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the mind boggles ... fame, fortune, and a huMONgous dataset ... ;)
wytchwomyn (wilsont@MCMAIL.CIS.MCMASTER.CA)
Thu, 3 Feb 1994 20:58:49 -0500
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 94 06:14 GMT
From:Cabinet Press Office@jnt.ac.uk
To: list6@gec-b.rl.ac.uk
Subject: MEGALAB (UK) PRESS RELEASE
YOUR RESPONSE URGENTLY WANTED: Please reply by 9 February 1994
MEGALAB UK:
A SAMPLE OF 18 MILLION PEOPLE IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR RESEARCH
(Apologies if duplicate message)
Can you propose a scientific experiment which requires the cooperation
of many millions of people? We want your outline within the next week
for an experiment that must be simple to carry out and generate new
findings for science.
The Science Minister, William Waldegrave, is supporting the search for a
mass experiment, to be staged during the National Week of science,
engineering and technology 'set7' 18-27 March 1994, as part of the
programme of nationwide events which aims to give science a higher
profile among the general public. The experiment will bring together
the resources of The Daily Telegraph, and the BBC's Radio One and
Tomorrow's World.
A panel of distinguished judges will select the best proposals for
experiments which require mass participation, one or more of which will
be conducted during science week, live on Radio One and Tomorrow's
World. We are looking for ideas for mass experiments the public can
perform quickly in their immediate surroundings. Although we seek ideas
that are tailored to print, radio or TV, we are most keen to find ideas
that exploit all three media.
POTENTIAL RESOURCES AT YOUR DISPOSAL
* Preliminary fieldwork, pilot sampling, canvassing of public opinion
through a Gallup opinion poll/multiple choice questionnaire with rapid
turn-round are available in the science pages of The Daily Telegraph,
which will monitor progress towards the experiment, and follow through
afterwards as required. Daily readership: 2,700,000. Specific fields
of research which might take advantage of the print medium: literacy,
cognitive and visual skills, memory, search for local flora and fauna.
* On the day of the experiment, sustained access to the daytime Radio
One audience of up to 10 million. Opportunities to assess responses and
check them as the day progresses. Instant feedback over telephone
lines. Specific fields of research which might take advantage of radio:
cognitive and aural functions, physics and psychology of sound,
perception, memory.
* Access to the audience of Tomorrow's World: 6 million. Instant
feedback over telephone lines. Specific fields of research which might
take advantage of television: cognitive and visual functions, physics
and psychology of light and colour, visual perception, memory, field
work.
* The home surroundings and workplaces of the relevant audiences can be
exploited in obvious ways, eg, to demonstrate or test physical phenomena
and domestic technology. The experiment should address a genuine
scientific question and should generate results which are interesting
and useful. Biologists, anthropologists and geneticists might find ways
to map population densities, clusters, hereditary traits, search for
unusual flora fauna and so on.
HOW TO ENTER
Outline your proposed experiment on one side only of A4 paper. Non
standard formats will be disqualified. Closing date, Wed 9 February
1994.
State in order:
1 - YOUR NAME, ESTABLISHMENT, ADDRESS, TEL & FAX NUMBERS.
2 - THE CATEGORY OF SCIENCE OR TECHNOLOGY.
3 - DEFINE THE SECTION OF THE POPULATION WHOSE PARTICIPATION IS MOST
NECESSARY.
4 - OUTLINE YOUR EXPERIMENT.
5 - POSSIBLE OR INTENDED OUTCOME.
6 - INDICATE ITS ORIGINALITY.
Post your entry to: Megalab UK, Dept 1, PO Box 320, Derby DE3 5YZ.
Issued by
Press Office
Office of Public Service and Science
Cabinet Office
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
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