The Binding Blocks project aims to enthuse and engage the public and young people with cutting-edge Nuclear Physics research. Following the successful implementation of a Key Stage 5 Nuclear Physics Masterclass programme, this new project, 'Binding Blocks UK: A National, Inclusive Programme for Nuclear Physics Education' aims to expand the provision of educational resources to encompass the full secondary school age range, and to work in collaboration with partner institutions to offer a national programme. The project will run over two years and will enable the development of new curriculum-linked resources targeted at GCSE and Key Stage 3 physics students. A hybrid model combining online and face-to-face events and activities will enable a suitable delivery mode, with or without the Covid-19 restrictions we have seen in 2020 and 2021. Resources will be developed and the material delivered in collaboration with partner organisations, including both universities across the UK and STFC laboratories (see letters of reference). This will enable not only a wide geographic reach but also the ability to tailor content to the needs and challenges of different areas and educational contexts. Content will include videos, quizzes, lab tours (in-person and virtual), live webinars and lectures, computer simulations, modelling activities and practical work, and will highlight the applications and career prospects of nuclear physics through a diverse set of role models. The key objectives of this new programme are therefore to: 1) Engage new audiences by: (a) developing programmes for Key Stage 4 (KS4) and Key Stage 3 (KS3) physics students (and Scottish equivalents); (b) supporting the students (across all secondary school stages) who are 'most able but least likely' to attend University, and (c) creating national geographic coverage. 2) We will create a culture of engagement across the entire STFC Nuclear Physics research community, supporting personal development and capacity building for Public Engagement across the UK. All online content will use a new platform that will mitigate the need for specialist software and will improve the accessibility of the materials to diverse audiences. A corresponding teacher training programme, with associated kit-loan scheme, will also enable the resources to be utilised in a classroom context - making the programme sustainable. The majority of the reach of the programme will be over the last 18 months of the programme, with the first 6 months focussed (primarily) on development of new material and platforms. Within the scope of the programme, we anticipate a direct reach of approximately 15,000 students, 800 teachers and 100 influencers, and with further reach beyond the programme through teacher-led activities utilising our (open access) Isaac Physics implementation of much of the material. Based on feedback from our pilot activity, we hope that this programme will lead to improved uptake of A-level Physics, particularly among under-represented groups. With the build up of capacity across the UK through the present project, the potential reach over the years following the Nucleus Award is anticipated to be even higher. In the longer term, the Binding Blocks UK programme therefore carries the potential to have a major impact on the STFC profile amongst the next generation of both physicists and young people more broadly.

This project aims to involve the public of all ages and backgrounds with the ground breaking discoveries of EPSRC-funded scientists in the field of solar energy generation. Through this project, our team of scientists at Edinburgh University and beyond will collaborate with a number of public engagement experts to enable school students and the public of all ages and backgrounds to explore, discuss and reflect upon the issues related to innovation in low-cost solar energy technologies and its pressing need for the future of our planet. This proposal brings together the expertise and scientific entrepreneurship provided by the scientists within the innovative EPSRC Supergen consortium on Excitonic Solar Cells, with the public engagement expertise of The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres, The Scottish Schools Equipment Research Centre (SSERC), The science media centre, CLEAPSS and the National STEM centre. Bringing all these partners together will be a newly appointed public engagement leader with a PhD in the field of innovative low cost solar energy. The goal is for this specialist to provide the resources and embed partnerships between the researchers and science centres, science festivals, Beacons, schools networks and university outreach teams so that public engagement is an embedded part of the role of researchers in this area. Low-cost solar energy is arguably the most important challenge ever faced by mankind and the importance to 21st century society cannot be overstated. We will use the new and established partnerships to maximise engagement between the Consortium and the Public and deliver substantial benefit to both. This will be aimed at two outcomes: (i) energising and supporting the researchers within the network such that all contribute to ongoing engagement activities on behalf of the consortium and (ii) obtaining coverage through large media outlets. There has never been a time in human history when a scientific challenge, namely sustainable energy supply, has been more urgent or important in maintaining the wealth and cohesion of society. World energy use is predicted to double by 2050 and more than treble by 2100 but already at today's level, dangerous quantities of CO2 are building up in the atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (www.ipcc.ch/) estimates that, without action, CO2 concentration will triple over historic levels by 2100 leading to very damaging climate change. Sustainable energy is unique as a scientific challenge as the status quo cannot be maintained and floods, droughts, mass migrations, economic disruption and wars may be the consequences of inaction. Solving the problem of climate change is a long-term issue that requires sustained commitment from scientists, governments and the public to make real change possible. This requires a commitment from researchers in the field to make their work accessible and to engage in dialogue with the public on the current science and the future directions of the field. Since everyone has a stake in this challenge, the public of all ages and backgrounds must be included in regular open and honest conversation with scientists, policy makers and industrial experts in a host of different ways, through events, family activities, media, dialogue opportunities, schools workshops, exhibitions, projects and festivals.