Soapbox Science

如今，如果公众想要了解科学，他们的选择太多了：他们可以从互动博物馆陈列、科学戏剧、科学喜剧、全国性的咖啡馆科学片或过多的科学节中选择。但是，如果你还没有意识到学习科学的想法，该怎么办呢？如果你没有机会/资金/时间/意向去参加你当地大学的开放实验室活动，或者你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一个男人/女人。它的目标是将当地STFC资助的研究和与STFC相关的研究直接从科学家那里带给英国街头的当地人。通过这样做，它将实现公众参与科学的更广泛参与。它还将提高活跃在英国STFC相关研究中的女科学家的知名度和沟通技能，有助于提升她们的知名度和职业生涯。最后，它的目的是真正改变公众和政府对女性在科学领域的看法和角色。Soapbox Science是一种新鲜、朴实无华的草根方式，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Soapbox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盒上，与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，他们分享了他们对科学的渴望和成为一名科学家的热情。Soapbox Science没有枯燥乏味的演示文稿，没有冗长的展品，没有昂贵的建筑或道具。此外，没有媒体中间人对科学进行重新包装，以使其具有轰动效应和头条新闻价值。Soapbox Science只是科学家和公众之间很好的老式第一手对话。Soapbox并不是一个新想法--事实上，它至少有200年的历史了。它的形式灵感来自伦敦海德公园的议长角，这是一个为人民提供言论自由和政治改革的历史舞台。演讲者之角使压迫的维多利亚时代英国的民主和言论自由发生了革命性的变化，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帮助资助的令人兴奋的工作，并与从事这项工作的科学家进行第一手接触。本着伦敦演讲者之角的真正精神，我们Soapbox Science背后的动机并不完全与政治无关，我们的目标也不仅限于让公众参与科学。人们很难不注意到科学界女性的匮乏，特别是在职业阶梯的顶端，以及女性科学家所做的工作得不到认可。你会认为，在21世纪--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界的知名度和感知。自2011年以来，它一直被用作展示处于发现和创新顶峰的女科学家的平台，帮助提升她们的公众形象，同时拓宽她们的职业机会。Soapbox Science已经与雅典娜·天鹅计划一起在全国范围内被评为解决科学职业中性别差距的有效方法：通过这个项目，我们渴望在这一声誉的基础上再接再厉，成为在科学领域积极促进女性的领先国际平台，特别是那些进行与STFC相关的研究的平台，在这些研究中，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.