The following lunches took place at the BA festival of Science, University of Exeter 6-10 September.
Planet Science Outreach Programme
This session will provided practical advice for science communicators working with schools. Six case studies and their independent evaluation on how to reach out and work with schools that do not usually engage with science projects were presented. Organised by People, Science & Policy
View report
Delivering inclusion in science communication (DISC)
What are the current and potential barriers that face our community? What initiatives are already in place and what are the success stories? DISC is a new project creating sustainable partnerships between ethnic minority groups and the science communication community. Organised by ACNST and the BA
A full report of all DISC workshops will be available shortly.
Networking Science Festivals
This working lunch aimed to build on previous meeting with directors of science festivals to provide an opportunity for directors and coordinators of prospective, new and established festivals to identify areas for potential collaboration, share good practice and improve the exchange between festivals and other parts of the science communication community.
View report (pdf41KB)
Office of Science and Technology - UK Science Festivals: PEST or not? (pdf 125KB)
Communicating new science
Issues surrounding GM foods were communicated too late. Are we communicating too early about nanotechnology? Good communication is not just about timing, there are other factors involved. Increasingly, we are faced with science that has speculative applications. To communicate this type of science we cannot just focus on the consequences of applications. In these cases the dialogue with publics should focus on what is driving the science, the assumptions made by scientists, uncertainties and the needs of society in the early stages of scientific research.
How can scientists and science communicators deliver this approach? Explore recent examples, including the BA and OST’s Cognitive System common language project.
View report (pdf 44KB)