at the bi-annual Ogden Trust Science officers meetings and at the annual South East Physics Network (SEPnet) officers meeting.
Research Paper & International conference:
A full write up this activity based on the evaluation report and discussions with outreach officers will be submitted as a research paper by Dr Jones. She will submit the paper to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) 'Communicating Astronomy with the Public' journal by the end of April 2016. If accepted she will also submit it as an abstract to the 'Communicating Astronomy with the Public' conference to be held on the 16th-20th May 2016.
