1. LHC Communications project
Promoting the LHC
(Sharing the excitement of the LHC)
Dr Ray Mathias
UK LHC Communications Manager
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

2. LHC Communications project
Sharing the excitement of the LHC
& particle physics
Why and who?
How, what and where?
The LHC opportunity
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

3. Why and who? Recruitment to science Utility - science for citizenship
Cultural
Recruitment:
new scientists, individuals as children or as mature students who will became tomorrow’s scientists,
politicians policy-makers and others recruited as supporters of science and the scientific process.
Utility:
society is increasingly dependent on science and technology. S&T underpins modern society.
People increasingly have to make decisions about science and technology and their role in their lives. Vaccination, use of mobile phones and masts, IVF and assisted reproduction
treatments.
If people are to function effectively as citizens they need to understand at least some basic science.
Discussions about ‘science for citizenship’.
Cultural:
science is one of humanities great endeavours and achievements. It should be celebrated in the same way that art and sport (for example) are celebrated.
Science and technology in some ways defines and identifies modern culture.
Science Communication should deliver a better informed public.
It does not deliver a public that is more accepting of S&T.
It does not convert a sceptical or ignorant audience into a more compliant or science-friendly audience.
Especially in areas of contentious science (GM) there is a perception that public anxiety arises from not understanding enough science.
Evidence suggests that greater understanding does not necessarily increase acceptance. Can increase scepticism when evaluating scientific issues.
This is a positive benefit – public less likely to be misled by inaccurate or misleading claims BUT it means that scientists have to be better at explaining scientific issues and the scientific process to a more sceptical audience.
Social responsibility/accountability
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

4. Why and who? Who are our audiences? Teachers Students Politicians
Government
Opinion formers
Media
Funders
For the scientist the most important thing is the science. In science communication the science has to be there and it has to be right but the audience is the most important element.
The LHC comms project is targeting the public, MPs and opinion-formers and teachers and students.
Much physics outreach appears to be targeted at schools – lot of effort and involvement in Masterclasses.
Important to ask with schools work “are we interested in retnetion of physics comitted students (Masterclasses) or are we interested in recruitment of more students to physics, or science in general. Already we see that an audience can be complex.
Not going to talk much about the media. Other than to say that the media are both an audience –they are a group of people who we want to communicate science to,
Nad they are one of the major routes by which people are exposed to scientists, new scientific discoveries and the impact of science upon their lives.
The media is a very significant filter through which we often have to operate.
The media has its own agendas and consequently distorts information that it receives in order to fit with those agendas. The media is both a powerful friend and potentially dangerous enemy.
This is one reason we should not rely on the media as a route for Science Communication.
Fortunately Universities, research organisations, STFC and IOP have professional communications officers more or less skilled in dealing with the media who can advise and supervise any involvement you have with the media.
The Public
Pressure groups
End users
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

5. How, what and where? different agendas – ours and theirs.
Different audiences mean
different agendas – ours and theirs.
Different agendas mean
different messages to be delivered.
Different messages mean
different content, style, location etc.
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

6. What are we communicating?
How, what and where?
What are we communicating?
Scientific information
The scientific process
For a scientist the most important aspect of science communication is the science.
Communicating scientific information is of course one of the key purposes of science communication but not by any means the only purpose and in some cases not the most important purpose.
In the communication process we may pass on scientific information to the audience but we should also be ready to collect information from the audience. In the communication process we are communicating a great deal about scientists, their motivations, concerns, enthusiasms and so on. Knowingly or unknowingly we can be reinforcing or breaking down the stereotypes people hold about scientists.
A UK Government report in 2000 referred to a crisis of trust in science, which really means a breakdown in public trust of scientists.
Science communication also gives us an opportunity to talk about the scientific process - how science works. This is very important if the public are to understand the limitations of scientific knowledge, scientific certainty and the restrictions on what science can tell us about the world in which we live.
“science can give us a great deal of evidence about the natural world and about the ways in which we could change it but it does not tell us what is right”.
In many cases science communication occurs in the context of communicating new opportunities for society that arise from new discoveries, for example news stories around new drug or gene discoveries.
Society, especially in the developed world, is as much concerned with risks of new science and technology as it is with the opportunities and so science communication may also require communication about the risks associated with using, or not using, new S&T.
About scientists
Opportunities and risks
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

7. How, what and where? Go to where people are: Geographically Interests
All of these issues can be at least be partly addressed by going to where people are, both geographically and in terms of their interests.
In science communication it is essential to begin where the audience are and to address their feelings, concerns and interests while interweaving the science. Rather than trying to present an interesting piece of science simply because is an interesting piece of science.
Going to where people are is important geographically because only those were interested in a particular topic will go out of their way to go to an event, talk or other activity. So, if you are wanting a broad audience, you have to carry out your science communication in places where there will be collections of people who are not necessarily sufficiently interested in a topic to go out of their way to learn about it.
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

8. How, what and where? Where are people? The street Theatres Museums
Interest groups
Sports events
Watching TV
Music festivals
On-line (web/blogs)
Schools
Websites
Blogs – Einstein year
Podcasts – John Barrowman
“nd life
Plays – Copenhagen, Dirac
Shops
On-line communities/networks
Cinemas
Public transport
Science Festivals
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

9. How, what and where? Where and how to engage them? Blogs/Podcasts
Museum exhibits
Busking
Debates
Arts events
Talks
School visits
Sports activities
Visits to labs
The Media
Blogs – Einstein year
Podcasts – John Barrowman
“nd life
Plays – Copenhagen, Dirac
Posters
Websites
On-line communities/networks
Science Festivals
Plays
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

10. LHC Communications project
The LHC opportunity
LHC Communications project
STFC funded
Two-year project
1M €
Minimal framework of UK outreach activities
Partnership with the UK HEP community
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

11. The LHC opportunity Understanding our audience
Focus groups and interviews
Messages from the public
Use LHC to provide access to real scientists
Focus on ‘Origins of the Universe’
& ‘Big Bang’
Public are generally supportive
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

12. www.lhc.ac.uk The LHC opportunity UK LHC website UK focus
Public audience
‘For physicists’ section
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

13. The LHC opportunity Schools Programme (1)
Posters, leaflets, cartoon book
IOP schools lecture 2008 (30 lectures)
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

14. The LHC opportunity Schools Programme (2) Web-based education package
A-level physics
14+ ‘How science works’
Teacher’s TV programmes
& resources
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

15. The LHC opportunity TV and Radio coverage
News, documentaries, features
Animations
VIPs
Parliamentary Scientific Committee
MP visits to CERN
‘Opening ceremonies’ etc
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

16. The LHC opportunity Major National Exhibition Science Museum exhibit
National tour to 4 venues
Website
Possible tie-in to public talks, café scientifiques, science centre activities, schools etc.
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

17. Public Events across UK
The LHC opportunity
Public Events across UK
Café scientifiques
Science centre activities
Sci-art projects
Science festivals
….innovative other ‘stuff’
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

18. The LHC opportunity LHC Communications project
National Framework of activities
Minimum structure to ensure LHC’s public profile in UK
Physicists (potentially 20 groups) engaging with LHC Communication project activities
(incl. existing activities eg. Masterclasses)
LHC is a general opportunity for particle physics
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07

19. LHC Communications project
Promoting the LHC
(Sharing the excitement of the LHC)
Dr Ray Mathias
UK LHC Communications Manager
Annual Theory Meeting 17-19/12/07