Every year at the Summer Science Exhibition thoughts turn to the important matters of who has the best freebie.

My favourite so far? It is a tos up between Leeds Met’s Can electrical stimulation of the skin reduce pain? exhibit’s promotional plasters. Memorable and appropriate!

And Light, which is about the power of lasers, and has a wonderful laser-engraved coaster, that you customise and watch being laser engraved – so it is informative and compelling.

What’s your favourite conference or exhibition freebie? How do you pick them?

(apologies for cross posting)

We are planning a reinvention of the Science Museum’s ‘Antenna’ science news gallery (www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna) and I’d like to tap into the expertise in this group, particularly when it comes to driving dialogue about science news and making the most of ‘the scientist’s contribution’.

The exhibits and online content in the existing version of the gallery are peppered with quotes and accompanying photos from the scientists involved in the latest research – we also invite them in for events – but there’s definitely potential to support a much more meaningful conversation between those involved in such front-line research and our audience.

I’m picking brains within the Museum of course, but can anyone on this list direct me to any research or positive case studies relating to the following issues I’m mulling over?

· Case studies of engagement/ dialogue-generation on science news/ current research either online, through events or exhibitions. Any especially strong or innovative formats you could point me to? How did these go down with the audience?

· What does a young audience (11+) want to hear or see/ enjoy hearing or seeing from scientists, in relation to scientific research happening right now?

· What benefits do scientists seek/ get from public engagement in a science news/ contemporary science forum? What perils do they perceive or find?

· How can the scientist’s voice be incorporated into coverage of science news without eliciting tired stereotypes and without drawing up ‘I’m the expert; you’re the pupil’ barriers?

Many thanks in advance
Emily Scott-Dearing

‘Antenna’ science news team
Science Museum, London
emily.scott-dearing@sciencemuseum.org.uk

To celebrate its 208-year history in science, the Royal Institution of Great Britain is launching a high-profile new competition with Nature to find a work of art that conveys the excitement and beauty of science, as well as creative originality. The artwork will be displayed in their lovely building in Mayfair which has been closed for refurbishment for a while now, more of which has been profiled here.

More details are posted on the Ri site.

Scientists with artistic leanings/aspirations should definitely consider this wonderful opportunity (for their artwork) to be showcased and admired for a year in their prestigious premises!

http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/baxt/2007/10/20/a-new-role-the-science-communication-beauty-manager

If you have the time, I’d really appreciate your opinions on the topic. Do you agree or is it just nonsense?

· How to Run A National Science and Engineering Week Event from the British Association is also relevant for other types of events

· How to generate publicity for your National Science and Engineering Week event from the BA (as before)

· UK Science Festivals: PEST or Not? from the BA reviews and assesses UK Science Festivals

· Handbook for organising events at the BA Festival of Science

· Dana Centre event diy contains lots of info on how to run all sorts of events and supplementary info like ways to measure the event success

· Dialogue with the public: Practical guidelines is a 2002 Research Councils UK guide for science communication with particular emphasis on events/activities

· Organising a Science Event from SciDevNet

· EUSCEA European Science Communication Events is a presentation from the European Science Events Association

· EUSCEA White Book on Science Communication Events in Europe financed by the EU as part of a 3-year study of 21 science communication events all over Europe (free but costs for postage and handling apply)

· Advice on… organising scientific meetings from the Institute of Biomedical Science

· Chemistry Week 2007—Organising an Event from the Royal Society of Chemistry

· Cafe Scientifique introduction and guide from the British Council

· Organising an Educational Event from the Group for Education in Museums

When you have held your event, you can perhaps follow it up with this Guide for Sucessfully Evaluating Science Engagement Events from the Wellcome Trust. Additionally, their ENGAGING SCIENCE and Public engagement with science on the internet pages contain further links to more sites and documents, all of which are somewhat relevant to this forum and overlap with the Imperial SciCommers group on Nature Network!

And if you are reading this next week, do you have any opinions on what made the event such an enjoyable one? Or conversely, if you could not wait to leave, why so and perhaps you could offer suggestions for improvement?

These days my memory is getting more and more like a colander… however this morning I found that I could still recall some conversations from yesterday evening: the current research progess of my former department, some trivia on triathlons (did you know that the order was swimming – cycling – running?), good Japanese supermarkets in London, moving-to-London experiences of postdoctoral scientists, plus the fantastic taste of the 1729 steak-and-mushroom pie (named for the year the pub was founded).

Thank you for coming along and bringing your friends. We hope to see you again at the next one (last Wednesday of each month). Any comments/suggestions can be posted below…

However public science events which are less formal can take other formats and appeal to a broad audience range: debates/discussions that encouraging dialogue between the invited speakers and amongst audience members during the event such as
• the Dana Centre events
• Pecha Kucha i.e. 20 timed slides shown for 20 seconds each with networking over drinks afterwards
• stage plays e.g. The Life of Galileo or a more interactive one e.g. Faust involving moving through the event space and interaction with the actors… not a science event though
• scientific walking tours through an exhibition space or the city
• user experience involving other senses: smellings, tastings, touching
• events in virtual venues, through Second Life
• workshops that require the audience to participate by using computers, video game consoles, touch screens, etc.

Additionally, it may be just my opinion but practicing scientists are really busy people and quite reluctant to travel (far), so taking science to the venues where they are would help.

This forum is for events organisers from different institutions to share experiences and get to know one another. Please feel free to join and start a conversation. There are so many great event programmes going on in London that Jonathan and I feel there is scope for a discussion forum involving event organisers in London.

Have you organised any good meetings / seminars / exhibitions / plays / etc. recently in London? This forum is for you to talk about them… whether or not they were successful and how so, improvements for future events, venue / bookings / audience / speaker issues, etc.

Additionally, we hope to make the Nature Network London scientific event listings as comprehensive and definitive as possible. The format is currently pretty basic but improvements to the events functionality are planned for the future. If we have not listed any event(s) you think we definitely should, please let us know. Alternatively, if you think an event (yours!) is worth covering in more depth, please flag it up to me at l.lee [ at ] nature.com.