Tickets booked, hotel booked, pieces sent, adds out, registration open … now I just have to wait a few more weeks and off I go to the Sydney Science Festival.
Category Archives: LEGO
Nuit de la science
Last weekend I had a quick trip to Geneva. Aside the usual meetings at Cern, I had the pleasure to host another BYOPD event. This time as part of the ‘Nuit de la science‘ at the ‘Musée d’histoire des sciences‘ on invitation of the Atlas group at the University of Geneva.
With in total 17 hours plus preparation and clean-up time, it was quite a bit of work, but it was certainly a lot of fun again. We had over 80 contestants, ranging age three to 74, entering the competition and quite a few more people just chatting with us about particle physics, Cern, Atlas and whatnot.
We also had cloud chamber as well as the ATLASrift as part of the particle physics contribution.
It’s public …
… my first ever public note on outreach :)
“Building Blocks of the Universe – using stackable plastic bricks to impart knowledge in particle physics“
Abstract: This article presents possibilities to impart knowledge of and enthusiasm for particle physics to essentially all non-expert target audiences by the use of LEGO bricks and models of particle physics experiments built from these. Methods of using LEGO models, both as a passive exhibit and as part of interactive outreach events, are presented, along with a historical review of the “Build Your Own Particle Detector” programme and the corresponding idea of hosting competitions in building detector models in LEGO pieces as a perfect setting to grasp people’s attention, get them involved and ultimately convey knowledge in particle physics to them.
PopScience, BYOPD and PhD Comics
Yesterday, we had another PopScience BYOPD event in Geneva. While it was a bit calm in the morning it ended up quite nice with a decent number of visitors/participants in the afternoon. In fact, I had Jorge Cham, creator of PhD Comics, joining the competition. Unfortunately, I missed his talk and the showing of the PhD Movie sequel the day before. Luckily, I could make it up with a nice autograph from him (see below).
For the actual European researchers’ night, there were discussion of the physics in movies such as Gravity, Interstellar, Star Trek or Angels & Demons as well as a screening of Particle Fever and a discussion with some of physics cast.
Science Night in Garching
Yesterday, I had yet another great Build Your Own Particle Detector outreach event as part of the Science Night in Garching. With the large Atlas Lego model, a little particle physics exhibition and a great team of students from my group at LMU, we managed to talk to hundreds of visitors. And 36 models entering the BYOPD competition (also for the audience award) is not a bad number either :)
Looking forward to the next one … 25 September 2015 at Balexert in Geneva, Switzerland.
