Public and Schools

Latest news and offers

Public Engagement Large Award 2011 Winners (link opens in a new window)

• See collisions from the LHC on your iPhone and iPad.
• Visit the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre to see a brand new and exciting exhibit about the Big Telescopes that are funded by STFC
• Watch 60 second fast paced animations about astronomy, planetary science and particle accelerators all narrated by comedian David Mitchell

All of the above are possible thanks to the STFC Public Engagement Large Award Scheme. These are the three successful projects funded through the 2011 round.

Share, Improve, Develop: A FREE interactive workshop to explore student involvement in STEM communication activities (link opens in a new window) - The workshop will be held at the University of Bath on Friday 25th May 2012 from 10:00 – 16:00. For further details click on the above link.

Naked Scientists Podcasts (link opens in a new window) - The Naked Scientists are a media-savvy group of physicians and researchers from Cambridge University who use radio, live lectures, and the Internet to strip science down to its bare essentials, and promote it to the general public. Podcasts from the Naked Scientists are supported by the STFC.

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• How did the universe begin and how will it end?
• Where did the Sun and Earth and other planets in the solar system come from?
• What is matter made of?
• Is there life on Mars, or on planets around other stars in the galaxy?

These are some of the big questions that scientists are trying to answer with the help of the Science and Technology Facilities Council ("the Council") funding and facilities.

Follow the links on the left for more information about the science that the Council funds, including:

• Free publications (link opens in a new window) and advice and resources for schools and colleges, on astronomy, space and particle physics
  
  
• The Council science (link opens in a new window): This section offers an overview of the areas of scientific interest to the Council and current major projects. It was written for this web site by acclaimed science writer and former New Scientist Physical Sciences Editor, Nina Hall
  
  
• Funding for projects to increase the public understanding of astronomy and particle physics.
  
  
• Science and Society Fellowships
  
  
• Media and communication skills training to help scientists explain their work to the public through the media
  
  
• Moon rock and meteorite loan scheme, in which schools, museums and others can borrow rare moon rocks and meteorite samples for educational purposes

Reports, presentations and downloads

• The Barstow Report - 'Bringing Space into School Science', commissioned by the British National Space Centre (BNSC) Partnership
  
  
• 'The Education and Skills Case for Space' - consultants' report
  
  
• Science in Society Town Meeting - November 2007
  
  
• LHC Communications Strategy - An outline of proposed UK promotion of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project
  
  
• LHC Educational Resources - An outline of the production of Educational Resources of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project

  The Council's Science in Society programme aims to engage public and school audiences with our science and technology. The STFC Science in Society Advisory Panel advises on the programme.

Other Contents of the Public and Schools Section include:

• Outreach activities
• Funding for public engagement
• Teaching resources
• Science facts
• Public and schools strategy
• Borrow moonrocks
• Publications (link opens in a new window) 
• STFC Image Library
• STFC news (link opens in a new window)