December 2004
Contents
Join in running the NSW poetry competition
Einstein Year grant scheme, Round-2
Invitation to apply for the Clore Leadership Programme
Royal Museum masterplan is launched
DIARY DATES: Ecsite annual conference; Big Science specialist seminar
NEWS FROM THE Ecsite-uk OFFICE
For interactive best wishes for 2005, click on
[archived link - may not work] www.ecsite-uk.net/xmas
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
Rhyme, time and sublime science
To tie in with National Science Week (11-20 March 2005) and Einstein Year, the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) is launching UNIverse, a competition based around the work of the celebrated physicist.
Budding poets are invited to submit poems on the themes of time, space and energy to this UK-wide competition. Poems may be in any style, from rhyme to sonnets, haiku to limericks, and must be no longer than 40 lines.
For more information on how to get involved in running science poetry activities at your centre, how to submit your poems and for further ideas and resources please visit the UNIverse website
[archived page link removed]
or contact Joanna Rooke nsw@the-ba.net
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
Einstein Year grant scheme, Round-2
Einstein Year is the UK & Ireland's contribution to the world-wide celebrations marking International Year of Physics. It is a unique opportunity to enthuse young people about physics and to highlight the contribution of contemporary physics to society.
To make Einstein Year truly national, the Institute of Physics is encouraging individuals and organisations to run their own physics-based outreach activities in their communities during 2005.
To support these activities, the Institute is offering awards of up to £1,500 through the Einstein Year grant scheme. Application forms and further information for Round-2 of the Einstein Year grant scheme are now available online at [archived - link removed]
The closing date for Round-2 is 25 February 2005 and priority will be given to activities taking place in the second half of 2005. (Please note that funding decisions will not be made in time to support activities during National Science Week.)
For more information on Einstein Year please see www.einsteinyear.org [archived - link removed] or contact Caitlin Watson, Einstein Year Programme Manager, caitlin.watson@iop.org
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
New NESTA 'Illuminate' Award
This award for science and discovery centres, museums and galleries, aims to breathe new life into existing collections and exhibitions through grants for innovative approaches to learning.
Between Autumn 2004 and Spring 2006, NESTA will make awards totalling £1 million. The deadline for the first round is 10 January 2005.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
Invitation to apply for the Clore Leadership Programme
We are pleased to announce that from 17 January 2005 onwards we are inviting applications for 2005/2006 Fellowships on the Clore Leadership Programme.
The Programme is designed to help develop the knowledge, skills, networks and experience of potential leaders across a wide range of cultural activity.
Each Fellow will have an individually tailored programme, lasting a year or longer, and starting in September 2005. This will include:
- Two intensive residential leadership courses
- Professional development through mentoring, tuition and group learning
- Time for reflection, research and debate
- A period of secondment, including experience of managing a high level project.
The closing date for applications is 25 February 2005.
For further information and to use the online application form, visit
[archived link - may not work] www.cloreleadership.org
To receive a brochure about the Fellowships, please write to:
The Clore Leadership Programme, South Building, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
RESOURCE
The Basics of Nanotechnology
If you're looking for a primer on nanoscience and nanotechnologies, this is it: www.begbroke.ox.ac.uk/nanotech [archived -link removed]
Oxford University Begbroke Science Park has developed the Basics of Nanotechnology resource to help inform a broad audience about this topical and often misunderstood area of technology. The interactive resource explains and illustrates: the basic concepts and terminology involved; the scientific background; current and potential applications; and the wider considerations involved in this new technology.
It's ideal source material for anyone planning a 'dialogue' event on these emerging technologies.
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
Royal Museum masterplan is launched
On 18 November, the Director of the National Museums of Scotland (NMS), Dr Gordon Rintoul, revealed an exciting 15-year vision to refurbish and revitalise the Royal Museum on Chambers Street, Edinburgh.
The Royal Museum shows the world to Scotland - housing under one roof international collections of science, technology, natural history, world cultures, art and design. The adjacent Museum of Scotland shows Scotland to the world - telling the story of Scotland, its land, its people and their achievements. The Masterplan enables NMS to develop the relationship between the two museums, and to enhance the site as a whole.
Dr Gordon Rintoul commented: "Significant work is now needed to bring the Museum up to twenty-first century standards... Potential exhibition space is currently given over to storage, displays have become dated, and the building has poor access throughout."
The cost of the Masterplan will be £70 million and grants from charitable trusts have enabled NMS to start developing an interactive science and technology gallery in the west wing.
Further information from Susan Gray, Press Office, s.gray@nms.ac.uk
And at [archived link - may not work] www.nms.ac.uk
DIARY DATES
'Big Science' specialist seminar
DANA CENTRE, South Kensington
2 February 2005, 10.30am-4pm
This Specialist Seminar, funded by PPARC and convened by Ecsite-uk, offers Senior Managers the opportunity to find out what resources - including funding - are on offer to science centres from PPARC (Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council), ESA (European Space Agency), and CERN (the European Laboratory for Particle Physics).
It is also to explore ways of working together to turn public interest in the Big Sciences into increased visitor numbers and enhanced learning programmes.
'Big Science' stretches from life sciences to particle physics! On 2 February, the new PPARC funding scheme for science centres will be launched, inviting projects from astronomy/space (96% of the Universe is Missing!) and exploring the Solar System, to the search for extraterrestrial life.
Free to Ecsite members. £50 registration fee for non-members
For details and to register, please contact simone.hardy@the-ba.net
Ecsite Annual Conference 2005
10-12 June, 2005, Helsinki-Vantaa
From 2005 onwards, the Annual Conference will be not in November but in June, making northern venues far more attractive to delegates. Our first early-Summer host is Heureka, the Finnish science centre:
[archived link - may not work] www.heureka.fi/portal/englanti
The call for session proposals for Ecsite2005 is out.
Contact Michaël Renvillard for details at mrenvillard@ecsite.net
Ecsite-uk
Dr Melanie Quin, Executive Director Ecsite-uk: the Science and Discovery Centre Network
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