Some of you are aware of this, but for those who are not, I want to bring to your attention an outreach project that will greatly help in our efforts to educate the general public about physics. Hopefully this eventually gets translated into increased support for all basic research.
The U.S. National Science Foundation has commissioned K2 Communications (in California) to produce a new IMAX movie, entitled Secrets of The Universe, on the subject of the Large Hadron Collider and particle physics. In addition to the film release, in English only at this time, they will roll out an educational outreach program, complete with classroom curriculum materials, to all theatre cities.
This project is the first documentary to use IMAX 3D technology to explain particle physics research. The film is intended to capture the excitement of physics research and explain what we do and why we do it in an accessible manner that targets a global audience. Science advisors and educators from institutions around the world are helping with this project – I am among the volunteer advisors. The film will be exhibited in IMAX theatres attached to museums around the world and we can expect the film to be distributed across Canada to IMAX theatres in most major population centres (see the list of theatres below).
If you are interested in seeing a preview of the film, which shows how this aligns with overall science outreach goals, or learning more about the project or how to support it, please visit the campaign page http://igg.me/at/SecretsOfTheUniverse/x/11981367 and share it with others, including your students. In order to effectively execute on this project, they need to supplement the NSF grant money and validate interest in the project by engaging a global community of support. To do this, K2 Communications in in a midst of a crowdfunding campaign with additional information about the movie with information on that page. By creating a groundswell of support, including a broader public appeal and mainstream media coverage, it will go a long way in maximizing the success of the outreach goals of the project.
If you have any questions about the project, you can contact Robbie Lusk at K2 Communications. He can be reached by email at robbie_lusk@k2communications.com and by phone at 310 563-2600, ext. 225.
Michael Roney (CAPF Board Chair; IPP Director)
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Although distribution commitments are not guaranteed pre-production, the following is a list of Canadian theatre partners K2 Communications have worked with in the past:
- Alberta – Calgary – Telus World of Science Calgary
- Alberta -Edmonton -Telus World of Science Edmonton (Edmonton Science Center)
- British Columbia – Vancouver – TELUS World of Science Omnimax® Theatre
- British Columbia – Victoria – IMAX Victoria
- Manitoba – Winnipeg -IMAX® Theatre Winnipeg
- Newfoundland and Labrador – St. John’s – Johnson GEO CENTRE
- Ontario – Niagara Falls – IMAX® Theatre Niagara Falls
- Ontario – Sudbury – Science North
- Ontario – Toronto – CN Tower/La Tour CN
- Ontario – Toronto – Ontario Place Cinesphere
- Ontario -Toronto – Ontario Science Centre
- Quebec – Gatineau – Canadian Museum of Civilization
- Quebec – Montreal – Guzzo Mega-Plex Marché Central 18 & IMAX®
- Quebec – Montreal – Montréal Science Centre
- Quebec – Quebec City – IMAX® des Galeries de la Capitale
- Saskatchewan – Regina – Saskatchewan Science Centre