OGÓLNOPOLSKIE ELIMINACJE DO EUROPEJSKIEGO FESTIWALU POS1
PROGRAM KRAJOWEGO KONKURSU
Fizyka na Scenie 1.
Wyższa Szkoła Oficerska im. Stefana Czarnieckiego w Poznaniu, 18-20 maja 2000 roku
NATIONAL PROGRAM IN POLAND
To restore public trust in science, and to restore the cooperation between science community and society as a whole there are the main goals of the new drive in the so called public awareness of science activities. Polish scientific community, especially physicists, have been trying, for several years, to heal the deep division between science and society. Being fully aware of the need to change the public image of science the scientific community in Poland, and particularly of physicists from the main research and higher education centers decided to organize a public science event which will go beyond standard open days at labs, public lectures, and demonstrations of physics experiments. This was meant to be an open air performance permitting even casual individuals strolling on the street to see some science and to participate in scientific experiments, games etc. From the very beginning we wanted to have all science to be shown as one entity, therefore we had physics, astronomy, archeology, history, paleontology, medicine shown simultaneously on the fair and melted with music and fair like performances of actors and comedians. In order to implement our dream we seek and get support and collaboration of the public radio in Poland. This how Piknik Naukowy (Scientific Picnic) - happening at one of the main squares of the Warsaw Old Town was established four years ago. More than 50 research institution took part in that event last year and the crowd was more than 25 000 people. Picnic now covers essentially a whole spectrum of science and there is a plan to expand this activity to other cities in Poland.
The success of the Picnic encouraged other activities. Another event in Warsaw called Festiwal Nauki(Festival of Science) having three issues till now gained also a tremendous success. In the recent years Science Festival spread to several cities in Poland. The Festival earned very good coverage in public media.
Very good response receives Jarmark Fizyczny (Physics Fair) in Cracow and Katowice and Dni Nauki i Kultury (Days of Science and Culture) in Poznan. Everywhere physicists are among the most active participants of the science festivities. Muzeum Fizycznych Eksperymentow Historycznych (Museum of Historical Experiments in Physics) in Torun attracts a lot of visitors. For many years are held numerous events dedicated to Secondary/High school students. Scientists from physics centers in Poland prepare lectures, presentations, visits in the laboratories, and special lessons for the students. There is particular interest among participants in experiment demonstrations.
Several contests are held for High School students on annual basis. In the National Tournament of Young Physicists compete teams of students represent High Schools from all over the Poland. International recognition earned the International Competition "First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics". Originated in Poland competition will be held for the eighth time. Authors of the best presentations are invited to one month scientific training in the physics centers in Poland.
There are interesting blocks of physics presentations in public TV dedicated to e.g. physics in sport and physics of toys.
We believe that Polish scientific community was a forerunner in bringing science on the doorsteps of our fellow citizens. In spite of financial difficulties research institutions decided to support the public awareness of science activities, like Picnic and Festivals . These are now events which are amalgamated with the cultural life of several cities and we are sure we are on the proper track which might in the future lead to the opening of a first real Exploratorium in Warsaw and Gdansk.
Plan for National Steering Committee
We are not going to duplicate numerous activities of the kind presented above. We plan to promote, record and support the festivities in the part related to physics. Perhaps the best presentations might be the candidates for major presentation during European Week for Science and Technology.
We consider as a one of the most important of our tasks to select and promote the best Secondary/High School teachers giving their lessons in a non standard, interesting way. Selected teachers would participate in European Week for Science and Technology.
We will invite leading scientists to participate in a series of popular talks "The hottest topics in physics - why do we investigate them?"
We are going to encourage the public media journalists to make a series of interviews with politicians and other public persons who graduated in physics. The leitmotiv of the interviews would be "Is the knowledge of physics any help in your present activity?"
We will consider several candidates for major presentation. However, we do hope that besides of major presentations we will have an opportunity to present during the Week for Science and Technology variety of activities promoting physics awareness already held in Poland.