Working with the public is vital to Heriot-Watt's mission to create and exchange knowledge for the benefit of society. We embed public engagement activities into academic life at the university, building on our strong history of public engagement with local, national and international communities.
Debate, Discussion & Discourse at the Edinburgh Fringe
Do you have a great idea for bringing research alive in school? Partnership Grants of up to £3000 are available to schools to enable students, aged 5 – 18, to carry out science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) projects.
We have been invited to share our robotics research at the BBC Children in Need Festival
Internal funding opportunity for public engagement with research
Showcase @ Manchester Science Festival 21 - 22 Oct 2017 We invite you, the citizen science community, to celebrate and get involved in developing a Northern Network of Citizen Scientists. The event offers the opportunity to showcase your project, get Northern participants involved and excited about the potential of citizen science over a fun weekend as part of The Manchester Science Festival.
Applications are now open to exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2018
The Economic and Social Research Council, in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, via the impact acceleration account (IAA) funding, invites applications for its parliamentary academic fellowship scheme. This enables researchers from different subject areas and at any career stage to forge useful and lasting connections with decision makers in parliament. Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for researchers to learn about how research feeds into practice and the challenges faced by decision-makers. The scheme has five main benefits: •improve the awareness of academic research within parliament and more systematically to learn about and benefit from its findings; •support parliamentary offices to expand their engagement with academic stakeholders in order to enrich and promote law-making, scrutiny and democratic engagement; •promote knowledge and public understanding of Parliament amongst the research community; •create an alumni network of fellows that can feed into parliament’s outreach and engagement work; •enable projects identified as important by parliamentary offices, to be undertaken, that would not have otherwise been possible due to capacity or resources constraints. This is an open call route for applying to this scheme, where applicants propose a project of their choosing. This can be on any topic and related to any area of parliament. Applicants must demonstrate clear relevance to the work of parliament. Academics employed at a UK HEI that holds either an ESRC or EPSRC IAA may apply. There is no limit on the number of applications that individual or institutions, or IAA holders, can put forward for the scheme. Successful fellowships will be funded through IAA. There is no restriction on the duration of fellowships and it is expected that the duration of each fellowship will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Fellowships are generally expected to have a duration of a minimum of one month and not exceed one year.
Taking place in Brighton from 5-9 September, the Festival will be co-hosted by the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, with a focus on showcasing cutting-edge science. Thousands of people come together to celebrate the latest developments in science and to engage in open discussion about issues that affect our culture and society.
The Directorate-General for Education and Culture invites registrations for the Altiero Spinelli prize for outreach – spreading knowledge about Europe. This recognises contributions that effectively and objectively communicate the founding values, history, actions, key benefits and empowerments of the EU to citizens. They should also enhance the citizens' understanding of the EU, broaden the ownership of the European project and build trust in the EU's capacity to hold the promise of a better future for all. Individuals and groups based in EU member states may apply. Individuals must have a master’s degree and be affiliated with an academic institution, organisation, civil society organisation, company or another legal entity. Eligible participants include scholars, scientists, writers, journalists, artists and all kinds of other actors who can contribute to articulating what Europe stands for today and tomorrow. There are six first prizes worth €50,000 each, six second prizes worth €30,000 each and 10 third prizes worth €17,000 each.
The BES actively encourage their members to promote ecological science to a wide audience and offer grants of up to £2,00
When: 12 September 2017 (full day course) Where: Charles Darwin House 2, 107 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8TZ What: This course will provide participants with an understanding of what public engagement is and what's in it for them. Participants will gain awareness of a range of public engagement opportunities available, and gain confidence in taking the first steps towards undertaking public engagement activities.
Get involved in Scotland’s biggest celebration of science! This is an open call offering you the chance to be part of the 2018 Edinburgh International Science Festival, which will run from 31 March–15 April. Our call is open to anyone – individuals, groups or organisations – with bright ideas and a passion for communicating them.
Whats the evidence?
Ingenious is an awards scheme for projects that engage the public with engineers and engineering. Funding is available from £3,000 to £30,000.
Sense about Science is running a Standing up for Science media workshop at the University of Edinburgh on Friday 22 September 2017. This full day event is FREE and for all STEM early career researchers and scientists (PhD students, post-docs or equivalent in first job). Join us to find out how to make your voice heard in public debates about science. Meet scientists who have engaged with the media and learn from respected science journalists about how the media works, how to respond and comment, and what journalists expect from scientists
The UK Space Agency invites applications for its education and outreach opportunity. This enables organisations to run schemes that support the education and outreach aims and objectives of the UK Space Agency’s exploration programme. It aims to build upon the agency’s investment in earth observation, the satellite launch programme and the James Webb space telescope, as well as other programme areas, although these will be given lower priority. Proposals may link to any element of these areas, including: •computing and digital programmes; •engineering; •science; •other topics where space provides the context for learning. The total budget is worth up to £140,000 to fund between two and four awards. Funding may cover contributions to salaries, costs of materials and travel and subsistence.
The Society wishes to support scientific outreach activities that communicate the excitement of molecular bioscience to young people and the community. Applications are invited for sums up to £1000 to assist with the direct costs associated with an event and expenses incurred (e.g. transport and/or teacher cover). The Biochemical Society must be acknowledged at the event and in the resources produced. Copies of all materials generated should be submitted to the Society to disseminate to others where appropriate. A short report of the activity and an evaluation is a condition of the grant. Applicants will not be eligible to apply for future Scientific Outreach Grants until a report and evaluation is complete. There are two round of applications per year, in September and April. Applications for the current round are now open. The deadline for this round of applications is the end of the day on Friday 22 September.
HWU Sponsored Science Festival in the Borders. Contact HWEngage for more information
The Lyell Centre will be opening its doors to share our research with the public
As part of the annual EU Researchers’ Night, Explorathon is back! This year’s event will be running in venues across Edinburgh on Friday 29th September, and we aim to build on the success of previous years, creating opportunities for researchers from all disciplines to share and discuss their work with a range of audiences.
The British Society for Geomorphology invites applications for its geomorphological outreach grant. This enables members to organise geomorphological outreach activities involving schools, the general public or industry. Any activity that will bring greater public understanding, engagement and discussion of geomorphology, particularly those attracting media attention are encouraged. Members of the society may apply. Grants are worth up to £1,000 each. Funding covers consumables for the development of geomorphological demonstrations, hire of equipment, attendance costs at events and costs of producing education packs.
TOULOUSE HOSTS ESOF AND BECOMES EUROPEAN CITY OF SCIENCE 2018! evel. Parallel to the EuroScience Open Forum, the Science in the City Festival will invest the city and its surroundings. As a free event, Science in the City Festival is aimed at people of all ages who are curious about science and innovation.
The Palaeontological Association invites applications for its engagement grants. These encourage educational outreach, public engagement and related initiatives in paleontological themes. Grants may support stand-alone complete projects or proof of concept case studies that have their own outcomes but form the groundwork for a larger bid elsewhere. The principal applicant must be a member of the association. Preference is given to applicants who have not previously won the award. Grants are usually worth up to £5,000 but a budget worth up to £15,000 may be considered in exceptional cases.
The British Institute for the Study of Iraq invites applications for its outreach grants. These support public engagement projects that promote a greater understanding of Iraq’s history, society and culture, for example lectures, publications and arts projects. Applicants should normally be resident in the UK, and preference is given to activities taking place in the UK or Iraq. Grants are worth up to £1,000 each.
The Microbiology Society invites applications for its education and outreach grants. These support relevant science teaching or promotion initiatives, or developments likely to lead to an improvement in the teaching of any aspect of microbiology. For full and postgraduate student members these may support a variety of educational outreach activities to promote public engagement with microbiology. For full concessionary members working at schools these may support: •organising a visit to or from a working microbiologist; •running a school- or college-based science week activity; •supporting microbiology activities in an out-of-school science club; •buying materials and equipment outside of normal department resources to support a microbiology activity; •a class visit to a microbiology laboratory to carry out activities. Applications from full, full concessionary or postgraduate student members residing in the UK or Ireland are welcomed. Applications relevant to the teaching of any aspect of microbiology in primary, secondary or tertiary, including postgraduate, will be considered. Awards are worth up to £1,000 each, and may cover costs for teaching materials and equipment, visits and salaries.
The Royal Society of Chemistry invites applications for its outreach fund – small grants. These provide financial support to members, individuals and organisations in order to enable them to run chemistry-based public and schools engagement activities. The trust aims to support projects that: •maximise our members' outreach and engagement contribution; •offer teachers a range of effective curriculum-enriching activities and opportunities to further engage their students with outreach; •provide hard-to-reach student audiences with inspiring chemistry engagement opportunities, delivered or coordinated by skilled people; •increase chemistry and chemists' influence in public discourse and decision-making. Applicants may include society members, member-led groups, researchers in academia or industry, museums, community groups, non-profit organisations, arts groups and libraries. Activities must take place within the UK or Republic of Ireland. Small grants are worth up to £2,000.
The IOP Physics Communicators Group invites applications from people at the start of their careers in physics who have undertaken activities that support and encourage excellent communication of physics. The prize is called ‘The Early Career Physics Communicator Award’, and is offered annually
Opportunity to share your research at a range of community venues
Fun Palaces is an ongoing campaign for culture at the heart of every community, with participation led by, for and with local people. The 2017 Fun Palaces weekend is 7th-8th October. Anyone and everyone – anywhere – is welcome to make a Fun Palace. The guidelines are that each Fun Palace is : Free (for people to participate) Local (ideally made by local people, for local people) Innovative (a space or a place doing something they don’t usually do) Transformative (changes the nature of the place it happened in) Engaging (so there is something for everyone, all ages, all abilities, to DO, not just observe/audience) Fun Palaces Scotland has been set up to coordinate Scottish Fun Palaces. Keep an eye out for their preparatory meetings in 2017.
Are you interested in undertaking public engagement but don’t know where to start? Sign up for the BES training course and learn some of the skills required to effectively communicate your science to a diverse audience.
We are excited to announce that submissions are now open to be a part of Cheltenham Science Festival 2018 which takes place from the 5th to the 10th of June. For those that don't know us, the Festival is a 6-day celebration of science, jam-packed with thought-provoking discussions, energetic schools shows, hands-on workshops, mindblowing performances and interactive exhibitions. In 2017, we ran a programme of over 150 public events, 50 school events and a range of hands-on drop in spaces. We issued over 40,000 tickets, saw over 25,000 visits to free drop in spaces, and had over 7000 visits to free activities in the town centre. We are looking for fresh ideas to create a varied and engaging programme covering a wide range of topics and themes. We are keen to trial new formats and inventive ways of exploring science, and to attract audiences who would not normally consider attending a Science Festival. We are accepting submissions from individuals, groups and organisations to take part in events, one of our interactive hands-on spaces, or an activity in the town centre.
A half-day workshop and briefing for journalists and media professionals interested in science, religion and society. Monday 9 October 2017 12:00 – 17:30 followed by a drinks reception Dana Studio, Wellcome Wolfson Building, 165 Queen’s Gate, London, SW7 5HD The event will introduce new research findings of the major multidisciplinary project Science & Religion: Exploring the Spectrum, discuss their implications for science and religion debates, and explore the role of empirical data and nuanced debate in mainstream media narratives. Following on from the preliminary results launched at this year’s British Science Festival, this workshop will introduce and explore in-depth the findings of the project’s nationally representative surveys on evolution and religion, conducted by YouGov in the UK and Canada. The results of which show that the majority of people across the UK (71%) and Canada (60%), including those who self-identify as religious or spiritual, accept evolutionary or theistic evolutionary accounts of the origin of species. Only 9% of UK respondents selected “Humans and other living things were created by God and have always existed in their current form”. The number of respondents endorsing this ‘creationist’ position in the UK was lower than previous surveys have indicated. This is significantly lower than similar surveys in the USA, which suggest that around 1 in 4 Americans support a creationist position. The workshop will introduce new fascinating data from these surveys, and in light of the findings will discuss more broadly science and religion in the media. Sessions will feature: Professor Fern Elsdon-Baker (Newman University), Martin Redfern (Freelance/former senior producer, BBC Radio Science Unit), Graham Lawton (New Scientist) Dr Alexander Hall (Newman University), Professor Aaqil Ahmed (University of Bolton, Media Consultant and former Head of Religion & Ethics at BBC and Channel 4), Nick Spencer (Theos Think Tank), and Catherine Pepinster (religious affairs writer and former Editor of The Tablet). A full schedule can be found here: https://sciencereligionspectrum.org/engage/events/how-should-we-talk-about-evolution/ Limited travel bursaries are available for early career, freelance or non-salaried attendees. If you would like to be considered for one of these, please email alexander.hall@newman.ac.uk . Places are limited, please RSVP to press@britishscienceassociation.org by no later than 5th October 2017 and include your name, affiliation/organisation/institution, and any dietary requirements.
A half-day workshop and briefing for journalists and media professionals interested in science, religion and society. Monday 9 October 2017 12:00 – 17:30 followed by a drinks reception Dana Studio, Wellcome Wolfson Building, 165 Queen’s Gate, London, SW7 5HD The event will introduce new research findings of the major multidisciplinary project Science & Religion: Exploring the Spectrum, discuss their implications for science and religion debates, and explore the role of empirical data and nuanced debate in mainstream media narratives. Following on from the preliminary results launched at this year’s British Science Festival, this workshop will introduce and explore in-depth the findings of the project’s nationally representative surveys on evolution and religion, conducted by YouGov in the UK and Canada. The results of which show that the majority of people across the UK (71%) and Canada (60%), including those who self-identify as religious or spiritual, accept evolutionary or theistic evolutionary accounts of the origin of species. Only 9% of UK respondents selected “Humans and other living things were created by God and have always existed in their current form”. The number of respondents endorsing this ‘creationist’ position in the UK was lower than previous surveys have indicated. This is significantly lower than similar surveys in the USA, which suggest that around 1 in 4 Americans support a creationist position. The workshop will introduce new fascinating data from these surveys, and in light of the findings will discuss more broadly science and religion in the media.
Where: Royal Society of Biology, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London, WC1N 2JU Award-winning science broadcaster Richard Hollingham presents this introductory hands-on course on how to podcast - from getting good quality sound and content - to getting your podcast online and heard. Following the success of previous courses in 2016 and 2017, the Society continues to offer this one-day introductory course, for those interested in communicating science via podcast. Podcasting may sound effortless but it requires plenty of effort to produce something that sounds natural, engaging and informative. The aim of this course is to get people understanding audio recording, how to get your science across, and what works best when there are no visuals. Richard explores different styles of podcasting and during the day small groups will work in teams as reporter/ interviewee/ producer to produce their own short audio piece. Audio equipment is supplied (but feel free to bring your own recording device if you have one) and, though not an editing course, we will cover the theoretical basics of audio editing and recording. The course will make people think about how best to communicate science and help you appreciate what it's like to be on both sides of the microphone.
Taylor and Francis are hosting a free webinar on October 12th at 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM BST for academics who are looking to learn more about engaging with the media including how and why they should. Please feel free to forward this over to anyone who may find it useful! The webinar will provide insight and guidance from our expert panel on, including: Advice on engaging with the media in the era of "fake news" Tips on how to communicate with the press How to get research into the media There will also be the opportunity to ask questions to our panelists during the live webinar. Our guest speakers represent key global media organisations, including: Caroline Southey, The Conversation Africa Caroline is Editor of The Conversation Africa, an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public. Lyndal Byford, Australian Science Media Centre Lyndal is the Acting CEO at the Australian Science Media Centre. She spends her days turning complex science papers into digestible research to help mainstream news journalists cover science. Fran Abrams, Education Media Centre Fran is Joint CEO of the UK-based Education Media Centre, a charity set up to improve the public and media understanding of research and evidence.
New ideas, new voices and new creativity are being sought for the 2018 New Generation Thinkers scheme. The Arts and Humanities Research Council and BBC Radio 3 are keen to hear from academics that are passionate about communicating their research and have a keen interest in working with a variety of media from blogging to TV. It is now open to researchers who work in areas of social sciences and medical science whose work intersects with the arts and humanities.
Engineers Wanted: Imagineer Funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, "Imagineer" is an exciting new theatre show which explores the past, present and future of engineering. The project has brought together Glasgow Science Festival, engineers, actors and a musician for a truly collaborative venture. The aim is to showcase the diversity of engineering and to stimulate debate around tricky subjects On Friday 13 October, we will be performing a 15-minute 'taster' of the show will it is still in development. The taster will be followed by an opportunity to provide feedback on the show, to help inform the rest of the script development before final performances this December. We would like to invite engineers to join us for this after-work taster. We'd like as many engineers as possible to feedback on the show and share their views. The taster will take place at the University of Glasgow, Boyd Orr Building, LT1. Refreshments will be provided at 6pm, with the performance commencing at 6.30pm.
Beltane Breakfasts and Twilights are informal meetings where people from Edinburgh's universities can come to find out more and share information about specific public engagement topics. At this Beltane Breakfast, it's a chance to meet the new Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) Screenwriter-in-Residence, Nicole Taylor! The EIFF Screenwriter-in-Residence work with the universities in Edinburgh for an academic year. During this time, the screenwriter works with researchers to develop ideas and content for screenplays. The aim is to spark new ideas and to make sure research is represented - and done so well - on screen. The EIFF selects the screenwriter, who must have been born and/or now reside in Scotland. Nicole is a a Glasgow-born screenwriter who is now based in London. She most recently wrote BBC One’s three-part series Three Girls about the Rochdale grooming scandal. We are thrilled to have such a high calibre professional working across our universities this year! The residency is funded by the Wellcome Trust, so there is a focus on science, health and the human condition. The latter, in particular, can cover a multitude of research areas and questions across a range of disciplines, so please do not automatically assume your research is not relevant!
he Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council invites expressions of interest for their showcase event, to be held on 21 February 2018 in London. Funding supports researchers in organising exhibits and activities showcasing their EPSRC-funded projects at the event addressing industry, government departments and researchers. The aim is to engage a range of audiences with the social, cultural and economic impact of EPSRC investments and to demonstrate how fundamental science helps drive innovation and promote the value of multidisciplinary research. Projects should align with one of the four EPSRC prosperity outcomes: •connected nation; •healthy nation; •resilient nation; •productive nation. EPSRC-funded researchers may apply. Funding covers the costs for the development of the exhibits and any travel and associated costs for attendance on the day.
Do you have experience of engaging the public with genome editing or related fields? Are you a researcher in the field of genome editing? If so, we need your help! The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), working in partnership with the Wellcome Genome Campus (WGC), has been funded by Wellcome to deliver the Genome Editing Public Engagement Synergy (GEPES) programme. The goal is to develop innovation and collective impact in public engagement within genome editing. We aim to bring together those with experience of engaging (or supporting others to engage) the public in genome editing and related fields, to synthesise learning, create tools to be shared, and to encourage high quality public engagement. Genome editing (or gene editing) refers to the precise modification of a selected DNA sequence in a living cell. This area of research has potential for application in a wide range of areas in human, animal and environmental health. Given the transformative nature of this research, there are profound challenges in ensuring that the public are effectively engaged in both basic and clinical research, challenges which are made more urgent by the pace of discovery in this particular research area. The NCCPE recently started a mapping exercise to better understand current and planned activity which seeks to engage the public with this fast moving area of research. From this mapping, it appears that: the bulk of our activity may be targeted at inspiring an already interested public with genome editing; engagement with broader audiences is typically facilitated through the media, partnerships with schools or public dialogues; genome editing technologies are being used as a focal point to inspire audiences, however it isn’t currently clear if we were engaging people with ethical considerations/implications of using these tools. We are curious to find out whether these suggestions are in fact the case – and keen to hear from people working in this area to better understand the texture of the landscape.
STFC Spark Award holders undertake high quality programmes of novel public engagement that inspire and involve target audiences with stories of STFC science and technology.
The Spark Awards scheme aims to support high quality programmes of public engagement that inspire and involve audiences with stories of STFC science and technology. Grants of up to £15k are available. Proposed engagement programmes must clearly focus around the remit of the STFC science programme (astronomy, solar and planetary science, particle physics, particle astrophysics, cosmology, nuclear physics and accelerator science) or clearly and demonstrably align to the science and technology work of STFC’s national and international laboratories and facilities. Applicants should make clear how their application relates to the aims of the STFC Public Engagement Strategy Applicants may choose which audiences to engage with and the methods of engagement. However, applications that propose engagement with audiences considered to have a low ‘science capital’ are encouraged. In addition, applications that highlight the social, ethical, and economic benefits of research are welcomed. Before submitting your application you are encouraged to contact the STFC Public Engagement Team to discuss your ideas.
Writing an application for a new project and want to write meaningful outcomes? Want help with setting useful indicators? Or maybe you knew about all this but have got confused! This stimulating workshop gets you started by explaining what outcomes and indicators are and how they can help you to explain the difference your work makes. It will give you clarity on the building blocks of evaluation and includes lots of time for working on your own projects.
A 16-day series of events celebrating science through hands-on activities and demonstrations, designed to engage and inspire the whole community.
The Royal Society of Chemistry Inclusion and Diversity Fund provides financial support for innovative products, activities and research projects that promote inclusion and diversity in the chemical science community. We will consider individual applications up to the value of £2,000. Applications can be submitted throughout the year, but funding decisions will only be made twice a year.
The Royal Society of Biology and STEM Learning are partnering to provide an exciting new public engagement training event for 2017. This event is free and is open to RSB members and STEM ambassadors to attend. There will be an opportunity to learn about public engagement and science outreach, to share knowledge and network. RSB members can learn about opportunities available through becoming a STEM ambassador and STEM ambassadors can learn about RSB's work as a professional body. The training will also cover wider opportunities to work and volunteer in science communication and public engagement, including outreach work with schools, universities or employers. The afternoon will include an opportunity to learn how to deliver some simple hands-on science outreach activities and to practice this as part of a group, as well as discussing how to share your own science activities by outreach and engagement. Places are limited to a maximum of 30 and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance and will be able to take away one of the RSB's Gopher Science Lab resources booklets. For more activity ideas, the RSB has recently launched an online training course on Gopher Science Lab activities, which is available via myLearning. For further information about this event please contact RSB's senior outreach officer Amanda at amanda.hardy@rsb.org.uk
STFC Nucleus Award holders undertake high quality programmes of novel public engagement that inspire and involve target audiences with stories of STFC science and technology. Award holders may also use Nucleus Awards to create and sustain public engagement networks that develop communities of practice.
The IOP public engagement grant scheme provides up to £2000 to individuals and organisations running physics-based events and activities in the UK and Ireland. The grant scheme has two rounds each year. The second round of the 2017 scheme is now open. You can find the application from and guidance here. This grant is for projects finishing before the end of July 2018. We strongly recommend applicants get in touch with Emma Watson, outreach officer, to discuss ideas and ask questions before submission. You can get in touch by emailing engagement@iop.org. To find out more about projects we have previously funded please visit: http://www.iop.org/about/grants/outreach/page_69775.html. You can apply by completing the application form found on our website: http://www.iop.org/about/grants/outreach/page_38843.html. Application must be sent to engagement@iop.org by 12 noon on Friday 3 November 2017. Applications sent after this date will not be accepted.
The IOP public engagement grant scheme provides up to £2000 to individuals and organisations running physics-based events and activities in the UK and Ireland.
The Festival of Physics will be a two-day celebration of the role of physics in our lives, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary content that demonstrates the intersections of science and other forms of culture, and celebrates the roles of Scottish physicists in the inventions and discoveries that have shaped our world. The programme will be family- and teen-oriented during the day, with events for adults taking place during the evenings. The line-up for the festival will be announced at the beginning of September.
We'd love to hear from you. Please send questions or feedback to the below email addresses.
Before contacting us, you may wish to visit our FAQs page which has lots of useful info on Tiki-Toki.
We can be contacted by email at: hello@tiki-toki.com.
You can also follow us on twitter at twitter.com/tiki_toki.
If you are having any problems with Tiki-Toki, please contact us as at: help@tiki-toki.com
Close