ILIAS Outreach

Who do we want to reach? What do we need? Coordination

Note: actually two outreach issues ILIAS science, i.e. astroparticle physics ILIAS itself

Who do we want to reach?

Policymakers politicians, research funding bodies, etc.

Press newspapers, magazines, TV…

Public members of the general public with interest in

science School children and teachers

increase awareness of science in general and astroparticle physics in particular

ILIAS science vs ILIAS itself

For general public and schools focus on science though stressing European dimension

For policymakers and scientific community do need to emphasise ILIAS proper scientific benefits of coordination

e.g. GEO technology for Advanced VIRGO, isotope bank and theory coordination for double beta decays, sharing of good practice and coordination of experiment approval for underground laboratories

world standing of European science

What do we need?

For policymakers high general visibility, in public media as well as

scientific community invite to open days, publicise politician-friendly

issues such as links with local industry, try to develop personal contacts

this is probably something which is national rather than ILIAS-wide, not much ILIAS can do except supply resources

What do we need?

For press: invite to open days etc. (Boulby opening got wide

and generally favourable (if baffled!) press coverage)

issue press releases provide good resources (see STScI (HST) website

for prime example) develop personal contacts

What do we need?

For public: open days at the underground labs, cf. Gran Sasso talks at local scientific societies (are amateur

astronomical societies purely an Anglo-American phenomenon, or does Europe have them too?), science fairs, etc.

publicity material to hand out at same a public-interest web site

What do we need?

For schools: material integrated into relevant national curriculum

e.g. galaxy rotation curves as examples of circular motion, double beta decay as an unusual case of radioactivity, low background techniques as an illustration of radioactivity in the environment, etc.

detailed material will be national not Europe-wide (different education systems, different languages), but basic resources could be shared

open days, visits, projects, etc.

What do we need?

Web site for general public some sites, e.g. Gran Sasso, already have this really want “one-stop shop” covering all of ILIAS

“PR” resources brochures, posters, backdrops for stands at science

fairs props (interesting bits of equipment, scale models of

labs or experiments, etc.) “teachers’ packs” for educators

Examples

Posters from Boulby opening day available at http://www.shef.ac.uk/physics/people/cartwright (A0 powerpoint)

Posters from Gran Sasso open days

ILIAS flyer from recent PR event

On right: example of display stand from Access Displays Ltd

Coordination

Resources: literature and displays public web pages on ILIAS site also press/PR resources including good pictures

(with proper credit lines) we have to compete with the astronomers on this, and it’s

tough – galaxies are much more photogenic than nuclei

make posters, flyers etc. generally available (probably electronically)

splash out on fancy display stand for high-prestige PR events?

Coordination

Resources: physical objects (models and equipment) very useful for high-prestige events such as national

science fairs, big PR events, media non-trivial to ship, so central repository less than

sensible generally items will be most used in their country of origin:

model of Boulby more likely to be wanted in UK than in Italy, for example, and vice versa for Gran Sasso

but useful to have list of available items, so that speakers/coordinators know what’s out there

Coordination

Resources: education What does your country’s education system cover

regarding particle physics and astrophysics? need input here!

How can we integrate our science into this? can we offer resources that will be used by teachers and

enjoyed by pupils (want to encourage their interest, not frighten them off!)

Is there scope for joint efforts? obvious language/curriculum issues, but maybe ideas and

concepts can be shared

Coordination

ILIAS dimension in open days and visits already started: Boulby presence at last Gran Sasso

open day (posters, people) could have “virtual tours” of ILIAS partner sites via

web? should develop standard set of ILIAS literature

covering both project and science (available in different languages)

Conclusion

Outreach work is important! HST images big boost to profile of astronomy easier for governments to fund science if public is enthusiastic

Need to coordinate this just like other aspects of ILIAS share good practice – what are people already doing? collect information – what do people need in order to get

message across? develop resources – website, literature, maybe hardware

Ideas and information welcome!