National Awards Scheme 2002 winners

Successful applicants in the 2002 round

 1 Dr Dominic Dickson, Science Communication Unit, Department of Physics (link opens in a new window), Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Oxford Street, Liverpool L60 7ZE
Tel: 0151 7943371 Fax: 0151 7943441 email: dominic.dickson@liv.ac.uk (together with a consortium including the Liverpool John Moores University (link opens in a new window)/Astrophysics Research Institute (link opens in a new window) and Liverpool College (link opens in a new window))

A contribution of £70,000 towards Science Journeys (link opens in a new window) a project aimed at informing and enthusing young people (aged 11-16) about Particle Physics, Astronomy and Space Science. The Science Communication Unit acts as a focus and stimulus, both within the Department and the University, for research, teaching, and other activities aimed at improving the understanding and delivery of science communication. Previous activities have used undergraduate students to convey the excitement of science to school students.

A group of Physics and Astronomy Students will present a series of entertaining and informative shows to secondary school audiences. Each show will be in the form of a journey of exploration and discovery led by a main presenter and involving demonstrations, sketches, songs and drama. There will be workshops for teachers and schoolchildren on the use of drama and performance as a means of presenting scientific ideas. Schools will be encouraged to produce their own shows along similar lines. A comprehensive information and resource pack will be made available to teachers. Reports on the project will appear in Frontiers and in other journals.
 

2 Ms Annette Sotheran, National Space Centre (link opens in a new window), Exploration Drive, Leicester, LE4 5NS. Tel: 0116 2582117 (together with a consortium including Glasgow Science Centre (link opens in a new window) and Explore at-Bristol Science Centre (link opens in a new window))

A contribution of £80,000 towards Mars an Immersive Theatre/Planetarium Programme for Schools and the Public. This is an educational and entertaining space theatre programme (link opens in a new window) which will capitalise on public interest generated by the close approach of Mars in 2003 and the launch of European (link opens in a new window) (including the British Beagle2 Lander) and American (link opens in a new window) missions to the planet. The project will build on the experience of the National Space Centre in producing shows of this nature.

The programme will start with the formation of the solar system and trace the history and evolution of Mars (link opens in a new window). It will show what has been learned to date from space missions since the 1960s. Unanswered questions about possibility of life and the processes shaping the planet will be used to put the 2003/04 missions to Mars in context.

As well as promoting existing Classroom Space (link opens in a new window) materials, additional resources will be produced to support the multimedia show. These will include curriculum links and background information about Mars and the Mars missions. They will also contain further ideas for pre and post visit classroom activities.