Engagers’ Digest 7/4/2014

In this edition:

University of Bristol engagement

1.     Bristol Food Connections volunteering opportunity: apply by 17 April

2.     New public engagement stories: gender & violence, philosophical blogging and nanoscience for all

Funding and awards

3.     Society of Biology regional grant scheme: deadline 14 April

4.     Royal College of Pathologists public engagement innovation grant scheme: deadline 30 June

5.     Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) public engagement large awards: deadline 6 November

Events and training

6.     British Science Association (BSA) - Science communication conference: 1-2 May, booking deadline 27 April

7.     National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) - After the Research Excellence Framework (REF): taking stock: 6 May

8.     Bristol Institute for Research in the Humanities and Arts (BIRTHA) – Mind, brain and behaviour, is there a best way to understand pain and healing: 7 May

9.     Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) - Collaborative skills training programme – call for participants: deadline 15 May

News and opportunities

10.  Festival of Nature – naturalists wanted

11.  Festival of Nature – Wild About Chew

12.  Pervasive Media Studio’s graduate and new talent competition: deadline for applications 25 April

13.  London Science Festival: open application deadline 30 April

14.  Organise an event for National Women in Engineering Day: ongoing until 23 June

15.  The Guardian: University public engagement: 20 tips from experts in the sector

16.  British Science Association: Public attitudes to science survey results

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University of Bristol engagement

 

1. Bristol Food Connections volunteering opportunity: apply by 17 April
Bristol Food Connections is a two week food festival that will take place across Bristol from 1 – 11 May. Amongst a broad programme of events, BBC Learning will host a tent at the Harbourside full of activities related to food.

 

At the University of Bristol, we want to explore the sense of ‘taste’ and have developed some hands-on activities and a mass participation experiment for families to do so. We need a number of volunteers to help us run the experiment and support us with the hands-on activities. This will take place on Sat 3, Sun 4, Mon 5, Sat 10 and Sun 11 of May. There's no need to volunteer for all the days; if you are keen on helping on only one of the days or part of a day that would be helpful as well!

For further information on the University’s contribution to the Festival visit:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/public-engagement/projects/other-projects/food-connections/

For further information about Bristol Food Connections visit:
http://www.bristolfoodconnections.com/

If you are interested in this opportunity, please get in touch with Mireia Bes at the Centre for Public Engagement, mireia.bes@bristol.ac.uk by 17 April.

2. New public engagement stories: gender & violence, philosophical blogging and nanoscience for all

Catch up on our latest public engagement stories that showcase the great work taking place by University of Bristol staff and students. How should we approach public engagement projects on sensitive topics? What are the benefits of blogging for researchers and engagers? And how can friendly and approachable role models dispel academic stereotypes? Read our latest public engagement stories at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/publicengagementstories/

If you have a public engagement story, please do get in touch with emma.henry@bristol.ac.uk at the Centre for Public Engagement

Funding and awards

3. Society of Biology regional grant scheme: deadline 14 April

The Society of Biology is offering small grants of up to £500 for Society of Biology members to deliver local events promoting biology and are particularly keen to support events with a focus on outreach and public engagement or that engage with schools and students. All ideas, formats, styles and target audiences considered. For more information please visit: https://www.societyofbiology.org/get-involved/grants/regional-grant-scheme

4. Royal College of Pathologists public engagement innovation grant scheme: deadline 30 June

The Royal College of Pathologists are looking for new projects to fund through their innovation grant scheme for public engagement with pathology. If you have an innovative idea that could help pathologists communicate the role they play in healthcare, then they would like to hear from you. For more information please visit: http://www.ilovepathology.org/events/event-funding/grant-scheme

5. Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) public engagement large awards: deadline 6 November

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has announced that its public large awards scheme is now open for applications of between £10,000 and £100,000. The scheme provides grants for projects promoting STFC science and technology at the regional and national level. Project teams must have strong links with STFC's scientific research community and be relevant to the STFC science and technology areas. 

For more information see: http://www.stfc.ac.uk/1839.aspx

Events and training

6. British Science Association (BSA) - Science communication conference: 1-2 May, booking deadline 27 April

The British Science Association’s (BSA) 2014 science communication conference will be hosted by the University of Surrey at the Guildford campus. This is a great opportunity for scientists to develop their skills and discover new ones, meet fellow science communicators, share ideas and find out what’s new in the science communication world. To find out more and book your place visit: http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/sci-comm-conference

7. National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) - After the Research Excellence Framework (REF): taking stock: 6 May

With the REF now a fading memory, it is a good moment to take stock of the process. HEFCE invited the sector to submit examples of public engagement with research. Did you? The NCCPE invites you to join an interactive workshop on the 6th May, in Bristol, to capture collective learning and to shape a review paper which will be shared with the UK Funding Councils. The event is planned to run from 10.30am to 4.00pm and will include lunch and refreshments. A fee of £50 will apply.

For more information: https://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/nccpe/takingstock

8. Bristol Institute for Research in the Humanities and Arts (BIRTHA) – Mind, brain and behaviour, is there a best way to understand pain and healing: 7 May

The Bristol Institute for Research in the Humanities and the Arts (BIRTHA) invite you to join their annual debate. It will bring together three speakers from the GW4 institutions to discuss different perspectives on the medical humanities topic ‘Mind, brain and behaviour, is there a best way to understand pain and healing?’

Speakers Professor Rupert Gethin, Religion and Theology, University of Bristol; Dr Richard Gray, Philosophy, University of Cardiff; Professor Professor Paul Salkovskis, Psychology, University of Bath Chair Professor Carolyn Muessig, Director, BIRTHA

This will take place on 7 May, 3pm – 4pm, Old Council Chamber, Wills Memorial Building. Email arts-birtha@bristol.ac.uk if you would like to attend.

9. Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) - Collaborative skills training programme – call for participants: deadline 15 May

The Institute of Humanities and Social Science Research (IHSSR) at the Manchester Metropolitan University are hosting a new AHRC-funded collaborative skills training programme for 2014-15, designed to equip PhD students and early-career researchers from a range of Arts and Humanities disciplines with public engagement and research partnership-building skills. The aim of the programme is to set up actual partnerships with local community groups and organisations interested in excavating and recording their histories. For more information and to apply: http://www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/creating-our-future-histories/

News and opportunities

10. Festival of Nature – naturalists and activity providers wanted

Are you a wildlife researcher, conservation worker, ecological surveyor or experienced amateur naturalist? Festival of Nature are looking for volunteers for events across the city this summer to help identify species and collect valuable wildlife records for Bristol’s green spaces; share your expertise, learn new skills and build experience; and help inspire families, schools and communities to discover their local wildlife. Training will take place on the 14 and 24 May.

Contact matt@bnhc.org.uk to get involved.

11. Festival of Nature – Wild About Chew

Festival of Nature are looking for interactive activities/ exhibitors for their free natural history event taking place at Chew Valley Lake, Sunday 8 June 2014. The event aims to engage families and local people with this internationally important site for wildlife.

For more information and to get involved please email Laura Quinlan laura@bnhc.org.uk.

12. Pervasive Media Studio’s graduate and new talent competition: deadline for applications 25 April

The Pervasive Media Studio at the Watershed are launching a competition to find two new Pervasive Media Studio residents to join their community of artists, creative companies, technologists and academics. The residencies will take place in September 2014 and include a £500 bursary for each selected applicant.

For more information and to apply: http://www.watershed.co.uk/pmstudio/project/2014-graduate-and-new-talent-competition

13. London Science Festival: open application deadline 30 April

The theme for this year’s London Science Festival (LSF), taking place 12-19 November, is ‘Life’. Open applications are now being accepted from individuals and organisations who wish to run events as part of the LSF programme. For more information and to apply: www.londonsciencefestival.com  

14. Organise an event for National Women in Engineering Day: ongoing until 23 June

The 23 June is National Women in Engineering Day. The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) invites you to raise the profile of engineering among young girls, and to celebrate the achievements of women in engineering, by thinking about how you can celebrate the day. Ideas can range from organising an event, a visit, issuing a press release, launching a competition, writing a blog, speaking to a group of students, or just tweeting your support. Resources are available to help you with your event at www.wes.org.uk/nwed, or you can request a resource pack at info@wes.org.uk

15. The Guardian: University public engagement - 20 tips from experts in the sector

Experts from Higher Education, including our own Dr Kate Miller from the University of Bristol Centre for Public Engagement, contributed to an online chat sharing best practice and advice on better engaging the public in university research.

View the article in full here: http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/jun/17/university-public-engagement-top-tips?CMP=twt_gu

16. British Science Association: public attitudes to science survey results

The British Science Association, on behalf of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and in partnership with Ipsos MORI have conducted a study into public attitudes to science. The full results along with some interesting infographics can be found at: http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3357/Public-Attitudes-to-Science-2014.aspx