Call for case studies - by 12/11/10

Toby Shannon from the British Science Association writes:

Have you completed a project working with ‘unusual’ audiences or reaching them in ‘unusual’ ways?

As part of a project for The Science for All Expert panel set up by The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, we’re looking for 20 UK case studies that highlight excellence in engaging diverse publics with the sciences.

We would love to include some of your most unusual and diverse projects. This might involve work you have done with a group that is not perhaps generally catered for in science engagement (for example teenage mums, refugees, prisoners, certain community groups), or working with groups in less usual settings (such as music festivals, hospital wards or holiday parks).

In addition, we are seeking case studies that highlight innovative ways in which your organisations have worked with grass-roots organisations, for example Transition Towns, astronomy groups or organic food co-operatives, where the initiative is led from outside the science engagement community.

We would ask anyone who is interested in submitting a case study to send a brief summary of your project(s) to toby.shannon@britishscienceassociation.org by November 12th. Please use the format given in the example below.

20 case studies will be selected and compiled, and will form part of a ‘how-to’ guide to inspire greater creativity nationally in reaching diverse audiences , so this could be a good opportunity to gain publicity for good work you are doing in reaching new audiences . Case studies are also being sought through the science centres and other networks and the final selection will represent a broad range of UK-wide projects. Feel free to submit as many different projects as you wish, so long as they involve the sciences in their broadest form. We know ‘unusual suspects’ means different things to different people, so please use the above examples as a guide.

Selection of the 20 case studies
If your project is one of the 20 selected nationally we will ask you to fill in a short form, and then we would call you to interview you to flesh out the details.

This project is a collaboration between the British Science Association, Association of Science and Discovery Centres and the UK Science Festivals network and case studies will be sought from all sectors.

Sample project summary
Name: perspectives poster competition
Participants: Researchers and General Public
Summary: The perspectives poster competition was designed to engage researchers with the social implications of their research by creating posters which could be used to spark conversations with members of the public. The researchers were placed within a shopping centre during the British Science Festival in order to engage members of the public who would not normally attend a science event, in a non-scientific environment. The posters were designed with a minimum of text and data but to be visually arresting to inspire conversation around the research between the public and the participants.

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The British Science Association is a charity that works with members, supporters and partners towards a shared vision of a society in which people are able to access science, engage with it and feel a sense of ownership about its direction. You can find us at www.britishscienceassociation.org.

Toby Shannon
Science in Society Officer