Submitted Abstract
Science is omnipresent but we are not aware! We don´t consider that riding a bike requires some substantial material science while football players certainly do not calculate the gravitational force nor friction before scoring a goal. Further, despite the profound amazement during total solar eclipse, few know the underlying scientific phenomena,…The link between science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and real life oftentimes is insufficiently highlighted despite the daily life context can help to remove boundaries and spark interest and curiosity in lay audiences. The here proposed project, entitled ScienceAlert, is dedicated to strengthening the connection between LSC´s current offer in scientific activities and daily-life examples and events.To raise awareness about the necessity and importance of STEM in everyday life, we aim to highlight the underlying science of the following key topics in 2020: the wine festival, the UEFA 2020, the Summer Olympics, climate change as well as the total solar eclipse. In that sense, LSC´s interdisciplinary team will develop 5 short, interactive and certainly innovative activities for lay audiences of all ages and backgrounds namely: (1) Cheers to science, (2) The perfect shoot, the perfect bet, (3) Road to Olympics, (4) Trapped in a greenhouse, (5) Spacial hide and seek. Using a pop-up-science approach, we aim to reinforce the link between STEM and daily-life by highlighting and demystifying the underlying scientific phenomena, by providing a national or international context and shining the spotlights on examples of local non-scientists and how they, consciously or unconsciously, use STEM in everyday life. Further, activities will emphasize to demonstrate the interconnectedness of the STEM field. Indeed, one cannot understand the greenhouse effect without chemical knowledge about greenhouse gases, without physical knowledge about solar radiation and without biological knowledge about the impact of global warming on life on Earth, just to name one out of sheer endless examples.LSC provides an ideal context for both the development and implementation of ScienceAlert activities: (1) a multi-disciplinary experienced science communication team with expertise in various STEM fields will lead conception and delivery of the activities, (2) the visibility of the project and outreach will be granted as LSC attracts a considerable amount of visitors each year, all of which have the possibility to participate in the here proposed Science Alert activities. Furthermore, do we welcome people from different backgrounds and ages, assuring stimulating exchange of scientific knowledge and viewpoints, (3) the possibility to link ScienceAlert activities to other offers at LSC such as science shows and hands-on exhibits further helping to provide daily life examples.The 2-monthly rotating, 15-minutes interactive activities – LSC News – will be offered on average twice a day in LSC´s exhibition space. A dedicated modular space partially separated from the exhibition space – the LSC Studio – will be installed and will provide a seclude area. ScienceAlert activities will be freely accessible to all our visitors with a maximum of 20 participants. Offered activities will include various scientific demonstrations and put a strong emphasis on actively engaging the entire audience and stimulating critical thinking, learning and reflection. During LSC News, Science Reports will be be broadcasted – short movies portraying local experts in the respective fields and the importance of STEM in their daily lives. Embedded in the LSC Studio will be a space dedicated to feedback regarding the LSC in general, but also this project in particular.ScienceAlert activities offer lay audiences not only striking scientific explanations of topical subjects but will further highlight how their daily life is discretely affected by … science!