Outreach

Public Engagement and Outreach

I am keenly involved in public engagement, discussing my research, the Sun and astronomy with wider public (and anybody who will listen). I have been working closely with NUSTEM (formally Think Physics) at Northumbria.


Projects & Events

SOLANET II

SOLARNET is a EU-wide project funded by the European Commission under Grant Agreement number 824135. This project aims at integrating the major European infrastructures in the field of high-resolution solar physics. The main objectives are to i) Foster Networking Activities & Mobility Programmes; (ii) Conduct Joint Research Activities; (iii) Ensure Access & Research Infrastructures.

I, along with NUSTEM colleagues, are designing and running training workshops and seminars on Public Engagement. Aimed at both early career and senior researchers, the workshops will build confidence, skills and perspective for a wide range of communication activities and situations.

Exploring Extreme Environments

Exploring Extreme Environments (E3) is a project funded by an STFC Nucleus Award and extends the work we started on Imaging the Sun.

E3 is a three year project with 8 primary schools in the North East, and takes children, families and teachers on a journey through extreme environments; from the freezing temperature of the polar regions on Earth, to the heat of the Sun.

Activities include:

  • Art-science workshops to find out about the light from the Sun

  • Poetry-science workshops to explore how ice-cores can reveal secrets about the past

  • Family workshops on renewable technologies in Antarctica

  • Robotic Space Explorers storytime

  • STEM person of the Week

  • Exploring Extreme Environments assemblies

  • Teacher CPD about how the work of STFC can support teaching in primary science.


Imagining the Sun

'Imaging the Sun' is an outreach programme as part of Think Solar Physics, in collaboration with Think Physics, Helen Schell (visual artist), and Katrina Porteus (poet), that aims to build science capital through the linking of art and science and encourage the uptake of physics at A-levels and beyond. This is supported by Science & Technologies Facilities Council (ST/N005562/1). To date, we have visited a number of primary and secondary schools, giving presentations on the Sun and running art sessions.


In 2016, Imagining the Sun made an appearance at the 'Words by the Water' (see here).



Solar @ Big Bang North East

The Solar Physics Group worked with Helen Schell to create 'Solar', an artwork inspired by the layers of the Sun. The installation was displayed at the Big Bang North East at Northumbria University.

Other events

Pint of Science

Pint of Science is a science festival held all across the globe, in pubs and bars. Scientists are invited to events to discuss there research with the public. This year I was part of 'Empire of the Sun' at the Town Wall - Newcastle and talks about solar storms, Space Weather and how the Sun's magnetic field creates these fantastic phenomena.

'Space Day' @ The Centre for Life - Newcastle

'Space Day' was a one off event at the Centre for Life (Newcastle) - which brought space themed exhibits and science together. The Solar Physics Group and Think Physics were there talking to kids and adults about the Sun, the properties of lights and how we use it to study the Sun and other Stars. (I'm the one behind the camera!)

Great North East Space Expo

The Space Expo was aimed at 12-16 year olds and allowed them to engage with businesses that are part of the innovative UK Space Sector and find out what it takes to have a career in an incredibly exciting area of scientific discovery. I joined with Northumbria's Think Physics and chatted to students about the Sun and careers in astronomy.

HeliOscillator @ British Science Festival

I worked with artists Jamie Salmon (aka The Curious Machine) and Noel Murphy (aka VDU) to create the HeliOscillator, a aural and visual representation of data of solar oscillations in magnetic pores. The HeliOscillator went on display at the British Science Festival in Newcastle. It was part of an exhibition at the Globe Gallery and was involved in the opening night 'Electromagnetic Pulse party'.


Press Releases

2017 - Student project set to shed light on the Sun - Press release for Northumbria University in conjunction with successful funding of SUNYBTE project

2017 - Northumbria project brings solar scene to the lakeside - Press release for Northumbria University in conjunction with Words by the Water 2017 event.

2015 - COMMENT: The scorching winds on the surface of the sun – and how we’re forecasting them - Press release for Northumbria University in conjunction with publication in Nature Communications.

2015 - Experts from Northumbria University in project to unlock secrets of the sun - Interview with The Chronicle to discuss successful UK consortium bid to join the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope project.

2015 - Northumbria to help build worlds largest solar telescope in £200 million project - Press release for Northumbria University in conjunction with successful UK consortium bid to join the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope project.

2015 - Star academic awarded by Royal Astronomers - Press release for Northumbria University in conjunction with award of the Winton Capital Prize.

2014 - Solar moss shakes at 16,000 km/hour - Press release for the National Astronomy Meeting 2014, Portsmouth.

2013 - Ten mysteries from outer space - Interview with All About Space magazine explaining the current state of affairs surrounding the mystery of coronal heating.

2013 - Northumbria research brings light to star mystery - Press release for Northumbria University in conjunction with publication in Nature Communications.

2011 - Solar experts detect waves in giant magnetic holes the size of the UK - Massive waves in giant magnetic holes on the surface of the Sun have been discovered for the first time by solar scientists from the University of Sheffield and Queen's University Belfast, something that will bring experts a step closer to unlocking the secrets of the Sun.

2010 - Experts discover heavenly solar music - Musical sounds created by longitudinal vibrations within the Sun's atmosphere, have been recorded and accurately studied for the first time by experts at the University of Sheffield, shedding light on the Sun's magnetic atmosphere.