Soapbox Science

如今，如果公众想了解科学，他们的选择就太多了：他们可以从互动式博物馆展览、科学剧院、科学喜剧、全国性的科学咖啡馆或大量的科学节中选择。但是，如果学习科学的想法还没有越过你的雷达呢？如果你没有机会/资金/时间/兴趣去参加当地大学的开放实验室活动，或者当地博物馆的最新科学活动，那该怎么办？这个项目的目标是每个男人/女人。它旨在将当地STFC资助的和STFC相关的研究直接从科学家那里带到英国街头的当地人。这样做，它将实现更广泛的参与，促进公众参与科学。它还将促进活跃在英国STFC相关研究中的女科学家的知名度和沟通技巧，帮助提升她们的形象和职业生涯。最后，它的目标是通过公众和政府，对妇女在科学领域的看法和作用产生真实的影响。肥皂箱科学是一种新鲜的、朴实无华的基层方法，将科学带给街上的所有人，特别是那些在日常生活中不会接触到科学的人。我们的肥皂箱科学家是现实生活中的科学家，他们处于英国科学研究的前沿。他们站在忙碌的城市街道上的肥皂箱上，向过路人谈论他们的科学。他们传递知识，回答公众的问题，最重要的是，他们分享他们对科学的渴望和成为科学家的热情。肥皂箱科学没有沉闷的幻灯片演示，没有冗长的展品，昂贵的结构，或道具。此外，没有“媒体中间人”重新包装科学，使其引起轰动并成为头条新闻。肥皂箱科学只是科学家和公众之间良好的老式第一手对话。肥皂盒并不是一个新的想法-事实上，它至少有200年的历史。它的形式受到了伦敦海德公园“演讲角”的启发，海德公园是一个历史悠久的言论自由和人民政治改革的竞技场。演讲者角落彻底改变了压迫的维多利亚时代英国的民主和言论自由，并帮助创造了我们国家今天享有的开放民主。作为公共资助的科学家，我们相信公众有权听到他们通过税收资助的令人兴奋的工作，并与做这件事的科学家进行第一手接触。本着伦敦演讲者角落的真正精神，我们支持肥皂箱科学的动机并不完全是非政治性的，我们的目标并不限于让公众参与科学。很难不注意到科学界女性的缺乏，特别是在职业阶梯的顶端，以及女性科学家所做的工作缺乏认可。你会认为在21世纪-平等的时代-事情会有所改善。肥皂箱科学的目的是使一个真实的不同的能见度和妇女在科学的看法。自2011年以来，它一直被用作展示处于发现和创新高度的女科学家的平台，帮助提高她们的公众形象，同时扩大她们的职业机会。Soapbox Science已经在全国范围内与Athena SWAN计划一起被引用为解决科学职业中性别差距的有效方法：通过这个项目，我们希望建立这种声誉，并成为积极促进女性参与科学的领先国际平台，特别是那些进行STFC相关研究的人，其中女性在科学界的代表性最差。

The public is spoiled for choice these days if they want to learn about science: they can choose from interactive museum displays, science theatre, science comedy, nationwide Cafe Scientifiques, or a plethora of science festivals. But what if the idea of learning about science hasn't crossed your radar? What if you've not had the opportunity/funds/time/inclination to go to your local university open lab event, or the latest science event at your local museum? This project targets the every-man/woman. It aims to bring local STFC-funded and STFC-related research to the local people on the streets of the UK, direct from the scientists. In doing so, it will achieve wider participation for public engagement of science. It will also promote the visibility and communication skills of female scientists who are active in UK-based STFC related research, helping boost their profiles and careers. Finally, it aims to make a real difference to the perception and role of women in science, by the public and government.Soapbox Science is a fresh, no-frills grass-roots approach to bringing science to all people on the streets, especially those who wouldn't otherwise have come across science in their daily lives. Our Soapbox Scientists are real-life scientists, who are at the cutting-edge of scientific research in the UK. They stand on soapboxes on busy urban streets and talk to the passers by about their science. They transfer knowledge, answer the public's questions, and above all they share their thirst for science and their passion for being a scientist. Soapbox Science has no stuffy power-point presentations, no wordy exhibits, expensive constructs, or props. Moreover, there is no 'media-middleman' re-packaging the science to make it sensational and headline worthy. Soapbox Science is just good old-fashioned first-hand dialogue between the scientists and the public. Soapbox is not a new idea - in fact it's at least 200 years old. Its' format is inspired by 'Speaker's Corner' in London's Hyde Park, an historical arena for free speech and political reform for the people. Speaker's Corner revolutionised democracy and freedom of speech in oppressive Victorian Britain, and helped create the open democracy that our country enjoys today. As publicly funded scientists, we believe that the public has the right to hear about the exciting work they help fund through their taxes, and engage firsthand with the scientists who do it.In the true spirit of London's Speakers' Corner, our motive behind Soapbox Science is not entirely apolitical, and our aims are not limited to engaging the public with science. It is difficult not to notice the paucity of women in science, especially at the top of the career ladder, and the lack of recognition for the work that women scientists do. You'd think in the 21st century - the age of equality - things would be improving. Soapbox Science aims to make a real difference to the visibility and perception of women in science. Since 2011, it has been used as a platform to showcase female scientists at the height of discovery and innovation, helping boost their public profile while widening their career opportunities. Soapbox Science is already nationally cited alongside the Athena SWAN program as an effective approach for addressing gender gap in science careers: with this project, we aspire to build on this reputation and become a leading international platform for actively promoting women in science, especially those conducting STFC-related research in which women are the worst represented across the scientific community.