Soapbox Science

如今，如果公众想要了解科学，他们有很多选择：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众多的科学节中进行选择。但是，如果你还没有学习科学的想法呢？如果你没有机会/资金/时间/意愿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怎么办？这个项目的目标人群是普通人。它旨在将stfc资助的当地研究和与stfc相关的研究直接从科学家那里带给英国街头的当地人。这样做，它将实现更广泛的公众参与科学。它还将提高活跃在英国科学技术研究中心相关研究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，它的目标是让公众和政府真正改变对女性在科学中的认知和作用。Soapbox Science是一种新鲜的、朴实的草根方式，它将科学带给街头的所有人，尤其是那些在日常生活中不可能接触到科学的人。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。他们站在繁忙的城市街道上的肥皂箱上，向过路人讲述他们的科学。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。Soapbox Science没有乏味的ppt演示，没有冗长的展览，没有昂贵的结构或道具。此外，没有“媒体中间人”重新包装科学，使其耸人听闻，成为头条新闻。肥皂箱科学只是科学家和公众之间的老式第一手对话。临时讲台并不是一个新概念——事实上，它至少有200年的历史了。其形式的灵感来自伦敦海德公园的“演讲角”，这是一个为人民提供言论自由和政治改革的历史舞台。演讲者之角在维多利亚时代压迫的英国彻底改变了民主和言论自由，并帮助创造了我们国家今天享有的开放民主。作为政府资助的科学家，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，并与从事这项工作的科学家直接接触。在伦敦演讲角的真正精神中，Soapbox Science背后的动机并非完全与政治无关，我们的目标也不局限于让公众参与科学。很难不注意到女性在科学领域，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。你可能会认为，在21世纪——一个平等的时代——情况会有所改善。Soapbox Science的目标是真正改变女性在科学领域的知名度和认可度。自2011年以来，它一直被用作展示处于发现和创新高峰的女科学家的平台，帮助提高她们的公众形象，同时拓宽她们的职业机会。Soapbox Science已经与Athena SWAN计划一起在全国范围内被引用，作为解决科学职业中性别差距的有效方法：通过这个项目，我们希望在这个声誉的基础上，成为一个积极促进女性参与科学的领先国际平台，特别是那些从事stfc相关研究的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.