More details about the 2021 National Science Quiz (NSQ) – the host, panelists, questions and how the quiz and streaming worked – can be found on the National Science Quiz website
Background to the quiz
The NSQ is inspired by ‘De Nationale Wetenschapsquiz’ (NWQ) which was televised nationally in the Netherlands for 25 years. In a made-for-TV format, it pondered the big scientific questions of our time, such as ‘What makes popcorn pop?’, and ‘Does grass grow at night?’ The NWQ demonstrated the process of scientific reasoning in an engaging and authentic way. Professor Jan de Gier of The University of Melbourne and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS) suggested that we should try and develop a version of NWQ in Australia.
In 2016, ACEMS produced the NSQ as a live stage event in Melbourne, hosted by Charlie Pickering and featuring panellists Red Symons, Alan Duffy, Tanya Ha, Leonie Walsh and Terry Speed trying to reason through the scientific challenges. The event was a great success and in 2017, NSQ events were held in Melbourne and Adelaide again hosted by Charlie and this time featuring Alan Duffy, Tom Gleeson, Adam Briggs, Sarah Keenihan, among others.
ACEMS managed the 2016 and 2017 events with the support of a coalition of ARC Centres of Excellence: OzGrav, FLEET, CAASTRO, CoEPP, ARCCSS, CABAH and ACEx, as well as the non-ARC Centre CEBRA and The University of Melbourne. The vision was for the NSQ to develop via a collaboration of the ARC Centres of Excellence with a scientific emphasis to exist beyond the lifetime of any one Centre.
Format
Following the advice of Charlie Pickering, Alan Duffy and others, the NSQ format was updated to consist of two teams of three panelists competing to reason their way through the scientific challenges that Charlie posed to them.
In 2021, there was a $1000 cash prize for the public entrant with the highest score. Partners donated promotional items (T-shirts, pens, coasters, fidget spinners, etc) to make up prize packs for placegetters. See the NSQ website for details.
The 2021 National Science Quiz (virtual) panel. From Left to right: Norman Do, Alan Duffy, Jen Martin, Charlie Pickering (host), Alanta Colley, Jared Cole, Catriona Nguyen-Robertson
2022
The format for the 2022 quiz will follow that of 2021, the difference being that, depending on COVID restrictions , there will be a live show with an expected audience of 400 people. The live show will be filmed and edited for use in the event to be streamed via FLEET’s YouTube channel later that week as part of National Science Week.
Secondary school target audience
There will be a greater emphasis on Australian secondary school and teachers as a target audience as competitors in the quiz.
The streamed version of the event will be promoted to Australian secondary schools as we are proposing an additional cash prize for a winning school team entrant with the prize money going to the school.
Primary and secondary school and teachers will be a target audience for the school resources that will be formed from the quiz questions and experiments filmed to support them. The resource will include activities with curriculum-aligned worksheets and notes, and promoted as a free downloadable resource for primary and secondary schools. Partners will have their logo and their institutional links on all teacher resource material and be able to use these student resources for their own outreach.
For partners/sponsors, this is a great opportunity to engage curious young minds, raise their awareness of your research and the implications of your research. There is also the potential to build connections with interested schools interested in having their students talk to scientists about their research or having workshop-based incursions.
Question 4 in the quiz tested the panel’s knowledge of physics and chemistry
The audience
The quiz audience was international (participants registered from USA, India) though most participants have come from the Eastern Australian states. The ages have ranged from 13-65 with 70% in the 25-55 age bracket. We have noted families participating in the event such as the following:
‘It was a lot of fun. We liked how the questions made you think about different processes in everyday life and were accessible to young and old. The video explanations were good visuals for the answers too. It definitely stimulated my kids’ interest in science and they told their online class this morning about the quiz. We look forward to doing it again next year.’
Promotional campaign
The media and promotional strategy for the 2021 NSQ focussed on engaging the community using a range of tools and channels. For example, with our university partners and ARC Centres of Excellence, the campaign included a 30-day countdown focusing on a quiz teaser campaign of visual storytelling content.
Advertising was conducted through science teacher associations newsletters and STEM media, eg STEM ed and CSIRO Double Helix. This would be extended to the science teacher social media channels in 2022. Paid Facebook advertising will occur again in 2022.
Making it work
To ensure the ongoing nature of the NSQ, we will develop a strategic Steering Committee consisting of Directors of Outreach (or similar) from each partner Centre. There will also be an Operational Committee consisting of Outreach Officers (or similar) from some of the partner Centres. We intend to establish a culture of rolling responsibility where a Centre volunteers to Chair the Steering and Operational Committees, and in doing so, takes responsibility for the NSQ for a year. As Centres mature through their lifecycle of seven years, this approach should provide adequate opportunity for Centres to develop their involvement in the NSQ, take the lead and then pass on the baton to other Centres.
As a Centre of Excellence (or similar), this is a fantastic opportunity to kickstart or extend your outreach program and have something major to report in your Annual Report. As you grow, we hope you will maintain your engagement and will seek to take on a leadership role in the future.