Evolving science communication: learn, adapt, collaborate

Bultitude, Karen; Featherstone, Helen; Wilkinson, Clare

Abstract

In March 2009 the Science Communication Unit (SCU) at the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) hosted a symposium to investigate key issues around transferability and sustainability in science communication and public engagement. The symposium was designed for professionals in the field, specifically aiming to provide a platform for discussion between experts in both the practitioner and academic communities.
The symposium emerged following a major UK-wide project funded by the Wellcome Trust (via an Engaging Science Society Award) entitled Meet the Gene Machine. This project was led by the SCU, working with eight Science & Discovery Centres around the UK to stimulate discussion and debate with over 10,000 young adults on issues around genetic testing. Alongside this over 400 teachers took part in training on incorporating discussion of scientific issues in the classroom. The funding for the project has now ended, however Meet the Gene Machine continues to be delivered in the majority of participating Science & DIscovery Centres, and has also been taken up by new partners in other locations. Meet the Gene Machine has demonstrated that successful science communication activities can be transferable, collaborative and sustainable. The purpose of the Evolving Science Communication Symposium was to investigate these issues on a broader scale.
The following report documents the variety of sessions held at the symposium. Each invited speaker has provided a short summary of their contribution; a brief overview of the discussion that followed is also included.

• Working Paper Type: Discussion Paper
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Aug 19, 2010
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 15, 2016
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: science communication
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/993009
• Contract Date: Nov 15, 2016