Schools Outreach Brochure 2006
The 2006 Schools Outreach Brochure of the University of Southampton, School of Physics and Astronomy describes just some of the outreach activities we did in the 2005/06 year. Designed by me, I am proud of this full colour 12-page newsletter, which was mailed to over 2,500 schools and colleges across the South of England.
Look inside here 
Schools Outreach
I have spent a lot of time doing Schools Outreach and work for the communication of science at the University of Southampton. I have a passion for this work that started long ago during my A-Levels at my old school...
Special Needs Teaching
It was at my 6th form School, Fulneck, that I initially started my experience in teaching and outreach. I gave special needs help and support on a one-to-one basis during my A-Level years in the "Children with Special Needs" department at my school.
Light Express
At the University of Southampton, I became heavily involved in the School of Physics and Astronomy's Outreach programme; the flagship of which is the Light Express Roadshow - the only travelling laser light show and photonics lecture to visit schools in the UK for free. The Roadshow gives school children the chance to see a real multi-colour laser light show set to music and a series of stunning visual demonstrations showing various optical phenomena (such as diffraction, interference, speckle, fluorescence...) using lasers and equipment not seen outside Universities and research labs.
Light Fantastic
The Light Fantastic is similar to the Light Express, but focuses more on the Particle Physics world and contains appropriate demonstrations for A-Level Physics students such as the Michelson-Morley Interferometer and the Photo-electric effect. By popular demand, the laser light show features in this talk too!
Holography Workshops
The School of Physics and Astronomy at Southampton runs Holography Workshops, where small groups of schools students (around 10-15) can come to the University to learn about lasers, light and holography. Students are split into groups and are shown around the labs and do hands-on activities with laser pointers and jelly and are taken on campus tours around the University. Finally, they go to the research labs - where there are holography setups - to learn how to make their own holograms.
I am one of the holographers who give the students instructions on how to make holograms, then they can go about shooting a hologram of an object they brought with them. The holograms are developed and afterwards, they can take their's home by recognising their object in the 3D image.
Café Scientifique
Café Scientifique is a national public outreach programme sponsored by the Wellcome Trust and a new branch started in Southampton in 2005. It is an informal discussion where a scientist or academic gives a short talk about their research work or about some of the latest ideas in science. Members of the general public are invited to ask questions and to take part in a discussion at the end. The Café is held in informal venues such as coffee bars, pubs and restaurants.
National Science Week
The National Science Week's Family Day is held during March, each year at the Boldrewood Campus at the University of Southampton. There is a huge amount of effort put in by all helpers as the Light Express team set up the Roadshow in the University's biggest lecture hall. We three shows throughout the day to packed audiences full of parents and children. The time spent maintaining the equipment and preparing the laser before-hand ensures the light show is at it's best and brightest.
The Family Day is the highlight of the Light Express year and despite the sheer hard work, we look forward to setting it all up again for next year.
ETOP 2005 Conference
ETOP is the Bi-annual conference on the "Education and Training in Optics and Photonics". The 2005 conference was held on the 24-27th of October in Marseille, France. I attended on behalf of the Light Express to give an invited 30 minute talk about the Roadshow to an audience of influential educators and science advisors from all over the world.
The Light Express submitted a paper titled "The Light Express Roadshow: a Case Study in a Successful Schools Outreach Activity" for this conference and the talk was based upon it. You can download the paper to read here
The PowerPoint presentation used for my talk is graphics and photo intensive and is a large download (70 Mb). You can download it here
Note: A DSL or faster connection is recommended.
Attendees of my talk were given a pack, which among other things contained the "2006 Schools Outreach Brochure", literally hot off the press.
Read more about this brochure and take a look inside here
Read the Light Express Conference paper here
Download the ETOP 2005 conference presentation (70 Mb) here
