OCTOBER 2006
Contents
Space activities for Girlguiding UK
Flag your events for Young Engineers
National Brain Science Writing Prize
Marine Biodiversity Competition
Rising to the Challenge in Scotland
NEWS FROM ECSITE-UK
AGM in Norwich
Elections to the Committee were conducted, advocacy strategy was debated, and participants visited one of Ecsite's bijou members: Inspire science centre.
Minutes and 2005 accounts on the AGM minutes page of this site.
Comments and queries to enquiries@ecsite-uk.net by the end of October, please.
NEWS FROM ECSITE-UK
Space activities for Girlguiding UK
Supported by PPARC, Ecsite-uk in partnership with Girlguiding UK, the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, space scientists & astronomers, and the European Space Agency, has developed a new set of science resources for Girlguiding UK members. The new 'Go For It! Space' materials were featured in the August edition of Guiding magazine, which is received by over 70,000 members. They can also be downloaded for free from the Guides section of the Girlguiding UK website [link removed]
Other Ecsite-uk members who have contributed towards this resource and held special Go For It! with sciZmic Space days during 2005/6 are: Glasgow Science Centre, W5, MSI in Manchester, National Museums Liverpool, Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre, Eureka! The Museum for Children, Thinktank, National Space Centre, National Museums and Galleries of Wales (Cardiff & Swansea), At-Bristol, the Observatory Science Centre and the National Maritime Museum/Royal Observatory Greenwich.
Ecsite-uk are also working with Girlguiding UK to develop support materials and training to accompany ‘Go For It! Space’, and there will also be a web area listing special events for Girlguiding UK members.
If your science centre/museum is running science-based activities for members of Girlguiding UK (Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Guiders etc.) and would like them to be listed in this area please contact Louise Webb. We are also keen to hear about any other activities or events for other youth organisations.
Related links/previous news:
- Ecsite-uk activities and_events page
- MBE for Girl Guide Role Model
- Ecsite-uk is working with Girlguiding UK
- sciZmic space activities for Girlguiding UK
NEWS FROM ECSITE IN BRUSSELS
Ecsite AC2007 announced
The first announcement for the Annual Conference 2007 was mailed electronically, with a call for session proposals, on 20 September.
Ecsite Annual Conference Announcement (PDF, 360K - press ESC to get out of full-screen mode)
The conference will be hosted by the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon, 31 May to 2 June, 2007.
Session proposals must be submitted by 1 November. For a proposal form, contact Aliki Giannakopoulou, Conference and Communications Coordinator: agiannakopoulou@ecsite.net
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
Flag your events for Young Engineers
The Young Engineers Club Network is keen to keep club leaders (teachers) informed of all the quality SET activities available, so that they
can choose activities that suit their students’ interests and their
schedule.
Science centres are invited to use the Young Engineers Events Calendar to flag up any competitions, events or training sessions (aimed at teachers) with a SET theme. This will give:
- Free advertising of your events across the growing network of club leaders
- A link from the calendar to the event details on your own website
- Your event will also be highlighted in the ‘What’s New’ section of the website’s homepage
The open version of the Events Calendar can be viewed at
www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=84
For details of the Young Engineers Club Network, and to make calendar submissions, contact Elizabeth Grafton, Young Engineers Clubs Manager, at lil-grafton@youngeng.org and 01428 727294
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
National Brain Science Writing Prize
Do you have a passion for brains? Could you, or your staff, or your visitors, write a newspaper-style article celebrating some aspect of the amazing world of brain-science?
Well now’s your chance...
At-Bristol and their ‘Amazing Brain’ website, in partnership with The European Dana Alliance for the Brain and The British Neuroscience Association are inviting entries for The 2006 National Brain Science Writing Prize.
The competition judges are looking for a truly engaging newspaper-style science article of around 650 words on the subject of brain science (including all areas of neuroscience, experimental psychology and brain-related ethics). The articles should be lively, scientifically accurate and aimed at a general public audience.
Closing date: 31 Oct 2006
The winners will have their articles published and receive a cash prize. Full details can be found at: [archived - link removed]
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
Marine Biodiversity Competition
MarBEF (Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning) has recently launched three competitions (Drawing, Mascot design and a Photographic competition) to promote marine biodiversity to children and young adults around Europe on the outreach website: www.marbef.org/outreach/kids/competition.php
The winners can choose their prizes up to a value of €100 where the prize must be connected to the area of marine biodiversity (DVDs, books, activity sets etc.)
Please pass on this link to anyone you know that may be interested in entering!
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
Rising to the Challenge in Scotland
The theme of this year’s visitor attraction conference Scotland is ‘Rising to the Challenge’, 7-8 November. We operate in a changing and challenging environment – so we need to be ready and that means thinking about what some of those challenges might be.
The topics being covered are varied, and the speakers have been chosen for their expertise – they include Alan Friedman, former director and now consultant to the New York Hall of Science, speaking on ’The Great Sustainability Challenge – Financial, Intellectual & Social’.
Contact Eva McDiarmid, eva@asva.co.uk, www.asva.co.uk
DIARY DATES
Conference of Visitor Attractions
11 October, London
The Third National Conference of Visitor Attractions, will be held at the QE11 Centre on 11th October.
The main themes are: ‘Attracting Tomorrow's Customers’ and ‘Improving our Attractions’.
Before and after the main plenary sessions there will be four specialist Seminars, addressing the topics: The Cultural Olympiad, The Law and Attractions, Gift Aid reviewing how to succeed under the new rules, and a chance to compare performance with the latest Industry Data.
This is not a commercial conference, it is run by the industry, for the industry. It is a prime networking opportunity: around 400 delegates attended on each of the first two years.
More details of the event and arrangements for booking can be found here on the website: www.vac2006.co.uk
Fundraising made simple
14-15 November, Stroud
Thanks to generous support from the Potential Trust, Ecsite-uk is able to invite participants to a free 36-hour workshop, 14-15 November 2006, at Hawkwood College, Stroud.
‘KISS Fundraising’ is an inspirational course delivered by Sir Christopher Ball who has led, planned or advised over 20 successful fundraising campaigns in the last 25 years in the fields of education, social welfare, medicine and the arts. It is designed for ‘fundraising newbies’ – people near the middle of larger organisations or near the top of smaller ones, whose job includes a fundraising remit.
The course is in three parts:
- The fundamental principles of fundraising
- Some examples of success
- Planning your fundraising project.
KISS guarantees that you will raise at least £10,000 within a year, provided you put into practice what you learn.
The event is free to participants as the Trust will pay for meals and accommodation, plus a fee to Christopher. In exchange the Trust asks that any participating organisation that manages to raise over £5,000 within the year makes a donation of £500 to the Trust. It should be a win-win situation!
For details and to book a place, contact us
engage in the visual arts
15-17 November, Manchester
This year’s conference at the Whitworth Art Gallery and Cornerhouse, Manchester, will examine the changing role of galleries and museums. No longer simply the keepers and presenters of art, culture and heritage for a select, informed audience, they now have a greatly expanded role: broadening cultural access, offering a wide range of educational programmes and responding to social, educational and political agendas.
engage International Conference is for colleagues from across the visual arts, cultural and education sectors, at all stages of their careers.
For details, see [archived page - link removed]
Futurelab conference
Spaces, Places and Future Learning:
Using innovative technology and practice to re-imagine learning spaces
1-2 November, London
Rich Mix, London (www.richmix.org.uk)
This two-day conference organised by Futurelab will provide an opportunity to challenge our preconceptions of the places in which we learn, both in and outside of school, and to re-imagine how they could be designed through the use of technology and innovative practice. With projects such as Building Schools for the Future (BSF) currently on the horizon, the conference will give delegates a timely opportunity to re-examine what we want our schools to be in the future and to ensure that any new set-up, in terms of both building and infrastructure, will fulfil learners’ needs now and in the future. It will also provide an opportunity to consider potential learning environments outside of school as well as to discuss learners of all ages.
Speakers include Lord David Puttnam, former film producer and BAFTA Academy Fellow for 2006; Bruce Jilk, Educational Consultant and CEFPI Planner of the Year for 2005; Edith Ackermann, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Jeffrey Revoy, Senior Director of Yahoo! Europe Search and Local; and Steve Moss, Partnerships for Schools (Building Schools of the Future).
For further information and to book your place please contact Futurelab on 0117 915 8200 or go to [archived page - link removed] where you can book online.
Science and Society: Closing the Gap
19-21 January 2007, Boston MA
A conference to explore the critical role of science and technology in today’s world and develop strategies for better informing and involving the general public.
Science + Society: Closing the Gap is an important addition to the international calendar of science-related conferences. It's one of the first to involve the public in a high-level conversation—with scientists, educators, media professionals, policymakers and others—about effective and practical ways to improve science communication and enhance science literacy. Rather than target a specific group or membership, Science + Society invites the widest range of stakeholders to the table, recognizing that success depends on cooperation and conversation not only across disciplines but also between the scientific community and the public it serves.
The conference is free, but space is limited.
Details and registration at:
www.scienceandsocietyconference.com
Ecsite-uk
Dr Melanie Quin, Executive Director
Ecsite-uk: the Network of Science Centres and Museums
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