August 2004
Contents
Ecsite-uk AGM 2004 is in Plymouth
Space science show offered free by the BBC
the BA invites participation in 'DISC'
Raising the stakes in fundraising - seminar proceedings online
It will soon be dark in Birmingham!
Diary Dates: Ecsite-uk AGM; Bridging Barriers Forum on People Nature; Entente Cordiale Scientifique
News from the Ecsite-uk Office
The AGM 2004 is in Plymouth
Wednesday 8 September, 10am thru lunch.
This year's AGM is hosted by the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth, a hop-skip-jump from the campus of Exeter University where this year's BA Festival of Science will be held.
Our meeting in Plymouth will combine essential AGM business with an examination and discussion of opportunities for sector-wide collaboration - informed by the Government Spending Review (announced 12 July) and the new OST Grant Scheme, 'Sciencewise' (formally launched by Lord Sainsbury at the BA Festival of Science on 6th September at Exeter University).
Details and registration at [archived page - link removed]
BA Festival of Science details at [archived link - may not work] www.the-ba.net
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
Space science show offered free by the BBC
This Autumn BBC1 will be taking people on a journey into space. Space Odyssey is a drama documentary following a team of astronauts as they explore the solar system. Whilst the drama is fictional, the program is based on fact, and there has been a huge amount of research to ensure that the scenarios and experiments are feasible from our knowledge of the planets.
The series producer, Chris Riley, whose career has seen him present and produce numerous TV and radio programs as well as authoring a number of books, will be presenting a live show based on the science of the series. This show will be launched in November, and we are looking for potential venues. We are looking for partners who can host a family based show (preferably with live demonstrations).
Please note that the show is to be offered free to the public. If your venue charges admission, we would need to find a way of ensuring that those families who did not want to combine a visit to your venue with the lecture would be able to do so. The BBC would provide the lecture, presenter, materials for the demonstrations and will help with the advertising.
Expressions of interest should be sent to sophie.duncan@bbc.co.uk by 19 August.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
the BA invites participation in 'DISC'
DISC (delivering inclusion in science communication) is creating sustainable partnerships between ethnic minority groups and the science communication community, and is a national initiative of the African-Caribbean Network for Science & Technology (ACNST) and the BA.
You are invited to participate in one of three workshops to take place over the next few months to share success stories, and determine barriers and limitations that the science communication community faces in working with ethnic minority groups. The workshops, run in parallel with workshops with ethnic minority groups, will lead to web-based resources of contacts and good practice guidelines. Next year the representatives from the two communities will come together to network and share ideas and challenges.
DISC needs your input in two ways:
- attend one of the workshops - visit [archived link - may not work] www.the-ba.net/scicomm and follow the links to DISC
- complete a questionnaire, available at [archived link - may not work] www.the-ba.net/scicomm, which will help shape the workshops this year.
For further details, contact Nick.Hillier@the-ba.net
RESOURCE
Raising the stakes in fundraising - seminar proceedings online
This Specialist Seminar offered Senior Managers the opportunity to tap the experience and expertise of UK leaders in fundraising for science and cultural organisations.
Organised by Ecsite-uk with support from the Wellcome Trust, the seminar presentations are now available to all e-news readers at:
www.sciencecentres.org.uk/resources/spec_seminar_fundraising.html
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
It will soon be dark in Birmingham!
Are you ready to enter The Dark? The interactive installation 'The Dark' will descend on Millennium Point, Birmingham from 1st September for 3 months.
Expect to feel unnerved by the disorienting experience of being in a completely darkened room. Expect also a unique exploratory experience in a specially created three-dimensional audio environment in which the echoes of virtual ghosts inhabit a haunted soundscape.
The Dark can also be explored online (using a computer with sound capabilities, broadband internet access and headphones) at
www.thedark.net/threethings.htm [archived - link removed]
More details on the exhibition at www.thedark.net [archived - link removed]
DIARY DATES
Ecsite-uk AGM
8 September, 2004, Plymouth
See 'The AGM 2004 is in Plymouth', above.
Bridging Barriers Forum
4 November 2004, London
The third meeting of the Bridging Barriers Forum on People Nature will be held at The London Wetland Centre, Barnes, 10am to 4.30pm.
The Forum invites educators and communicators working to improve the interpretation of people/nature for public audiences, to a meeting featuring
- Film screening and discussion with Mohawk activist and film-maker Danny Beaton
- Workshop to help identify and overcome 'people nature' barriers in public education work
- Guided tour of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's London Wetland Centre.
The event will be held courtesy of the London Wetland Centre / WWT and The Living Rainforest, in association with the Royal Parks Agency, The Holly Lodge Centre, Ecsite-uk and BGEN.
For more information, including how to book, please visit [archived link - may not work] www.peoplenature.org or email info@peoplenature.org
Entente Cordiale Scientifique
18 September 2004, Paris
A one-day meeting on the history of physics will take place on Saturday 18 September in ESPCI, rue Vauquelin Paris, in the heart of the Latin Quarter, redolent with the memory of many historic physicists. The relevant boards of both the Institute of Physics (London) and the European Physical Society will participate. Distinguished speakers will address the main themes: science museums and outreach and the life of Néel and 20th C materials science, particularly in France.
This is a Joint Open Meeting of the IOP and EPS Committees for the History of Physics.
For details and registration, see:
Archived page - link removed
Ecsite-uk
Dr Melanie Quin, Executive Director Ecsite-uk: the Science and Discovery Centre Network
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