Breaking barriers: the impact of ATLAS Virtual Visits in science communication

TL;DR

The paper evaluates the ATLAS Virtual Visits program at CERN, highlighting its role in enhancing global science communication and public engagement through interactive, multilingual virtual tours of the ATLAS detector.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of the program's growth, implementation in different countries, and its impact on public understanding of particle physics.

Findings

Significant growth in virtual visits since 2019

Successful large-scale implementations in Brazil and Greece

Positive impact on participant understanding and engagement

Abstract

The ATLAS Collaboration at CERN's Large Hadron Collider is at the forefront of particle physics research and is equally committed to bridging the gap between cutting-edge science and the wider public. Since 2010, the ATLAS Virtual Visits programme has provided live, interactive tours of the ATLAS detector and control room to global audiences in their language, without the need to travel. The programme has grown significantly since its inception, as demonstrated by quantitative data collected since January 2019 and case studies of large-scale implementations in Brazil and Greece. The impact on individual participants is also discussed.