Ecsite-uk
Minutes of the 2001 AGM

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Place: Glasgow Science Centre
Date: 4 September 2001

1 Opening of the meeting

Paul Smith, director of GSC welcomed all Ecsite members to Glasgow Science Centre. Thereafter the meeting was chaired by Colin Johnson (CHJ), chair of Ecsite-uk, and minuted by Melanie Quin (MQ).

2 Apologies for absence

Committee members sending apologies:
Tristram Besterman, Manchester Museum
Gail Bromley, Kew Botanic Gardens
Gillian Pearson, The Oxford Trust for Innovation
Ian Simmons, Inspire Science Centre, Norwich

All other Committee members were present, together with some 25 members.

3 Chair’s report

CHJ reported that:

  • Ecsite-uk had recently been constituted and a committee elected, on 10 April at a meeting at the Wellcome Trust London,
  • new elections to the Committee will take place at the AGMs in 2002 and 2003, to assure rotation of officers and posts,
  • Millennium Commission funding, together with further funding from charitable foundations has been pledged to a £25-million-plus Refurbishment Fund, to which UK science centres will be able to apply in three tranches, 2003-05,
  • funds have been secured from both the OST and Wellcome Trust to assure operation of the Executive Office for three years; the BA is the fund-holder and formally the employer of the Executive Director. Indebtedness and thanks were expressed to all three bodies, for their support to date and to come.

    CHJ introduced Dr Melanie Quin as Executive Director. Currently Science Communication Director at Techniquest, she takes up the post half time from 5 September and full-time from 5 October. Melanie was the founding executive director of the parent organisation (the European Collaborative for Science Industry and Technology Exhibitions); her background includes a PhD from Imperial College, work in the publishing industry, and at Heureka (the Finnish Science Centre) and newMetropolis (Amsterdam), before joining Techniquest in 1995.

    4 Treasurer’s report

    Funding for Ecsite-uk currently consists of:

    Core grants agreed:
    Wellcome Trust £70,000 over 3 years
    OST £150,000 over 3 years
    30% of Ecsite membership fees from Ecsite-uk members
    Contributions promised by member organisations*
    Project grant for Science Year £100,000 for development of
    science clubs

    Current Income and Expenditure:
    Actual income to date £1,000*
    Expenditure to date £ 838 for expenses
    Balance £ 62

    * The £1,000 represents 2 x £500 contributions from the larger member institutions of whom 6 promised to contribute £500 each to Ecsite-uk. The received contributions are from The Natural History Museum and the Eden Project.

    General discussion after indicated that the other institutions will pay up on receipt of an invoice from the BA. Nick Dixon knows who they are and indeed says 13 institutions promised to pay.

    5 Presentation of committee members

    Ecsite-uk’s committee consists of:
    Colin Johnson, Techniquest, Cardiff (chair)
    Tristram Besterman, Manchester Museum
    Gail Bromley, Kew Botanic Gardens
    Jonathan Bryant, Think Tank at Millennium Point, Birmingham
    Linda Conlon, The International Centre for Life, Newcastle
    Alistair Flett, Satrosphere, Aberdeen (treasurer)
    Sally Montgomery, Whowhatwherewhenwhy, Belfast
    Gillian Pearson, The Oxford Trust for Innovation
    Ian Simmons, Inspire Science Centre, Norwich
    Paul Smith, Glasgow Science Centre

    6 Ecsite-uk’s programme and aspirations

    The Science and Discovery Centre Network has four key aims:

    to establish a major capital fund for the refurbishment of science centres and their exhibitions,

  • to develop funding for programmes of education and widening access to science and technology,
  • to advocate government recognition for science centres and science as a cultural resource – equality of treatment with other cultural resources, such as museums, galleries and heritage centres is sought,
  • to raise the profile and quality of science centres UK-wide, and establish their role as a forum for the research community and industry to engage in dialogue with the general public.

    A programme of projects is being developed to meet these aims. Significant progress is being made on:

  • a visitors’ passport scheme (led by Jonathan Bryant)
  • a website (funded jointly by NESTA and the Wellcome Trust, led by Gareth Binns at NESTA)
  • a science-centres/science-clubs network, as part of Science Year (led jointly by Ecsite-uk, the BA, and the Science Museum, London)
  • a training system for front-of-house staff, aka ‘explainers’ (funded by the Wellcome Trust, led by Nick Dixon).

    A variety of other proposals for funding are under development, to address key aims (2) and (4) above.

    Through the work of Gillian Thomas, Nick Dixon and Melanie Quin (supported by the Wellcome Trust, autumn 2000 through spring 2001), Ecsite-uk has already established itself as the point of reference for the science and discovery centre sector. The appointment of an executive director will now enable Ecsite-uk to cement the network, to expand its advocacy role and to continue the task of supporting its members.

    Discussion: Ecsite2002 conference

    Further to subjects (6) above, Audrey O’Connell (Natural History Museum, and member of Ecsite's annual conference committee), presented the status quo on funding and planning for the Ecsite2002 conference, 14-16 November. Fundraising is at a critical stage, but it is hoped the conference will be held in London, hosted jointly by the NHM and NMSI. Ecsite-uk has no role to play in the fundraising, but will be much involved in developing the conference programme, and devising pre-and post- conference tours.

    Ecsite-uk AGM 2002

    The next AGM will take place during the BA annual festival, first week of September 2002, in Leicester.

     

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