March 2004
Contents
Seeking 'Science in Collections' project partners
Successful ReDiscover round-2 applicants
Wellcome Trust workshop for grant applicants
Proceedings of the Evaluation Skills Workshop
New Manager for the Scottish Seabird Centre
DIARY: Doing Dialogue specialist
meeting, 21-22 April;
Science Communication conference, 24-25 May
News from the Ecsite-uk Office
Seeking 'Science in Collections' project partners
Ecsite-uk
has been awarded Copus funding for 'Science in Collections'. The project
will develop the skills and confidence of art/historical museum staff
to create enquiry-based learning activities engaging families with the
science in museum collections. Science centres will mentor their peers
in art/historical museums. Networking will be supported locally and regionally
between interactive science centres/museums and object-based art/historical
museums.
We are looking for pairs - one science centre and one art/historical museum - to act as the regional hubs for this project.
Science centres wishing to join the project must be able to:
- Identify a local partner art/historical museum with which they already have good contacts, or would like to develop good contacts
- Provide leaders for skills workshops, or identify other local providers
- Provide the venue for day-1 of the skills workshop (Autumn 2004)
- Send staff to the partner museum for day-2 of the workshop
- Together with the partner museum, support up to 25 local art/historical museums, as they develop their science programming for families (Autumn 2004 through Spring 2005) - a maximum of 8 hours support per museum
- Attend feedback/evaluation meetings as required by Ecsite-uk.
The Science in Collections project manager is Dr Rosalind Mist. For details of the project, and the funding available to partners, please contact her direct at ros@scizmic.net and 01483 420261
Developments in the Sector
Successful ReDiscover round-2 applicants announced
ReDiscover
- the renewal fund for science centres and museums across the UK has awarded
£4 million to nine centres around the UK in the second of four funding
rounds.
Clare Matterson, Director of the Medicine, Society and History Division at The Wellcome Trust said, "The beauty of this scheme is that it allows museums and science centres to refresh their exhibitions so they are not left behind in the fast-developing world of science and technology. They have met the challenge with imagination which has involved, among other things, introducing interactive theatres, human biology exhibits, and a travelling exhibition featuring wetland biodiversity."
Grants have been awarded to: Centre for Life, Newcastle; W5 at Odyssey, Belfast; Snibston Discovery Park, Leicestershire; Satrosphere, Aberdeen; Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh; The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester; Magna, Rotherham; The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, London Wetland Centre; ss Great Britain Trust, Bristol.
For details of the projects funded, see www.millennium.gov.uk
Developments in the Sector
Wellcome Trust workshops for grant applicants
The
Wellcome Trust is running regional workshops to advise organisations and
individuals how to apply for funding, so they may arrange initiatives
and events to engage the public with biomedical science.
The next workshop is 16 March, 2004, in Manchester.
For details and to apply, see [old link removed]
Resource
Proceedings of January 2004 seminar on the web
Ecsite-uk
specialist seminars and workshops aim to strengthen networking between
Science and Discovery Centres, and improve professional practice through
international skill sharing.
The 'Evaluation Skills Workshop' was held on 30 January 2004, funded by the Wellcome Trust and led by:
Dr Ben Gammon, Head of Learning & Audience Development, Science Museum,
London
Susie Fisher, The Susie Fisher Group
John H. Falk, PhD, Director, Institute for Learning Innovation Annapolis,
Maryland
Their presentations are available at
www.ecsite-uk.net/resources/spec_seminar_evaluation.html
News from the Regions
New Manager for the Scottish Seabird Centre
Julie
Merrilees has been appointed Visitor Centre Manager at the Scottish Seabird
Centre, North Berwick. Previously Visitor Centre Manager for Edinburgh
& Lothians Tourist Board, she was responsible for managing the Tourist
Information Centre in Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland's gateway for
incoming tourists, with almost a million visitors a year.
As a Five Star Visitor Attraction and one of Scottish tourism's and the Millennium Commission's major successes, the Scottish Seabird Centre aims to deliver the highest standards of customer service and continue to grow and develop.
Working closely with the Scottish Seabird Centre's team, led by Chief Executive Tom Brock, Julie's combination of management skills and industry experience will be invaluable as the Centre moves into a new phase to literally double in size within the next two years.
Newcastle Science Festival
Newcastle's
second Science Festival runs 12-21 March and coincides with National Science
Week.
The programme features shows, talks and debates; 'hands-on' activities for children and exhibitions. Adam Hart-Davis, presenter of the BBC's Science Shack, will demonstrate how science happens in surprising places; children's science writer Nick Arnold will carry out some of the Really Rotten Experiments from his latest book in the Horrible Science Series; while wild and wacky Dr Bunhead, TV science presenter, will perform the Exploding Vegetable Show and the adults-only Dr Bunhead's Filthiest Show on Earth.
City centre venues include The Hancock Museum, Discovery Museum, the Life Science Centre and Newcastle University. Many events are free.
The Regional Development Agency have made £215,000 available to deliver three festivals, starting with last year's successful pilot festival. Chair of the Festival Steering Group, Linda Conlon said: "We've lined up some star personalities who are past masters at making science entertaining … We want the festival to become an annual event and part of the city's vibrant culture programme."
Diary Dates
Doing Dialogue specialist meeting
21-22
April 2004, Stroud
Some centres/museums are beginning to try out 'Dialogue' events, and have early lessons to share. Others have yet to dip a toe in the water, and would like to brainstorm ideas. The purpose of the specialist meeting is to share best practice and ideas now being developed, and to network face-to-face, establishing and reaffirming personal connections.
The specialist meeting is supported by the Potential Trust - there is no registration fee.
Target participants are managers of education and public programmes at science and discovery centres and science museums - those who have a remit to develop and deliver programmes that address the Science & Society agenda.
For further information, e-mail enquiries@ecsite-uk.net
Science Communication Conference
24-25
May 2004, London
The 2004 Science Communication Conference is jointly organised by the BA and The Royal Society. It will take place at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London.
'Strategies to Improve Impact' is this year's conference theme. The draft programme is at www.the-ba.net/scicomm
A bursary scheme will be offered this year to assist the attendance of the following groups: students, freelancers/micro businesses, NGOs and socially excluded groups.
For further information please contact events@the-ba.net
Ecsite-uk
Dr Melanie Quin, Executive Director Ecsite-uk: the Science and Discovery Centre Network
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