At the Department of Physics, we deliver our engagement activities through four coordinated programmes, reaching over 200,000 people in the last five years.
- Increasing access to Oxford's Department of Physics
- Widening participation in STEM
- Engaging local communities with physics
- Supporting public engagement with research (PER)
The first three programmes target external school and public audiences and the fourth programme supports researchers in their public engagement with research activities. Further details about the programmes are presented below or can be found in the attachment at the bottom of the page.
Increasing access to Oxford's Department of Physics
Commitment
To attract applications from all individuals with the potential to benefit from undergraduate study at the University of Oxford.
Target audience
GCSE and A-level students, and their teachers, from socio-economically and/or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.
Objectives
- To raise awareness of application requirements and undergraduate courses at Oxford's Department of Physics
- To increase students’ interest in pursuing physics at Oxford
- To increase the number of targeted applicants to study physics at Oxford
- To develop problem-solving skills and confidence which are essential for making competitive applications to Oxford's Department of Physics
Strategies
- To work in line with the University of Oxford's Access and Participation Plan
- To work in collaboration with access staff from across the University to deliver high-quality and large-scale events and projects
- To provide opportunities for the work to be supported by the Undergraduate Physics Ambassador scheme
Key projects/events
- Year 10 and Year 12 taster days
- UNIQ Summer School
- Preparing for the PAT
- Year 12 Physics Summer School
- The British Physics Olympiad
- MPLS access events
- Academic taster sessions for college access events
Widening participation in STEM
Commitment
To increase diversity within STEM by helping to improve students’ attitudes and aspirations to study and work in physics.
Target audience
Children, and their teachers, in local upper primary and lower secondary school education from backgrounds that are underrepresented within STEM. This includes children from schools in Oxford with the lowest participation rates to higher education.
Objectives
- To stimulate interest, enjoyment and learning in physics
- To help students learn or understand better topics covered in the curriculum
- To communicate to young people, before they make choices about further education, the key messages:
- Anyone can do physics
- Physics is exciting, relevant and important; it goes beyond the classroom
- Studying physics further broadens career possibilities
Strategies
- To work in line with SEPnet’s schools uutreach strategy
- To work in partnership with target schools to create tailored activities
- To provide a suite of interventions that allow sustained contact with students to achieve maximum impact
- To enrich the school curriculum with links to our research
- To provide opportunities for the work to be supported by postgraduate students in the Department of Physics
Key projects/events
- Physics Foundations – targeted primary school enrichment
- Activities aimed at girls eg Marie Curious
- Oxford Ogden Schools Partnership
- Connect Physics
- Activities that create awareness of careers in physics
Engaging local communities with physics
Commitment
To enhance the life of the region by engaging local communities with research from Oxford's Department of Physics
Target audience
Local community groups from backgrounds that are underrepresented within STEM, including families of children targeted through the ‘Widening participation in STEM’ programme.
Objectives
- To stimulate interest, enjoyment and learning in physics
- To increase the diversity of publics that engage with the department
- To encourage further discussion and participation with STEM and the University
- To help strengthen young people's’ interest in physics outside of school
Strategies
- To develop strong and constructive relationships with community groups
- To provide opportunities for participants to take part in further STEM-related activities
Key projects/events
- Stargazing+, including:
- SPACE and YOU
- Space is the Place
- Out of this World
Supporting public engagement with research (PER)
Commitment
To create a culture where high-quality public engagement is embedded
Target audience
Researchers (students and staff) at all levels in the Department of Physics
Objectives
- To raise awareness of the value of PER
- To develop confidence and skills in developing, delivering and evaluating high-quality PER for a wide variety of publics
- To increase the number of researchers who undergo PER that inspires, consults and collaborates with the public
- To help increase the quality and impact of PER in the Department of Physics
Strategies
- To work in line with Oxford’s strategic plan for Public Engagement with Research
- To provide support and expertise for researchers in their PER activities
- To support PER which enables school students to engage with and carry out current physics research
- To build capacity for PER, for example, by:
- Providing networks, events and platforms and that allow all researchers to become involved with PER
- Providing training and support that complements the University’s existing provision
- Supporting the inclusion of PER within RCUK Pathways to Impact and other funding schemes
- Facilitating strategic discussion at a sub-departmental and research group level
- Supporting the delivery of high-quality case studies for REF and other assessments
- Celebrating the achievements of departmental PER
Key projects/events
- Outreach Development Day
- Outreach Project Fund
- CMP PE Grad course
- Online resources
- Events/programmes that showcase research from the Department of Physics (Stargazing Oxford, Lab to Life, IOP lectures and Speakers for Schools)