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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/G01986X/1
Title: The Bigger Bang! Show and An Elemental Spectacle: A Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table
Principal Investigator: Sosabowski, Dr H
Other Investigators:
Mikhalovsky, Professor S
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Brighton Fireworks Ltd Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing Sigma-Aldrich Company Ltd (UK)
Department: Sch of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences
Organisation: University of Brighton
Scheme: Partnerships- Public Engage
Starts: 01 November 2008 Ends: 31 October 2011 Value (£): 162,796
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Biological & Medicinal Chem.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
24 Sep 2008 Partnerships for Public Engagement (Sept 2008) Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
The Bigger Bang! Show and An Elemental Spectacle: A Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table are two established chemistry evangelism events aimed at the public. The Bigger Bang! Show is normally carried out in a large theatre and involves a series of high end exhibition chemistry demonstrations carried out in a humourous but educational manner and is aimed primarily at families and schools. The event is presented by Dr Hal Sosabowski and co-presenter, the Doc, from ITV's Ministry of Mayhem. The Bigger Bang! Show involves a high level of audience participation and interaction and offers a unique blend of high-end, spectacular exhibition science and entertainment, underpinned with long-halflife, takeaway science knowledge and educational discourse (with a small element of Laurel-and Hardy-esque buffoonery). An Elemental Spectacle: A Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table is an in-depth focused chemistry show delivered by the PA and Dr Max Whitby of RGB Research Ltd. This event is aimed at the science community and public; featuring each of the elements of the periodic table from 1-90 in an elegant experiment of its own. The show alternates between elements 1-30, 31-60 and 61-90, so there are three variants, with the host venue choosing which of the variants it wants presented. This application is for a ten date (twenty-show; two per date) tour of The Bigger Bang! Show and in parallel, a ten-show tour of An Elemental Spectacle: A Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table, both tours being over a period of two years. For each show (of both tours), there will be an interactive periodic table foyer display. The Bigger Bang! Shows will be held at theatres across the South East with seating capacities of up to 2,000 (similar to the Brighton Dome), and there will be two shows per venue on the same day, a matine aimed primarily at schools and an evening show aimed at families/the public. The Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table shows will be held at Universities and given to audiences of up to 500, with a target audience of families. There will be one show per venue. Both these tours will be of the South of England and the cities and venues have been identified and costed indicatively as; for the The Bigger Bang! Show tour: Brighton (Brighton Dome), Poole (Poole Lighthouse Theatre), London, Redhill (Redhill Harlequin), Maidstone, Taunton, Oxford, Cambridge, Swindon, Andover. For the Elemental Spectacle: A. A Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table tour the indicative venues are: the University of Brighton, Imperial College University of London, University of Southampton, Cardiff University, University of Kent, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Surrey, University College Hastings and University of Essex. Before and after each show there will be an interactive periodic table displaying the foyer of each of the venues, provided by one of the project sub-Contractors RGB Research Ltd. RGB will create the traveling exhibition featuring a number of its spectacular periodic table displays featuring real element samples that can be set up at the venues of all twenty lectures to entertain and engage the audience both before and after the live shows. These displays have a proven record of drawing a high level of interest and attracting audience engagement. These exhibits will include several interactive stations where members of the audience can explore the periodic table and investigate particular elements. This component will provide a means to extend the educational impact of the shows, particularly for those among the audience motivated by the live performance.
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Organisation Website: http://www.bton.ac.uk