Thanks Paul

As I said in my original had no idea of what was being done by Brainiac and the incidents you describe do leave a bad feeling.  I think Imrans comments regarding their use next year and the noting of the comments made in the thread are important.  I do agree that whoever was responsible for vetting the content of these show failed in this instance.

Like you Paul Science demonstrations are most important and it is down to people like you and I to get out to people as much as possible to show the real fun and excitement of science.  

Seth Clay

-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul McCrory
Sent: 12 August 2013 03:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Brainiac Live - science communication abuse

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

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