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I worked on a segment of Braniac: Science Abuse a long time ago, and what I found really did depress me. As an outside contractor/expert they assured me that scientific integrity was paramount. After 3 weeks of work building an actual food powered rocket that produced useful thrust, they decided it wasn't enough and faked it for an extra 5mph on a rocket-bike. They also refused point blank to put the presenter in any kind of safety gear WHATSOEVER even though we were using nitrous oxide in an experimental motor. Anyone who has dealt with hot nitrous knows there is always a risk of detonation. The production team's wilful ignorance of the science they were trying to portray even went so far as to simply ignore the risk assessment for the demonstration I produced. Jon London OWL On Aug 12, 2013 13:03 "James Piercy" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thanks Imran > Realise you are only speaking in a personal capacity but i'm sure you > will raise the concerns that Paul and others have expressed and take > them seriously > > > > > > > James Piercy > > Science Communicator > > Science Made Simple Ltd (East) > > > > > Part of The Training Group - Supporting public engagement in the > research community > > > > 303 Dereham Road > > Norwich > > Norfolk > > NR2 3TJ > > tel 07709968590 > > bookings 02920 876 884 > > <[log in to unmask]> > > <http://www.sciencemadesimple.co.uk> > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------------------------------------------ > > Registered company number –05187306 VAT registration number 862 387 > 008 > > Registered Offices: science made simple ltd 14-17 The Parade, Cardiff > CF24 3AA > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------------------------------------------- > > > > > On 12 Aug 2013, at 12:04, Imran Khan wrote: > > > > Hi everyone > > > > > > > > Thanks to all of you, and particularly Paul, who've raised concerns > > about the show. Speaking as someone who's personally never been to > > it I can see there are some pretty serious questions about the > > scientific content. > > > > > > > > > > You may or may not know that the EngineeringUK are the main > > organisation behind the Fair, and that they deliver the fair through > > the Big Bang Education Community Interest Company (CIC). That > > Company brings together a number of key stakeholders, including us > > the British Science Association, to take part in the planning > > process. > > > > > > > > > > I've only been at the British Science Association for a few months, > > so can't speak to the history of how, why, or when Brainiac have > > been involved in the Fair. > > > > > > > > > > But I can say that to the best of my knowledge no decision has been > > taken to involve the show at next year's Fair, nor is one going to > > be made in the immediate future, and that we'll also be discussing > > the concerns you've raised the next time we meet as a group. > > > > > > > > > > So, do bear with us for now - a lot of the people involved at both > > EngineeringUK and the other organisations (including myself) are > > away on leave during August, but I do recognise the strength of > > feeling about this and I'm grateful for the level of detail in which > > the concerns have been spelled out. > > > > > > > > > > (For the avoidance of doubt - this isn't an official statement from > > the Fair organisers, it's just me!) > > > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > Imran > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Imran KhanChief Executive > > British Science Association > > 165 Queen's Gate > > London. SW7 5HD > > > > t:+44 (0)20 7019 4926 m:+44 (0)7967 831 333 > > <tel:%2B44%20%280%297967%20831%20333> tw:@imrankhan > > <http://www.twitter.com/imrankhan> > > > > web:<http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/> > > > > > > PA:<[log in to unmask]> > > > > > > > > > > On 12 August 2013 09:03, Paul McCrory > > <<[log in to unmask]>> wrote: > > > > > Hi Seth > > > > > > This is also the defence propounded by the former Event Director > > > of the Big Bang Fair to a colleague of mine. > > > > > > This seduction argument doesn't apply to STEMNET or ASE promoting > > > tickets for a stand-alone show in a theatre; nor I hope to > > > teachers deciding to take students to the Fair (although, > > > bizarrely, this is the audience that the Event Director said he > > > was using Brainiac Live to attract). > > > > > > Aligning with appropriate high-profile brands is one important > > > element in encouraging disengaged young people to visit with their > > > families on public days. > > > > > > And I accept that we cannot rule out the possibility that a small > > > number of young people may be attracted by Brainiac Live and then > > > have an experience elsewhere at the Fair that dramatically changes > > > their perception of STEM. Such is the complex and subtle nature of > > > science communication. However, as a general strategy I would > > > suggest that, the ends justifying the means, has a fairly > > > chequered history. > > > > > > With respect, I think the argument amounts to the "turkey > > > twizzlers for school dinners" approach. It offends me that the > > > largest STEM engagement event in the UK apparently thinks an > > > appropriate way to inspire young people to eat their greens (the > > > boring, unappealing science and engineering) is to seduce them > > > with turkey twizzlers. Young people aren't stupid. This sort of > > > patronising "making STEM fun" is deeply counter-productive, only > > > reinforcing their worst fears about vegetables. > > > > > > Brands are important, but there are other more current and > > > appropriate brands which the Fair has used - such as the prime > > > time BBC Bang Goes the Theory. So why did they even need to resort > > > to headlining with Brainiac Live? > > > > > > Leaving aside what compromises each of us personally is > > > comfortable making in order to engage young people in STEM, this > > > "ends over means" argument doesn't change the fact that there is > > > simply no defence for: > > > > > > - a performer letting off a fire extinguisher to spin an office > > > chair and attributing the increased thrust to spectacular but puny > > > stage pyros, rather than the fact that he was simply holding the > > > fire extinguisher for longer; > > > - messing around with electricity, wrapping yourself in plastic > > > and playing with fire extinguishers without any safety warnings; > > > - telling thousands of young people than a balloon of 2/3 hydrogen > > > and 1/3 air explodes violently because "the nitrogen makes the > > > hydrogen angry"! > > > > > > The frustrating thing is that if professional science > > > communicators had been consulted, and allowed to work with the > > > theatre professionals behind this show, these problems could have > > > been fixed whilst retaining the seductive draw of the Brainiac > > > brand. > > > > > > This is lazy, irresponsible, incompetent and counter-productive > > > science communication. Yet EngineeringUK maintain to me that all > > > of their shows are peer reviewed for "impact and educational > > > value". I would genuinely love to know which group of my peers > > > reviewed this show and on what specific criteria. > > > > > > Science demonstrations are my life. Most people, however, will > > > probably only get to see one or two science demo shows. It upsets > > > me deeply to think that the only demo show someone might see is > > > Brainiac Live. > > > > > > Science demonstrations, performed authentically, passionately and > > > with theatrical production values to large audiences, have the > > > potential to inspire like no other form of science communication I > > > know. A multi-million pound event like The Big Bang Fair can and > > > should do much better than this. > > > > > > > > > All the best > > > > > > Paul > > > > > > -- > > > Dr Paul McCrory > > > > > > learn differently ltd > > > Unit 11, Farranshane House, 1 Ballygore Road, Antrim, N Ireland, > > > BT41 2RN > > > t 028 94488415 > > > e <[log in to unmask]> > > > w http://www.learn-differently.com > > > <http://www.learn-differently.com/> > > > > > > ****************************************************************** > > > **** > > > > > > Commands - send an email (any subject) to > > > <[log in to unmask]> with one of the following messages > > > (ignoring text in brackets) > > > > > > • set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on > > > holiday) > > > • set psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) > > > • signoff psci-com (to leave the list) > > > • Subscribe here > > > <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com> > > > > > > Contact list owner at <[log in to unmask]> > > > Small print and JISCMail acceptable use policy > > > <https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print> > > > > > > ****************************************************************** > > > **** > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > > ____ > > > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security > > > System on behalf of > > > the British Science Association > > > (http://www.britishscienceassociation.org > > > <http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/>) > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > > ____ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > __ > > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System > > on behalf of > > the British Science Association > > (<http://www.britishscienceassociation.org>) > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > __ > > ******************************************************************** > > ** > > Commands - send an email (any subject) to <[log in to unmask]> > > with one of the following messages (ignoring text in brackets) > > > > • set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on holiday) > > • set psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) • signoff psci-com > > (to leave the list) • Subscribe here > > <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com> > > > > Contact list owner at <[log in to unmask]> Small print > > and JISCMail acceptable use policy > > <https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print> > > > > ******************************************************************** > > ** > > > ********************************************************************** > Commands - send an email (any subject) to <[log in to unmask]> > with one of the following messages (ignoring text in brackets) > > • set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on holiday) • > set psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) • signoff psci-com (to > leave the list) • Subscribe here > <https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com> > > Contact list owner at <[log in to unmask]> Small print > and JISCMail acceptable use policy > <https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print> > > ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** Commands - send an email (any subject) to [log in to unmask] with one of the following messages (ignoring text in brackets) • set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on holiday) • set psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) • signoff psci-com (to leave the list) • Subscribe here https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com Contact list owner at [log in to unmask] Small print and JISCMail acceptable use policy https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print **********************************************************************