Outreach & Public Engagement

I have been a leader in developing award-winning innovative and impactful research-based outreach and public engagement activities for over a decade, sharing the excitement and importance of physics in accessible ways to a variety of often underserved audiences. Public engagement forms a key part of my ‘UKRI Stephen Hawking Fellowship’.

Throughout my career I have made a very strong commitment to outreach, public engagement and science communication. I am determined to come up with fresh perspectives on how to share my passion for science and communicate scientific ideas. To this end, I have developed numerous exciting and unique projects, including:

SSFX Short Film Festival

The SSFX (Space Sound Effects) project challenged independent filmmakers from around the world to create short-films incorporating a series of strange sounds recorded in space by satellites. After touring the world with at 14 film festivals across 8 countries and some 800 events, the short films are now online for free in the form of an anthology film.

Physics Research in School Environments

A novel model of sustained researcher-supported STEM outreach enabling underrepresented students across London to experience cutting-edge particle and astrophysics through 6-month-long independent research projects. It has had a myriad of long-lasting impacts on both students and teachers, and has even resulted in unexpected scientific results being published. The model is now spreading internationally.

DJ Physics

Combining my DJing and physics backgrounds, this live show created in collaboration with the Royal Institution, demonstrates the underlying scientific concepts that go into a DJ mix and how DJing can also help us understand seemingly unrelated areas of cutting edge physics research.

WiiJing

Fusing together the ancient art of DJing with the latest (at the time) technology, the Nintendo Wiimote, I created this gestural DJ performance that has featured at several music festivals, where I not only enterain the crowds (sometimes from the middle of the dancefloor) but also explain this unique mashup of technology, DJing and dancing.

My public engagement work has been recognised with the following awards:

  • Ogden Outreach Awards 2022, Excellence in Teacher Support Winner: PRiSE
  • SEPnet Public Engagement Awards 2021, Impact Project Award Winner: SSFX
  • SEPnet Public Engagement Awards 2021, Innovation Project Award Shortlisted: Space Soundscape
  • Times Higher Education Awards 2019, Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year Shortlisted: PRiSE
  • QMUL Public Engagement Awards 2019, Involve Award Winner: MUSICS
  • QMUL Media Relations Awards 2018, Best Comment/Opinion Piece Winner: Death Star
  • QMUL Public Engagement Awards 2018, Interact Award Shortlisted: SSFX Film Festival
  • SEPnet Public Engagement Awards 2017, Impact Project Award Winner: Research in Schools
  • SEPnet Public Engagement Awards 2017, Innovation Project Award Shortlisted: SSFX Film Festival
  • QMUL Public Engagement Awards 2017, Inspire Award Shortlisted: Research in Schools

I am Chair of the European Geosciences Union’s Outreach Committee, the Education and Outreach Session Programme Group Chair of the European Geosciences Union’s Programme Committee, and am an alumni member of the Ogden Trust Outreach Officer programme. I have previously served as part of Queen Mary’s Centre for Public Engagement Grants Panel and the SEPnet Outreach and Public Engagement programme.

CONTACT ME

Martin@MartinArcher.co.uk

If you think I’d be the perfect fit for your next project, just get in touch by email.