Press Release

CERN, ESA and ESO Launch "Physics On Stage"

1 March 2000

Physics is everywhere . The laws of physics govern the Universe, the Sun, the Earth and even our own lives. In today's rapidly developing society, we are becoming increasingly dependent on high technology – computers, transport, and communication are just some of the key areas that are the result of discoveries by scientists working in physics. But how much do the citizens of Europe really know about physics? Here is a unique opportunity to learn more about this elusive subject!

Beginning in February 2000, three major European research organisations are organising a unique Europe-wide programme to raise the public awareness of physics and related sciences.

"Physics on Stage" is launched by the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), with support from the European Union. Other partners are the European Physical Society (EPS) and the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE).

This exciting programme is part of the European Week for Science and Technology and will culminate in a Science Festival during November 6-11, 2000, on the CERN premises at the French-Swiss border near Geneva.

Why "Physics on Stage"?

The primary goal of "Physics on Stage" is to counteract the current decline in interest and knowledge about physics among Europe's citizens by means of a series of highly visible promotional activities. It will bring together leading scientists and educators, government bodies and the media, to confront the diminishing attraction of physics to young people and to develop strategies to reverse this trend.

The objective in the short term is to infuse excitement and to provide new educational materials. In the longer term, "Physics on Stage" will generate new developments by enabling experts throughout Europe to meet, exchange and innovate.

"Physics on Stage" in 22 European Countries

"Physics on Stage" has been initiated in 22 European countries [2]. In each of these, a dedicated National Steering Committee is being formed which will be responsible for its own national programme. A list of contact addresses is attached below.

"Physics on Stage" is based on a series of high-profile physics-related activities that will inform the European public in general and European high school physics teachers and media representatives in particular about innovative ways to convey information about physics. It will stress the intimate connection of this natural science with our daily lives. It will be accompanied by a broad media debate on these subjects.

This effort is undertaken in the context of a progressive decline of physics literacy amongst the European population at all levels. Fewer and fewer young people are attracted towards careers in core sciences and technologies - this could potentially lead to a crisis in European technology in the coming decades unless action is taken now. Too few people possess the basic knowledge that is necessary to understand even common physical phenomena. And not enough are able to form their own substantiated opinions about them.

What will happen during "Physics on Stage"?

During the first phase of "Physics on Stage", from now until October 2000, the individual National Steering Committees (NSCs) will survey the situation in their respective countries. The NSCs will collaborate with national media to identify new and exciting educational approaches to physics. These may involve demonstrations, interactive experiments, video and CD-Rom presentations, Web applications, virtual reality, theatre performances, etc.

Nationally run competitions will select some of the best and most convincing new ideas for presentations and educational materials which will receive development support from "Physics on Stage".

The project will culminate in November 2000, with approximately 400 delegates converging on CERN, in Geneva, for the Physics on Stage Festival . During this event, the national competion winners, science teachers, science communicators, publishers, top scientists and high-level representatives of the ministries and European organisations will brainstorm future solutions to bolster physics' popularity. The programme will also include spectacular demonstrations of new educational tools; the best will be disseminated over the national TV networks and other media to the European public.

Why CERN, ESA and ESO?

As Europe's principal organisations in physics research (particle physics, space and astronomy), the three recognised their mutual responsibility to address the issue through the creation of a new initiative and the creative use of their own research to attract the public and teachers alike.
About the "European Science and Technology Week"

[Go to EWST Website] The objective of the European Science and Technology Week is to improve the public's knowledge and understanding of science and technology - including the associated benefits for society as a whole. The Week focuses on the European dimension of research, such as pan-European scientific and technological co-operation.

The rationale for holding the Week has its roots in the importance of the role of science and technology in modern societies and the need, therefore, to ensure that the public recognises its significance in our lives.

The Week is a framework for special TV programmes, exhibitions, contests, conferences, electronic networking, and other science related activities to promote the public understanding of science and technology.

The Week was launched in 1993, on the initiative of the European Commission. Raising public awareness of science and technology is now the subject of a clearly defined action within the Human Potential Programme of the Fifth Framework Programme.

Statements by the Directors General of CERN, ESA and ESO

Luciano Maiani (CERN): "Science is a critical resource for mankind and, among natural sciences, physics will continue to play a crucial role, well into the next century. The young people of Europe deserve the best possible physics teaching. An enormous resource of first class teachers, teaching materials and innovative thinking exists in our countries. The "Physics on Stage" project will bring these together to generate a new interest in physics education which will be to the long term benefit of children all over Europe

CERN is delighted to take part in this collaboration between the European Community and the continent's three leading physics research organizations".

Antonio Rodotà (ESA): "Space has become an integral part of every day life. The immense technological development that has led to this achievement has taken place and might be taken for granted. But now is the time to follow up and form the future on this basis, a future that has to made by the youth and has to give its benefits to the youth.

The European Space Agency is dedicated to support the youth in its development to become a space generation. Many activities have been done and are taking place, and many more are planned for the future. Teachers and educational institutions and organisations form a key role in this development. ESA is enthusiastic about co-operating with ESO and CERN to create an opportunity to receiving ideas from the educational society and will perform a dedicated effort in finding ways to support the realisation of those ideas".

Catherine Cesarsky (ESO): "Astronomy and Astrophysics are at the very heart of modern physics. As vibrant research disciplines they use the most advanced technology available to humanity to explore Cosmos. It is also a science of extreme conditions - the largest distances, the longest periods of time, the highest temperatures, the strongest electrical and magnetic fields, the highest and lowest densities and the most extreme energies. Cosmos is indeed the greatest physics laboratory.

For years, ESO - Europe's Astronomy Organisation - has been engaged in communicating the outcome of the exciting research programmes carried out at the ESO observatories to a wide audience and in particular to Europe's youth. I warmly welcome the broad international collaboration within "Physics on Stage". I am confident that working together with the European Union and our sister organisations ESA and CERN, as well as teachers' organisations and dedicated individuals in all member countries, this innovative education programme will make a most important contribution towards raising the interest in fundamental research in Europe".

Notes

[1] This is a joint Press Release by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) , the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

[2] The 22 countries are the member countries of at least one of the participating organisations or the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

More information

About CERN, ESA and ESO

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has its headquarters in Geneva. At present, its Member States are Austria, Belgium,Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Israel, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Turkey, the European Commission and Unesco have observer status.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is an international/intergovernmental organisation made of 15 member states: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. ESA provides and promotes, for peaceful purposes only, cooperation among its member states in space research, technology and their applications. With ESA, Europe shapes and shares space for people, companies and the scientific community.

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is an intergovernmental organisation supported by Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Portugal has an agreement with ESO aiming at full membership. ESO is a major driving force in European astronomy, performing tasks that are beyond the capabilities of the individual member countries. The ESO La Silla observatory (Chile) is one of the largest and best-equipped in the world. ESO's Very Large Telescope Array (VLT) is under construction at Cerro Paranal (Chile). When completed in 2001, the VLT will be the largest optical telescope in the world.

International Steering Committee (ISC)

Clovis de Matos (Executive Coordinator)
ESA/ESTEC
European Space Research and Technology Centre
Office for Educational Outreach Activities
Keplerlaan 1
Postbus 299
NL-2200 AG Noordwijk
The Netherlands

email: cdematos@estec.esa.nl
Telephone: +31-71-565- 5518
Fax: +31-71-565 5590

National Steering Committees (NSC) (current status):

Prof. Christian Gottfried
Theobaldgasse 16/13
A-1060 Wien
Austria
Tel: +43.1.587.46.02
Fax: +43.1.586.20.90
e-mail: christian.gottfried@cern.ch

Belgium: Dr. Petra Rudolf
email: Petra.Rudolf@fundp.ac.be

Prof. Ivan Lalov
Chairman of the NSC /PoS - Bulgaria
Union of the Physicists in Bulgaria
Blvd. James Bourchier 5
Sofia - 1164, Bulgaria
e-mail: upb@phys.uni-sofia.bg

Dr. Jiri Dolejsi
Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
Charles University
V Holesovickach 2
CZ-180 00 Prague 8
Czechia
e-mail: dolejsi@hp02.troja.mff.cuni.cz

Dr. Brigitte Sode-Morgensen
Ministry of Research and Information Technology
Bredgade 43
DK-1260 Copenhagen K
Denmark

Physics on Stage National Steering Committee in Finland
c/o Markku Sarimaa
Ursa Astronomical Association
Raatimiehenkatu 3 A 2
FIN-00140 Helsinki
Finland

France: Mr. Pierre-Louis Contreras
email: pierre-louis.contreras@cnes.fr

Prof. Michael Kobel
Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Bonn
Nussallee 12
D-53115 Bonn
Germany
Phone: +49 228 73-3532
Fax: +49 228 73-3220
e-mail: kobel@physik.uni-bonn.de

Physics on Stage
c/o N.D. Tracas
Physics Department
National Technical University
Zografou Campus
157 73 Zografou
Athens
Greece
Tel: +30 1 772 3047
Fax:+30 1 772 2906
email: pos@lattice.physics.gsd.ntua.gr

Dr. Adam Kovach
Inst. of Nuclear Research,
P.O.B. No.51
H-4001 Debrecen
Hungary

Dr. Ian Elliott
Dublin Institue for Advanced studies
School of Cosmic Physics
Dunsink Observatory
Dublin 15
Ireland

The official mailing address of the Italian NSC is:
pos@sif.it.

Luxembourg: Dr. Fernand Wagner
fernand.wagner@ci.educ.lu

Prof. Dr Aart W. Kleyn
Leiden Institute of Chemistry
Gorlaeus Laboratories
Leiden University
Einsteinweg 55
P.O. Box 9502
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands

Norway: Dr. Heidi Bruvoll
heidi.bruvoll@fys.uio.no

Poland: Dr Tadeusz Skoskiewicz
skosk@ifpan.edu.pl

Dra. Ana Noronha
Ciencia Viva
Ministerio da Ciencia e da Tecnologia
Unidade Ciencia Viva
Av. dos Combatentes, 43 A-10B
1600 Lisboa
Portugal

Dalibor Krupa
Slovak Physical Society
c/o Slovak Academy of Sciences
Stefanikova 49
SK-814 38 Bratislava
Slovak Republic

Dr. Rosa M. Ros
Secretary, Physics on Stage Spain National Steering Committee
Real Sociedad Española de Fisica
Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas
Universidad Complutense
28040 Madrid
Spain
Tel: +34 93 8967770
Fax: +34 93 8967700
e-mail: ros@mat.upc.es

Sweden: Dr. Thomas Lindblad
indblad@particle.kth.se

Prof. Claude Joseph
Institut de Physique des Hautes Energies
Université de Lausanne
CH-1015 Lausanne
Tel.: +41-21-692 37 01
Fax: +41-21-692 36 05
e-mail: Claude.Joseph@iphe.unil.ch

Dr Steven Chapman
Secretary, Physics on Stage United Kingdom National Steering Committee
Institute of Physics
76 Portland Place
London W1N 3DH
Tel: +44 20 7 470 4924
Fax: +44 20 7 470 4848
e-mail: Steven.Chapman@iop.org

Links

• The European Science and Technology Week (ESWT)

Contacts

Clovis de Matos (Executive Coordinator)
ESA/ESTEC - European Space Research and Technology Centre Office for Educational Outreach Activities
Keplerlaan 1 Postbus 299 NL-2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Tel: +31-71-565- 5518
Email: cdematos@estec.esa.nl

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