Back in 2024, Ryan – a lecturer in Mathematical and Data Modelling at the University of Bristol - received an email looking for researchers to turn their work into a creative and compelling story.
No stranger to taking on a new challenge, Ryan was an obvious fit for the opportunity.
“My colleague told me to go for it – so I did,” he puts simply.
And so Secret Attraction: The Electrical Sense of Arthropods was born - starting its life as a presentation delivered at the Science Partnership Office’s ‘3-Minute Research Storytelling’ session. What’s more – the presentation was so good that it won Ryan the chance to turn it into a short film.
“Sometimes small things lead to really cool opportunities that stretch you further than your day job,” says Ryan, reflecting on the journey that led him to take his research to video.
Now, with Secret Attraction: The Electrical Sense of Arthropods polished, perfected, and available online, the SPO’s Frankie Masarik caught up with Ryan to find out more about his experience on camera, the impact of science communication, and the importance of his research on bees!
The Electrical Sense of Arthropods
Ryan’s research illuminates the hidden sense that insects and spiders use to go about their lives – electric fields. In his new short film, we are shown how this applies to bees and their relationship with flowers.
Talking to Ryan, his enthusiasm to share this discovery with others is clear. Ultimately, human action and environmental change has a large impact on pollinators – and the more people that know this, the better.
“Any greater understanding of their life cycle and relationships gives us a greater sense of the impact of human pollution and climate change, and also affords a new opportunity for a solution,” Ryan explains.
On the importance of Science Communication in research
Science communication has been profoundly important in shaping the 21st century. From genuine illuminations on human health and wellbeing, to misleading pseudo-scientific press articles creating fear amongst the masses, science communication has the power to get a lot right – and a lot wrong.
Encouraging researchers to make their work accessible to the general-public – direct from the source - therefore feels like a no-brainer for our collective understanding of the world.
“It’s part of my job,” says Ryan. “Maybe I do some mildly clever things as a researcher, but ultimately if I can’t convey the importance, worth, and interest in it, I don’t feel I am doing my job well!”
Communicating research effectively can also help scientists to get an oar in public opinion.
“It’s easy to miss the big picture – as scientist we are used to focussing on the small, specific details,” he reflects, discussing the ways academia interacts with public opinion.
Translating Research and Taking to the Camera
I asked Ryan how he found the experience of taking his expertise to the medium of film.
“It was a rewarding challenge,” he shares. “I would definitely consider doing this again with future research and encourage others to do so too.”
Ryan also notes the skill of Christy Nunns and Wavelength Studio in bringing the video to life. “We did take after take, forgetting what [I] said, but the edit looks so polished!”
We're very excited to see where this video takes Ryan, and to hear more about his research in the future!
You can watch the video via the link below.