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Contents
News from the Ecsite-uk Office: data from science and discovery
centres
Developments in the sector: Copus grant schemes 2002/03
Resources: practical guidelines to doing dialogue
News from the regions: At-Bristol seeks Director of
Exhibitions and Programmes
Diary Dates: November 14-16th Ecsite annual conference
News from the Ecsite-uk Office: data from science and discovery centres
Many thanks to the 25 science and discovery centres who contributed to the data-collection exercise.
I’m currently graphing the info and finding interesting trends in, eg, operational cost per visitor. As last year, the data set and analysis will be copied to all who contributed to it (with names stripped out to preserve confidentiality).
Anyone, who has not contributed yet, but would like the data set, please ask
for and complete the questionnaire asap
enquiries@ecsite-uk.net
Developments in the sector: Copus grant schemes 2002/03
Grants of £500 to £20,000 are now available through the Copus Grant
Schemes 2002/2003 for projects to engage people with the contemporary issues and
ideas linked with science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine.
Science communication projects that meet one or
more of the following funding priorities:
+ Science in Society
+ Under-represented Audiences
+ Collaboration
+ Good practice in science communication
Full details are provided in the Terms and Conditions and Guidelines
included in the application pack available at
www.copus.org.uk/grants_about.html [ archived link - may not be active ]
Resources: practical guidelines to doing dialogue are the subject of this month’s ‘Think Bubble’
The ‘Science and Society’ report published by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, February 2000, recommended:
‘That direct dialogue with the public should move from being an optional add-on to science-based policy making and to the activities of research organisations and learned institutions, and should become a normal and integral part of the process.’
Fine in theory, but what of the practice? ‘Dialogue with the public: Practical guidelines’ (produced by People Science & Policy Ltd for the Research Councils UK and the Office of Science and Technology) addresses this question.
The guide is intended primarily for those relatively new to communicating science or who are now moving from a monologue approach to a dialogue style, so it may cover some ground that’s already familiar. But the ‘Guidelines’ and ‘Organiser’s Checklist’ in each chapter provide a useful prompt for ALL practising communicators seeking to increase opportunities for dialogue and exchanges of ideas and views.
The 53-page Practical Guidelines can be downloaded (pdf or Word) at
www.research-councils.ac.uk/guidelines/dialogue [archived page - link removed]
News from the regions: At-Bristol seeks Director of Exhibitions and Programmes
At-Bristol are currently looking to a recruit a Director of Exhibitions and
Programmes to join their senior management team to help fulfil the At-Bristol
mission to engage all sections of the community in science and natural history
by being a world-class visitor attraction. Your remit would include leading and
delivering the whole of At-Bristol's exhibition and exhibition-related projects,
and development of the whole of At-Bristol's education and general visitor programmes.
Diary Dates: November 14-16th Ecsite annual conference
Ecsite's 2002 Annual Conference will be 14-16th November, at South Kensington.
There’s still time to register for Ecsite's 2002 Annual Conference, 14-16th November, at South Kensington – the first time the European conference has been held in England (Luleå last year; Naples in 2000; Prague 1999; Lisbon 1998¦ The Hague 1990).
Hosted jointly by the Natural History Museum and Science Museum, it is already the biggest Ecsite conference ever: over 470 registered participants from 35 countries; major thematic sessions on ‘Challenges of Life Sciences’, ‘Vision 2020: the Future of Science and Technology’, and ‘The role for science centres/museums in Sustainable Development and Biodiversity’; over 50 panel sessions, workshops and museum-insight tours; a gala dinner with NHM’s dinosaurs, and a Thames River Cruise to round things off!
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