The UQ Physics Demo Troupe is a group of students who are interested in spreading their enthusiasm of science to the world. We reguarly meet to learn how to perform various science demonstrations and to come up with new, more exciting demonstrations. We frequently visit schools to perform science demos or workshops and also reguarly present lecture demonstrations for various undergraduate subjects at UQ.
The Demo Troupe is currently under the administration of Andrew Stephenson, a recently submitted PhD student, from the department of physics at the University of Queensland. The other members of the Demo Troupe range from 1st year undergraduates to postgraduate students, and cover a wide range of backgrounds (such as physics, maths, biology, chemistry, commerce, information technology and law) all of whom share a passion for science and love to promote it.
About Performances
The UQ Demo Troupe's main medium for communicating science is through demonstrations and workshops. There is a large range of demonstrations ranging over a large number of different topics, such as air pressure, liquid nitrogen, electromagnetism and fire. There is also a large range of hands-on workshops that the Demo troupe conducts whose aim is to get students thinking about why things happen as well as letting them have a hands on experience with some of our strange "science toys".
Statement of Purpose
The University of Queensland "Physics Demo Troupe" was established by the Department of Physics in 2003, under the guidance of Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop. Its aims include:
- Performing live physics demonstrations in an entertaining fashion to help students' understanding of abstract concepts.
- Demonstrating that physics is exciting and relevant, and not just equations on a blackboard, to encourage more University students to continue with physics.
- Promoting interest in physics to primary and high school aged students. This includes performing shows for visiting school groups, events such as the Junior Physics Olympiad and visiting schools to shows for groups of students.
- Working with primary and high school science departments to visit schools and present demonstrations based on course material that would otherwise be unavailable to the students.
- Making physics accessible to the wider community, showing that physicists are performing relevant and interesting research and communicating that physics isn't quite as mystifying as it might seem.
- Provide an opportunity for students excited about physics to join the Demo Troupe and socialise and work with other like-minded students. This will help to enhance the University experience of physics students, and encourage them to continue with physics.
- Promoting the University of Queensland (and specifically the Physics Department) to primary and high school aged students, and to the general community.
The majority of performers are undergraduate and graduate students, who have been trained on these demonstrations. Risk Assessment evaluations have been completed for all demonstrations, and these are read and understood by all performers before commencing their training on a particular demonstration.
The performers of the show are all volunteers, and receive no direct renumeration. All monies from the shows are to be deposited with the Department of Physics, and used by the Demo Troupe as deemed necessary by the supervisor (e.g., new equipment, consumables, etc.).