Engagers’ Digest 14/05/2014

In this edition:

University of Bristol engagement

1. Day in a life of a PhD student: Universities Week Twitter project – deadline for expressions of interest 6 June

2. Paid evaluation work at Bristol Festival of Nature – 14 & 15 June

3. Thinking Futures Festival: deadline 3 July

Funding and awards

4. Science Communication Awards 2014 – deadline 30 May

5. Wellcome Trust People and Society Awards – deadlines July and October 

6. The Biochemical Society scientific outreach grants – deadline September

7. British Ecological Society outreach grants – deadline 8 September

Events and training

8. Research in context: training and training the trainer day – 17 & 26 June

News and opportunities

9. Volunteers required for Bridgwater Science Festival, 30 May

10. Volunteers required for Women in Science workshop, 20 June

11. Find out what your brain looks like when you listen to songs – participate in the 5Hz project

12. Breaking boundaries: thinking differently about public involvement in research – deadline for comments 28 May

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University of Bristol engagement

1. Day in a life of a PhD student: Universities Week Twitter project – deadline for expressions of interest 6 June

Universities Week takes place from 9 June 2014. As part of this, the University are looking to recruit some PhD students who would be willing to tweet on the designated day to build a picture of ‘a day in the life of a PhD student’. If you are a regular Twitter user and would be interested in taking part please get in touch. It would be especially interesting to have participants who may be doing research abroad or is sponsored by industry. You would need to be available to participate on the 11 June. To discuss further and express interest, please contact press-assistant@bristol.ac.uk

 

2. Paid evaluation work at Bristol Festival of Nature – 14-15 June
We are looking for students to carry out surveys of the festival-goers as part of the evaluation of the festival. Evaluators will be paid £2.50 per survey (which should be about £50 per day); lunch and refreshments will also be provided and you will have a chance to experience the Festival. Previous experience is not required as training will be provided. This is a great opportunity to gain experience in conducting surveys, especially for those who work with public participants as part of their research.
For further information please contact Fiona Hyland, Centre for Public Engagement: fiona.hyland@bristol.ac.uk or tel: 0117 3318324.
For more information on the Festival of Nature please visit: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/public-engagement/events/2014/151.html

 

3. Thinking Futures Festival: deadline 3 July

Thinking Futures is the University's festival to share and celebrate research in the social sciences. With a wide variety of events for the general public, schools, policy-makers and third sector organisations, it provides an opportunity to see how the social sciences inform key debates and advances in policy and practice for governments, education, charities, health services, legal systems, and public services around the globe.
Following the success of the Festival last year, we are pleased to announce that Thinking Futures will be taking place in November as part of the ESRC's national Festival of Social Sciences. We are seeking applications from researchers who would like to hold an event at the Festival. For more information about last year’s Festival, see web: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/fssl/festival/ and for further information and to register interest please contact Fiona Hyland, Centre for Public Engagement: fiona.hyland@bristol.ac.uk or tel: 0117 3318324.

To download the application form, please visit public engagement opportunities: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/public-engagement/staff/getting-involved.html

 

Funding and awards

 

4. Science Communication Awards 2014 – deadline 30 May

If you’re a bioscience researcher at a UK university or institute and involved in science communication apply to the Society of Biology Science Communication Awards. Society of Biology members can read about the 2013 winners in the latest issue of The Biologist (https://thebiologist.societyofbiology.org/biologist-features/158-biologist/features/850-great-communication)  and anyone can hear from winner and new judge Liz Granger on their blog (http://societyofbiologyblog.org/science-communication-award-2014-why-apply/ ).

 

The Awards are intended to reward outreach work carried out by both young scientists and established researchers to inform, enthuse and engage the public. There are two categories of award:

 

New Researcher Prize - open to bioscience researchers currently reading for a Masters/PhD or in the first year of a post-doctoral position.

 

Established Researcher Prize - open to bioscience researchers who are beyond the first stages of their research career, as defined in the New Researcher category.

 

Deadline for applications is Friday 30 May 2014. For more information and to apply please visit: https://www.societyofbiology.org/get-involved/awards-and-competitions/science-communication-awards

 

5. Wellcome Trust People and Society Awards – deadlines  25 July and 3 October 

Funding is available under the Wellcome Trust's People and Society Awards for projects that encourage public debate and understanding of biomedical science. People Awards (up to and including £30,000) are for innovative and creative projects that engage the public with biomedical science and/or the history of medicine. They can fund small-to-medium-sized one-off projects or projects that pilot new ideas with an aim to scale-up or become sustainable following the grant, or they can part-fund larger projects. Society Awards (above £30,000) can fund the scaling-up of successfully piloted projects or can fund projects that are more ambitious in scale.  

 

The next closing date for applications for the People Awards is the 25 July 2014 and the 3 October for the Society Awards.

 

For more information see web: http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/Funding-schemes/People-Awards-and-Society-Awards/index.htm

 

6. The Biochemical Society scientific outreach grants – deadline September

Grants are available to support activities and events that help 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). For more information see web: http://www.biochemistry.org/Grants/EducationalGrants/ScientificOutreachGrants.aspx

 

7. British Ecological Society outreach grants – deadline 8 September

The British Ecological Society is offering grants of up to £2,000 to promote ecological science to a wide audience. The funding is available for projects that:

·         increase public understanding of, and engagement with ecology

·         stimulate discussion about ecology and its implications for society

·         inspire and enthuse people of all ages about the science of ecology, especially those not previously interested

·         develop skills in communicating the science of ecology. 

 

For more details see web: http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/grants-awards/outreach-grants/

Events and training

8. Research in context: training and training the trainer day – 17 & 26 June

Taking place on the 17 and 26 June in London, this free course will enable researchers to discover for themselves some of the many benefits of engaging with society; explore different perspectives on research and what informs these perspectives; and find out how to develop effective ways to engage with others. Trainers interested in developing this course for use in their own context are invited to attend the course, and a supplementary ‘Training the Trainer’ session. Find out more and book your place via: http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/how-we-help/news-and-events  

 

News and opportunities

 

9. Volunteers required for Bridgwater Science Festival, 30 May

Volunteers are required to help run a 'Blood and Eyes' workshop at Bridgwater Science Festival providing hands-on activities for all the family. Children and adults will be making fake blood using foods and paper plates to make an eye. Colouring sheets showing the structure of a mammalian cell and the eye will also be provided. This workshop will focus on the immune system and eyes. 

The workshop will run from 11– 4pm. Transport will be provided to the festival from Bristol (pick-up 9:15 and drop-off 5-5:30). Two/ three volunteers are required, ideally students or staff working in Biomedical Sciences. This event provides an opportunity to take part in public engagement with children of all ages as well as adults. If interested, please contact Dr Tarnjit Khera: t.khera@bristol.ac.uk

 

10. Volunteers required for Women in Science workshop, 20 June

Volunteers are needed to assist in a ‘Women in Science’ workshop taking place at Gloucester Academy for year 8 and 9 students. The focus in women in science and the specific topic will be immunology (particularly macrophages) and eyes. Three volunteers are required (male and female!, ideally students or staff working in biomedical sciences, and transport will be provided from Bristol.  The event provides an opportunity to take part in public engagement with up to seventy children. If interested, please contact Dr Tarnjit Khera: t.khera@bristol.ac.uk

 

11. Find out what your brain looks like when you listen to songs – participate in the 5Hz project

Ever wondered what your brain looks like when you listen to songs? Join professional scientists from the University of Bristol in a one-off workshop to record your brain patterns in response to a series of vocals you will listen to. The process is completely non-invasive and will be a lot of fun! Find out what sounds your brain likes and help them create a vocal art work that makes people feel connected.

 

If you are available on the following dates: 11th June 2-5pm or 12th June 2-5pm then please express your interest to attend one session to Ellie Jeffs, ellie.jeffs@arnolfini.org.uk. 

 

Please specify if you have any preference to take part in the EEG recordings (18 – 25 year olds) or to just respond to questions after listening to the sound samples (18 – 50 year olds).

 

12. Breaking boundaries: thinking differently about public involvement in research – deadline for comments 28 May

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is conducting a review of public involvement in research with the aim of building on its achievements so far to create the sort of active collaboration between the public, researchers and clinicians essential for its future ambitions for research and a healthier nation. The review team are looking for innovations, ideas and new approaches that will help the NIHR break new ground in this important area of public involvement.

 

This is also a great opportunity for the People and Research West of England to review and profile innovation and good practice in public involvement in research in the region. The West of England Joint PPI Strategy Group will therefore be co-ordinating a collective response from the partnership. More information on the review and a response form are available at:

http://www.nihr.ac.uk/awareness/Pages/StrategicReviewofPublicInvolvement.aspx

 

To contribute to the West of England collective response please email any comments directly to PPI@weahsn.net If you are planning to respond directly to the review team they would be grateful if you could copy them in at PPI@weahsn.net so that they are aware of individual responses coming in from the region. Please submit comments by Wednesday 28 May as the PPI Strategy Group will be considering them at its meeting on 5 June.