People: Paul Hewson
- Current role:
- Academic (teaching)
- Institution:
- University of Plymouth
- Discipline:
- Physical sciences and astronomy
What motivated you to engage the public with your work?
People avoid me at parties when I say I'm a statistician - and in my professional life I've heard all the put-downs (lies, damned lies etc.). I became determined to communicate something of the real nature of my field rather than the rather sullied impression people have.
Describe the public engagement activity you have done.
Invited presentations on the effectiveness of speed cameras (the audience are interested in the topic, allows one to introduce many ideas in statistical inference and experimental design) as well as a very large number of school based activities. The picture shown above was taken at the Big Bang Science Fair in Bath - an exhibit called "There's no Theorem Like Bayes Theorem".
What are your top three tips for other researchers?
1. Don't try to do it all - think of your audience.
2. Make it fun.
3. Don't take yourself too seriously
What are your top resources to support your engagement work?
Currently, I am using a "Weapon of Math Instruction" - which is regularly described as "cool". Otherwise I use a variety of dice and beads - anything other than a computer!
What would you say to encourage another researcher to engage with the public?
It's great communicating with people who are working "outside the box."
