Rolling Stories: Table-top RPGs for engaging students in science

Rolling Stories: Table-top RPGs for engaging students in science is a project which offers scientists opportunity to tell their ‘stories’ and communicate their practice and process through table-top RPG game design – building story worlds for students to play within. There are numerous avenues for scientists to get stories into the media; however, scientists need to become better at communicating their research in plain English. Media which are supportive of science stories or programs should be targeted and scientists should become more active at pitching stories. (AQES) The Rolling Stories project turns the AQES call to target media which are supportive of ‘science stories’ into a design activity where scientists are encouraged to both tell their stories and communicate them through creating Table-top Role Playing Games (TRPGs) and then playing them with students. The project goals support the AQES goals 
of increasing student participation, public engagement and scientists’ participation. The project expects outcomes in terms of increased engagement through the workshop series and long-lasting outcomes in the form of TRPG game books that can then be shared and re- used in educational and professional contexts.