Science education has been struggling in recent years - how can we change this?

Join Prof. Steve ‘Jake’ Jacobs to explore one way to fix this problem in an interactive, demonstration filled Discourse. Jake’s work takes inspiration from the pioneering work of Michael Faraday, showcasing how practical hands-on science, without the need for expensive equipment, holds the key to reigniting a passion for science.

This Discourse was filmed at the Ri on 1 September 2023.

Jake demonstrates how, using nothing more than things you can find around the house, you can create remarkably simple, yet stunningly revealing science demonstrations. He demonstrates many of these during this Discourse: firing smoke rings across the theatre, moving heavy objects with static electricity, making matter magically disappear, and even igniting a 100 foot tube filled with flammable gas! These activities unlock the secrets of the natural world while honing critical thinking skills. More than educational, these activities stimulate an eager interest in pursuing a life of science learning.

Endorsed by the UN, the qualities of these demonstrations are rooted in the Royal Institution's rich history. Over two hundred years ago, pioneering scientist Michael Faraday began this approach, inspiring and educating generations of students with live science demonstrations. Now, Jake and his team continue this tradition, exhibiting captivating science phenomena with exciting hands-on science.

Watch the Q&A for this talk (exclusively for YouTube Channel members):
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Prof. Steve ‘Jake’ Jacobs, is an accomplished scientist, educator, author, international media personality with advanced degrees in mathematics and chemistry. He has built a career out of making science fun and accessible. The former chief scientist of television’s Discovery Channel, Jake has written and presented a series for the Discovery Channel, and also for National Geographic TV and Fox Television where he was the creator and on-air host of the series Jake’s Attic.

As well as over 15 years of classroom teaching & administration, he also has a wealth of experience in science communication. He is Director of Science Education at Children’s Museum of Wichita & Mr. Wizard Studio, Hollywood, as well as Science consultant to Disney, National Public Radio (NPR), the Smithsonian, PBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount Television and FOX Television.

Jake is known in the US as Wizard IV, a title inherited from his predecessors: television’s Mr Wizard, Don Herbert (Wizard III), Hubert Alyea of Princeton University (Wizard II), and the inspirational leader of all science communication wizards, the Royal Institution’s very own Michael Faraday. Jake is currently participating in a worldwide hunt for Wizard V, an aim he wishes to achieve through aim encouraging the next generation to acquire skills enabling them to ‘think as a scientist’, and to apply those skills in everyday living.

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Discourses are one of the Ri’s oldest and most prestigious series of talks. Since 1825, audiences in the theatre have witnessed countless mind-expanding moments, including the first public liquefaction of air by James Dewar, the announcement of the electron by JJ Thomson and over 100 lectures by Michael Faraday. In more recent times, we have had Nobel laureates, Fields medal winners, scientists, authors and artists – all from the cutting-edge of their field. Discourses are an opportunity for the best and brightest to share their work with the world.

Steeped in nearly two centuries of tradition, a Discourse is more than just a lecture. The Discourse lasts exactly an hour, and a bell is rung to mark the beginning and end. To keep the focus on the topic, presenters begin sharply at 7:30pm without introduction and we lock the speaker into a room ten minutes ahead of the start (legend has it that a speaker once tried to escape!). Some of our guests and speakers dress smartly for our Discourse events to add to this sense of occasion. Read more about Discourses here: https://www.rigb.org/explore-science/...

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