UQ's Science Demo Troupe turns 25
A quarter of a century of science shows, from school halls to the outback
Air, it turns out, is strong enough to smash a ruler.
Some of Australia’s most senior engineers discovered this at the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) annual general meeting, thanks to a group of University of Queensland physics students and a very well-timed demonstration.
They are the UQ Science Demo Troupe, and this month they celebrate 25 years of taking science out of the lab and into school halls, lecture theatres, festivals and boardrooms.
It all started with an old equipment room and two people who wanted to do more with it.
Taking the demo room to the people
The regional touring program began with two scholarships and a trip west to Charleville.
Troupe co-founder Associate Professor Joel Gilmore said UQ’s physics department already had a tradition of science shows.
“UQ Physics had for many years a ‘Demo Room’ full of amazing pieces of equipment and a series of amazing students and academics who would do demonstrations and shows for Open Day,” Dr Gilmore said.
“What my cofounder, Dr Jenny Riesz, and I wanted to do was to take that to the next level – formally organise performers into a group that would go out to schools to share our passion for science, and not just in Brisbane but across Queensland.
“Since we both had a background in performing, we also wanted to really train and hone the Troupe performances, thinking about structure, beats, and dramatic moments. We experimentally tested different ways for the biggest laughs!
“We also wanted to make physics demonstrations part of lectures again – so lecturers were able to call on Demo Troupe members to bring and perform demos at key moments in a course.”
The touring idea came from a coincidence.
“A big moment for us was when Jenny and I both – individually – won scholarships for us to visit schools and promote science,” Dr Gilmore said.
“We then pitched combining our efforts and travelling west together, visiting schools all the way out to Charleville. This was the start of the Demo Troupe regional touring program!”
Training for the biggest laughs
Weekly training sessions drew on physics textbooks, pantomime, magic shows and Commedia dell’Arte.
“We started weekly training sessions, working both the technical aspects of doing demos well and safely, but also how to be entertaining and engaging (we studied physics textbooks, but also pantomime performances, magic shows, and Commedia dell’Arte!),” Dr Gilmore said.
“UQ, particularly Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, provided such incredible support that we were able to hit the ground running.”
The Troupe’s gigs ranged far beyond the classroom.
“We did such a broad range of gigs – obviously visiting schools all around Brisbane, but also getting funding to do regional tours – particularly heading out west to Charleville, up north to Torres Strait Islands and Cape York, and even to Alice Springs and then schools all the way up to Darwin,” Dr Gilmore said.
“But we also had opportunities to talk to diverse audiences – demonstrating problem solving through physics for a Hastings Deering sales conference, presenting to the Mayor of Charleville on black holes.
“Eventually, we were doing shows every week, travelling all around Australia, were requested to perform at festivals and conferences, and consumed an awful lot of liquid nitrogen.”
He said a small piece of clothing made a big difference.
“It sounds simple, but a real turning point was getting our Demo Troupe shirts – they were an integral part of the show.”
The group was also a social one.
“Demo Troupe also had multiple purposes – and one of those was social. We were always looking for joy from our Troupe members – whether it was developing new demonstrations, encouraging performers to come up with new ways of presenting old demos, or just the thrill of putting your hand in liquid nitrogen for the first time.”
“The real highlight, though, was the Troupe itself – we had weekly training sessions, practiced our performing, and only very, very occasionally did we accidentally destroy a university wheelie bin.”
Treasure in the demo room
Co-founder Dr Jenny Riesz remembers the old demo room as a treasure trove, including a giant Tesla coil could throw a spark up to a metre long.
“I have fond memories of digging around in the old demo room, full of ancient demonstrations,” Dr Riesz said.
“We’d dig out old dusty equipment and ask some of the professors if they knew what they were for and how to use them, then work out if we could use it in a show or lecture demonstration.”
The results were often loud.
“Performing at the University open days was a lot of fun – Joel was a brilliant showman, pulling a crowd,” Dr Riesz said.
“The ‘liquid nitrogen bomb’ was a favourite crowd pleaser – putting a small amount of liquid nitrogen into a soft drink bottle, putting the cap on, and throwing it into a wheelie bin full of water. The expansion of the gas would then build up pressure, and make it explode in a massive shower.
“The scariest demonstration was probably the giant Tesla Coil. Joel would work the crowd and hold the ‘ROD OF DOOOOOM’ and I would work the controls to ramp up a giant spark (up to a metre long). It was very impressive, and always got my heart rate going!”
The Troupe had its share of mishaps too, and the department took them in its stride.
“A big thanks goes to Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop (the head of department at the time), Andrew White, and the other professors who encouraged us,” Dr Riesz said.
“They were so supportive, even when we managed to create minor chaos (such as the time we set off the building fire alarms using smoke machines for a laser demonstration, and the fire department showed up... oops).”
“Yes, a science show!”
For Dr Riesz, the most rewarding shows were the ones furthest from Brisbane.
“The most rewarding experiences were when we travelled out into small outback towns in rural Queensland, to do school science shows. I have special memories of the kids in Dirranbandi, Bamaga and other tiny towns we visited,” she said.
“They were so excited while we were setting up before our show – kids would run up to us in the playground asking what we were doing, and when we told them they yelled ‘YEEESSSS A SCIENCE SHOW!!!’
“The teachers said they were so appreciative of having visitors that were sharing a passion about science with the kids (they said most visitors were usually there for sports).
“It was an incredibly special treat to hop around the Torres Strait Islands and do science shows for the tiny schools on each island – the kids would scream with excitement playing with hands on science toys.”
The Troupe was also, she said, a place to belong.
“The thing I loved the most about the Demo Troupe was that we brought together a wonderful crowd of misfit nerds from the physics department and beyond, all passionate about sharing our mutual love of science,” Dr Riesz said.
“I felt like I had finally found ‘my people’ in the physics department at UQ, and the Demo Troupe was a beautiful part of that.
“Training sessions were a collaboration with people bringing together ideas on new demos, and exciting new ways to present them in an entertaining show. It was a big part of the wonderful culture in the physics department, and a reason that it felt like home to me.
“I’m thrilled that the Demo Troupe is still going. As a kid, I always loved seeing science in action. It’s such a thrill to see a real, physical demonstration of these fascinating phenomena, and it definitely was a big reason that I wanted to study science myself. I love that there are students at UQ still inspiring this passion for science in the next generation (and having a ton of fun while they’re at it).”
New hands, new life
Today’s Troupe still runs school shows and lecture demonstrations, from fire tornados to levitating superconductors.
Dr Gilmore said the Troupe’s greatest strength had been the people who kept picking it up.
“One thing I loved when new people joined was that demos that had previously been neglected (as too boring or too hard) would suddenly gain new life. One of our B-tier demos suddenly became S-tier in the hands of Andrew and Aaron’s incredible delivery!” he said.
“I’m just ecstatic that the Demo Troupe we envisioned has been kept going by so many passionate students and academics. It’s exciting to see something we helped build keep going and bringing practical science to so many kids and adults around Australia.
“The Troupe performances today are world class – a perfect blend of education and hands-on science with just great entertainment. They’ve also taken it in exciting new directions, bringing in new cutting-edge demos and fresh performances. I can’t wait for the 50th anniversary!”
Science for everyone
Today, the Troupe’s admin is Master of Philosophy student Maddie Davies, who studies atomic physics, using computer models to simulate atoms.
She said her path to the Troupe began with a glimpse of a rehearsal.
“I first heard about demo troupe after attending an event run by the UQ physics club back in 2021, catching the end of a rehearsal for an upcoming event where they were practicing with liquid nitrogen, and I was instantly intrigued,” Ms Davies said.
“I wasn’t exactly sure what I was witnessing and the rest of the year, I kept coming back to that moment and thinking ‘what if I could teach science like this?’
“It wasn’t until 2022 that I started attending meetings and practicing my science communication/engagement skills, and the rest is history. I’ve always had a passion to understand how the world worked, and suddenly I was presented with an opportunity to share this knowledge and engage future scientists in the mysteries that create our world.”
The Troupe’s repertoire is as broad as ever.
“Demo Troupe does a whole range of experiments! From the very big, with our giant tesla coil, to the very small with lasers and photons,” Ms Davies said.
“We aim to cover as many interesting and thought-provoking demonstrations as we can, to not only give audiences opportunities to learn, but to discover how science is practical and used in the everyday (from technology, like electronics and design, to the mundane like sinks, light, and sound).”
The Troupe still tours regional Queensland, as it did in the early days.
“There have been so many opportunities with Demo Troupe, travelling to Rockhampton, Cairns, and Cooktown (to name a few) to deliver STEM shows/activities which were incredibly eye opening and exciting, but meeting and working with so many people who share the passion for science communication and engagement is truly the highlight,” Ms Davies said.
“Had it not been for these people, such events could not be organised, presented, or explained to the thousands of Queenslanders I have met.”
After 25 years, her hopes for the Troupe sound much like where it began.
“I hope that demo troupe has shown young school students that science can be exciting, interesting, and importantly is for everyone! I fondly remember a science show from when I was in primary school, which planted the seed for the work I do now in research and inspiring future scientists to study STEM.”
Visit the UQ Science Demo Troupe to find out more about school visits or to get in touch.
Images provided by Demp Troupe members, with icons supplied by Magnific and Nitika Golubev.
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