The Manchester Science Group. Engaging science: a monster is born....

Connecting the dots...

2008-04-16T15:34:00.003Z

Have a look at these six images. Can you come up with a short story inspired by these images?

If you want to share your stories please add via a comment or email us on mansciATgooglemail.com

The Art-Science Divide - where does brain science fit in?

2008-04-16T15:31:00.001Z

Tonight Erinma is presenting at this event...

The Art-Science Divide – where does brain science fit in?

Join us for a lively public discussion on the ‘two cultures’ and whether we can ever cross the great ‘art-science’ divide.

The panel will be Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell (Manchester), Dr Mark Lythgoe (London), Dr Erinma Ochu (Manchester) and Dr Lizzie Burns (Oxford). The discussion will be hosted by Professor Graham Collingridge (Bristol)

There will light refreshments for everyone and an opportunity to view some works inspired by science and a chance to sculpture something inspired by your evening!

Time: 6.00pm till 8.00pm
Date: Wednesday, 16th April, 2008
Venue: Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Road, Manchester
Further information: events@bna.org.uk, or tel: 0151 794 5449

Tickets are free but must be ordered in advance

Supported by the European Dana Alliance for the Brain,
the British Neuroscience Association and the Medical Research Council

IBRO Update

2007-08-21T00:01:00.001Z

We had a great time at IBRO. Melbourne is such a laid back, friendly city, a bit like Manchester. We hosted three activities at IBRO to engage neuroscientists in communicating their research including a neuroscience quiz, hands-on activities for families and a new media project.

Photos to follow.

IBRO 2007 World Congress of Neuroscience

2007-07-12T03:33:00.000Z

July 12 - 14th 2007

We're at the World Congress of Neuroscience in Melbourne, Australia, where we have been invited and sponsored by the conference to do some 'public outreach' activities at part of this international conference.

We have an exhibition stand at the Melbourne Convention Centre where the conference is held and our A DAY IN THE LIFE PROJECT is on display.

Friday 13th (!) July @ 8pm
We are hosting our You Know it Makes Sense pub quiz for neuroscientists and teachers.

Saturday 14th July 9 - 5pm We have a stand for Helping Make Sense of the Brain hands-on activity stand in Federation Square (see above for flyer)

A Day in the Life @ The British Neuroscience Association Conference

2007-04-01T20:58:00.000Z

A Day in the Life…

…is a simple and fun way for European neuroscientists to get involved in communicating what they do to the public. Using a disposable camera to document their day, neuroscientists will show the public what everyday life as a neuroscientist entails: highlighting the important research work as well as showing the human side to a career in neuroscience.

The project is sponsored by the European Dana Alliance of the Brain (EDAB).

To take part, email your postal address to: mansci@googlemail.com with A DAY IN THE LIFE in the subject line and you will receive a disposable camera pack and instructions.

Alternatively, if you are attending the British Neuroscience Association National Meeting in Harrogate from 1st to 4th April 2007, pick up a CAMERA from the EDAB stand.

Communication in Science project

2007-04-01T20:37:00.000Z

10th April 2007 - The National Media Museum, Bradford

A workshop to help improve communication in science through exploring the needs of science communicators.

Erinma is guest speaker, introducing the work of the Manchester Science Group, and their approaches to communicating science.

Helping make sense of the Brain

2007-04-01T20:35:00.000Z

As part of Brain Awareness Week 2007, Ellen and Stuart ran their popular brain workshop at The Manchester Museum. Kids and their families explored hands-on activities with young neuroscientists to gain an insight into how the brain works.

A fun night of MAKING SENSE at The Dana Centre

2007-04-01T19:06:00.000Z

You Know It Makes Sense at The Dana Centre

2006-09-12T11:20:00.000Z

Traumatised by the death of her grandma who was eaten by a wolf, Little Rosie Hood takes to the psychiatrist’s couch where all is not what it seems! Join the Manchester Science Group for an insiders' guide to perception. A group of neuroscientists will stimulate, startle and deceive your senses in this comical spin on the Little Red Riding Hood tale. How easily can you be tricked?

Date: Wed 4th October 2006

Time: 7pm

Venue: The Dana Centre

Pre-booking required: 020 7942 4040 tickets@danacentre.org.uk

BIG Feedback - Inquiring Minds session

2006-08-22T23:28:00.001Z

All of our sessions were structured to give...

An experience of the project through either a 'show and tell' with people who had taken part in the project or 'hands on' experience of the project followed by participant group problem solving on aspects of the project that we would like to address in the future - e.g. how might the project be used in schools and what additional resources would be needed to do that

Often a creative framework would be given to participants through which to structure the group problem solving exercise. Each group would then at the end of the session feedback to the whole group with their ideas collated in the form of a group 'poster' that we could take home with us.

We also got some post-session feedback some of which is detailed below.

The Manchester Science Group will look at all of this feedback and ideas for thinking about taking the projects further. We hope that this might also involve further collaboration with some of people that expressed an interest in the project during these feedback sessions as well as letting people know what's happening with the projects.

Inquiring Minds Session - post-session feedback

'I thought it was an excellent project and the seminar was really well structured. It was great to be able to feel like everyone could contribute and learn from each other.

Feedback forms are also good practice'

'Thanks for 2 great sessions (Inquiring Minds + day in the life) I'd be really interested to hear the next steps of a day in the life project and roll-out UK-wide. Loved your feedback sessions.'

'Really enjoyed the concept of this project. I think it could be good tool to break down the myths of 'stuffy' science (boring lab work, collections, paperwork, books etc) that potentially put people off science in school. Its a great tool that can be used to show the diversity of science and that it can be fun! Promoting to schools is good - what about promoting to youth groups and also promoting women in science?'

'Really liked the way you structured the session - giving us a process to work through and valuing our ideas. I'm keen to hear more about what you do.'

'Great way of tackling the problems associated with image of scientists... however, the photos need to be embedded in a storyline in which scientists appear to get satisfaction from what they do. Also include stories of how scientists decided to become scientists. There is always a funny and human story behind it.' (see comment below)

'Brilliant! I'd be interested in being involved via the Science, Engineering Ambassador's Scheme or (and?) using our exhibition space to display the large (commissioned) photos.'

'Really brilliant i want to use the idea'

'Very interesting project- looking forward to seeing what develops in future'

Comment
What's been invaluable about this process has been the opportunity to build on existing ideas, introduce new ones and enable us to see potential connections between these projects and others that are ongoing. For example - we have a video project called 'Why Science?' which gives a humourous look at how scientists got involved in science as a career in the first place. Combining 'Why science?' with 'A day in the life' is certainly something we will explore.

A Day in the Life at The BA Festival of Science

2006-08-21T01:45:00.001Z

Image: Dr Clifford Stott, social pyschologist.

The BA Festival of Science is one of the UK's biggest science festivals. Annually it attracts around 400 of the best scientists and science communicators from home and abroad who reveal the latest developments in research to a general audience, at a week long event held at a different location each September. 2006 will see the Festival visiting Norwich, hosted by Norwich Research Park, from 2-9 September.

The Day in the Life Exhibition will be at Norwich Playhouse as part of the Science in the City programme from the 2nd September to 30th September 2006.

Norwich Playhouse
42-58 ST. GEORGES STREET, NORWICH NR3 1AB
Entry: free

BIG Event Feedback

2006-08-21T00:13:00.000Z

Thanks to all the BIG event participants and your invaluable feedback on our projects presented during the conference.

Anyone interested in getting in touch in relation to any of the projects please email us on:
mansci@googlemail.com

The British Interactive Group

2006-06-13T11:58:00.000Z

Inquiring Minds Photo credit: David Bennett

The Manchester Science Group will be presenting 3 workshops at the British Interactive Group Event 2006:

Wednesday, July 26th
3:30pm to 4:30pm Inquiring Minds

Inquiring Minds is a Creative Partnerships Manchester Salford action research project that explores creative ways to capture the imaginations of disengaged Year 8 pupils from a Manchester secondary school in learning key stage 3 science. The project combines access to The Manchester Museum’s curators and collections, afterschool workshops in exhibition and design, filmmaking and weblogging to develop a framework with science teachers ensuring the research findings can be applied by science teachers in the classroom.

Speakers: Dr Erinma Ochu (action researcher), Dr Michelle Lockwood (science communicator), Mrs Anne-Marie Proudfoot (School coordinator), Louise Sutherland (Curator for learning - secondary)

Thursday, July 27th
9:00am to 10:00am A Day in the Life

A Day in the Life developed as an action research project to explore creative ways to engage scientists in communicating what they do to the public without taking up too much of their time. The outcomes include two exhibitions giving an extraordinary insight into the daily lives of scientist researching different aspects of our bodies, minds and universe. One is a commissioned exhibition from photographer David Bennett and the other is a disposable cameras project through which scientists document their day and write a short diary – and is developing as an alternative science careers guide for schools on CD-ROM.

Project funders: A Wellcome Trust VIP Award, Research Councils UK and The University of Manchester

Speakers: Dr Erinma Ochu (science communicator), Dr Michelle Lockwood (science communicator), David Bennett (Photographer) tbc

Friday, July 28th
9:00am to 10:00am You know it makes sense

You know it makes sense originated as a hands-on workshop on the senses/ perception for primary schools. It’s been developed and adapted over 2 years with University of Manchester ‘perception’ scientists and actors as the target audience changed from primary to secondary schools (30 people) to adults (80 people) at science festivals. In its various delivered formats the sense demos have been integrated into a comedy drama sketch, a pub quiz and is to be developed as a board game.

Project funders: Wellcome Trust VIP award and The University of Manchester

Speakers: Dr Erinma Ochu (science communicator), Dr Michelle Lockwood (science communicator), Dr Ellen Poliakoff (Lecturer, Experimental Psychology)

A Day in the Life Exhibition goes to the Cheltenham Festival of Science

2006-06-13T11:52:00.000Z

The tour of David Bennett's A Day in the Life exhibition continues, this time in the VIP room at the Cheltenham Festival of Science.

You Know It Makes Sense at Edinburgh International Science Festival

2006-03-21T21:19:00.000Z

You Know it Makes Sense

"Little Rosie Hood is traumatised by the recent death of her grandma who was eaten by a wolf. But when Little Rosie steps up to the psychiatrists couch to relieve her of the trauma, all is not what it seems!"

A comical spin on the Little Red Riding Hood story introduces the brain scientists who will stimulate, startle and deceive your senses. How easily can you be tricked? Join the Manchester Science Group for an insiders' guide to perception.

Supported by The Wellcome Trust and The University of Manchester

Duration:
A one hour show

Dates:
Thursday 6th and Friday 7th April at 8.30pm
Bar Open til Midnight

Sunday 9th April at 5.30pm

CLICK HERE TO: BUY TICKETS [PLACES LIMITED & SELLING FAST!]

Venue:
Dunard Library, The Hub, Castlehill
(on the Royal Mile near Edinburgh Castle)

CLICK FOR MAP (Key to map: 2 = The Hub)
or CLICK HERE FOR MAP (PDF) with Parking (Key to map: 8 = The Hub)

A Day in the life at Kro Bar

2006-03-10T06:16:00.000Z

The exhibition opens tomorrow... if you are in Manchester,
Listen into BBC GMR radio at 8.45am Friday 10th March for a live interview with the photographer and scientists featured in the exhibition. Channel M, a local TV station are also coming down to do an interview. This is a great start to National and social science week. Why not drop in for a coffee at Kro bar and check out the exhibition?

Photos can also be viewed on the photographer's website
http://www.stray-light.co.uk/GalleryDsci.htm

National Science Week, Social Science Week and Brain Awareness Week March 2006

2006-02-22T02:29:00.000Z

Dr Phil Manning, Palaeontologist, The University of Manchester

National Science Week 2006 and Brain Awareness Week 2006
Yes, its that time of year again... the nation goes mad for science and scientists go mad for the public, chasing them with squidgy brains and sickly pink brain sweets. Watch out watch out there's a scientist lurking about!

Of course, The Manchester Science Group will be venturing out into Manchester to take science to the masses to gorge on (what more brain sweets?) and engage in...

EXHIBITIONS
A Day in the Life
March 10th - March 19th 2006
Kro Bar, Oxford Road, Manchester
Ever wondered what scientists actually do? David Bennett's photographs give a rare insight into the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of the everyday lives of scientists researching different aspects of our minds, bodies and universe.

ACTIVITIES
A Day in the Life - disposable cameras project
March 1st - March 30th 2006
A simple and fun way for scientists to get involved in communicating what they do to the public.
Its easy... document your day with a disposable camera - we want to see the ordinary and everyday lives of scientists behind the scenes.
To take part, email us on mansci@googlemail.com with A DAY IN THE LIFE in the subject line and we'll send you disposable camera pack and instructions.

Funded by Research Councils UK, a Wellcome Trust Value In People award and The University of Manchester

EVENTS
Helping Make Sense of the Brain
March 11th 2006, 11am - 3pm
The Manchester Museum
How well do you know your brain? What changes in the brain cause disease? Find out more at this exciting Brain Discovery Day where you can take part in hands-on activities and talk to young scientists doing different kinds of brain research.

Contact: Stuart Allan 0161 275 5255; stuart.allan@manchester.ac.uk

Helping Make Sense of the Brain
March 11th 2006, 9am - 6pm
Arndale Shopping Centre, Market Street, Manchester City Centre
How well do you know your brain? What changes in the brain cause disease? Explore these questions and more at the exciting Brain Discovery Stand where you can take part in hands-on activities and talk to young scientists doing different kinds of brain research.

Funded by Research Councils UK and The University of Manchester

Inquiring Minds
March 11th 2006, 2pm to 4pm
The Manchester Museum Science for Life Gallery
Explore the science of sound - demonstrations and radio programmes designed by Barlow RC High Year 8 Science pupils with science communicator, Dr Michelle Lockwood.

Funded by Creative Partnerships Manchester Salford

For listings of National Science Week events in your region goto:
http://http://www1.the-ba.net/the-ba/page.asp?selectPage=707

For listings of Brain Awareness Week events in around the world goto:
http://www.dana.org/calendar/search_en.cfm

Nottingham - Cafe Sci - a success!

2006-02-22T01:38:00.000Z

The Nottingham crowd were very welcoming. Thanks to everyone for coming down and getting into the spirit of the new quiz format. 74 people packed out Cafe Wax to form 11 teams. After six tricky rounds of questions and demos on the senses...

The winning team was BOMBAY MIX with 36 points closely followed by:

=2nd THE WINNERS and SNOTTY on 34 points
4th TOP TABLE 2 with 31 points
=5th MOVING ON and THE CONDIMENTS with 30 points
=7th THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS and TOP TABLE with 28 points
9th SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL with 27 points
10th THE GENIUSES with 25 points
11th THE CHEMISTS with 19 points

A big thanks to the Cafe Sci team (Melanie, Sam and Chandram) and the bar staff at Cafe Wax in Nottingham for inviting us and making us feel so welcome. For future events at Cafe Wax check out this link http://www.cafe-scientifique.org.uk/index.html

Feedback from some of the participants on the night:

"Brilliant quiz - entertaining and informative"

"Very stimulating - learned something about me"

"Entertaining and educational - thanks!"

"Good demos and explanations"

"Loved it!"

"I learned more about myself tonight than i thought possible - informative, entertaining and challenging - fun!"

"Fascinating and tantalising"

"Experienced learning at its best"

"What a fab evening"

"Most stimulating"

"Great interactive session. Science truly can be fun!"

"Lovely evening, most enjoyable"

"Interesting fun evening. Interactive - nice to meet others at table"

"Excellent, goes to show how enjoyable science can be when it's interactive - and people know more science than they think! v.v. good"

"Had a great tine, enjoyed it alot!"

"Memorable and good fun"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You know it makes sense is produced by the Manchester Science Group
Presented by Dr Ellen Poliakoff and quizmaster Barry Sloane
Quiz questions and demos designed by Dr Michelle Lockwood

Are you looking to have fun learning science or engage the public in science?

Get in touch! - we might have an event, workshop or exhibition that's right up your street.
Email the Manchester Science Team on mansci@googlemail.com

20th Feb 06: Cafe Wax, Nottingham

2006-02-17T23:21:00.000Z

The You know it make sense Quiz goes to Nottingham - 30 registered participants so far - hope they are as up for the new format as the Manchester audience.

Quite a challenge this one as the venue is different from Cafe Muse.

6th Feb 06 Cafe Scientifique

2006-02-17T22:40:00.000Z

Enter You know it makes sense quiz...

We were asked some time ago to deliver a 'cafe scientifique' talk at University of Manchester's Cafe Muse (housed in The Manchester Museum). Usually this would consist of an academic coming along and giving a talk on some aspect of their research whilst the audiences supped a beer or a glass of wine and maybe a bite to eat. But having gone along to a previous cafe sci at this venue and suffered the experience of a) not being able to hear what was being said and b) not being able to hear it either - we decided to innovate the cafe scientifique format to fit a venue in which there is no vantage point for a person to stand and be seen by everyone in the room. Likewise there is no vantage point for a projected powerpoint slideshow to be viewed by everyone in the room. We also wanted to get the audience involved and engaged in the way that a straight talk would never really hit the mark. So, after some brainstorming we adopted the format of a pub quiz with questions and demos that would appeal to a diverse audience with a range of expectations for the evening. Sounds simple enough but Michelle spent a good week researching demos to challenge, test and stimulate the senses and that could work successfully for a team game whilst appealing to people with varied knowledge of the sense.

84 people came along to the event and split into ten teams.

Big thanks to Kath Harrison, organiser of Cafe Scientifique and Head of Public Engagement at The University of Manchester. For details of future Cafe Sci events at Cafe Muse (and to book) check out this link: http://www.cafescientifique.manchester.ac.uk/

Feedback from participants on the night:

"Great for team building and helps learn/ question science in a non-threatening manner. Will keep talking about this for weeks - and that's exactly what science communication needs"

"Nicely conceived session, enjoyable and interesting"

"i like this new format - making people engage from the start"

"Fun! Nice to interact with other people. Made me think - especially liked the dragon"

"Thought provoking"

"Cool tricks"

"Good fun and interesting questions - pitched right!"

"Nice friendly atmosphere"

"A really enjoyable evening - very different to what i expected though! Very cool! Good organisation (usually it has been hard to see the speaker/ powerpoint)"

"Very enjoyable - nice to be involved"

"Met some nice people. Had a giggle. Loved the pub quiz idea. Factual and entertaining"

Some Questions from participants (answers to follow):

"What are the 21 senses?"

"How can the brain feel pleasure?!!"

"Why do musical instruments require the most dexterity from the left hand of the player of a guitar, violin etc?"

A year on...

2005-10-20T17:47:00.000Z

More than a year has passed since this project was first conceived. The Day in the Life exhibition has taken on a life of its own, with exhibition slots at Edinburgh Festival of Science for 2006 and the BA Festival of Science in Norwich 2006.

To any scientists who have taken part and want their day in the life to tour with the exhibtion - get your cameras and consent forms and diaries sent back to us ASAP.

Big thanks to everyone who took part at the University of Manchester. If we have your camera and consent form you should receive copies of your photos in the next month or so.

The disposable camera project goes UK-Wide from January so...
...WATCH THIS SPACE!

A Day In the Life exhibition

2005-08-15T14:01:00.000Z

Manchester Museum 3 Sept - 16 October 2005
Manchester scientists commissioned photographer david bennett to produce a series of photos covering A day in the Life of four Manchester Scientists. The photos give an insight into the everyday lives of scientists across disciplines and will be displayed in the Science for Life gallery of the Manchester Museum from the third of September. The scientists featured are neuroscientist, Professor Nancy Rothwell FRS, Palaentologist, Dr Phil Manning, Clinician and Postgraduate Researcher, Dr Chibuike Irloh and Jodrell bank astronomer, Dr Tom Muxlow.

A Day in the Life on the web

2005-08-15T13:19:00.000Z

Manchester Scientists feature on Your Amazing Brain website. The project has enabled scientists to get involved in showing what their everyday lives are like by using disposable cameras to document their day. Here's an extract from Stuart's Day in the life.

Collaborative Action Research - a framework for investigation...

2005-01-08T00:02:00.000Z

Erinma works as a research mentor for Creative Partnerships Manchester-Salford http://www.creative-partnerships.com/welcome?view=Standard , supporting a group of teachers engaged in action research around developing more creative teaching and learning practices.

The group adopts the collaborative action research framework as a way to document practice as science communicators whilst solving problems around engaging scientists in communicating science.

Spreading the word...

2005-01-05T07:54:00.000Z

New year comes and goes - we draft an article for the British Neuroscience Assocation on engaging scientists with the public. Its fitting to be writing for the BNA as two years ago at their conference, Erinma showed a film showing that a lot of commonly used words in science conjure up completely different images in the public - Robert Winston also gave a talk. The event was packed out with about 300 scientists in attendance. Although people seemed to enjoy the film and the talk - the general impression seemed to be 'its great you are doing that communication business - we just don't have the time'. In fact this is where the idea was spawned - how can we engage scientists in communicating science when they have so little time?

More money...

2004-12-13T20:49:00.000Z

Ellen and Stuart's small grant award is successful they are awarded £2K to run their 'public as communicators' scheme. All they need to do now is find a school and a bunch of scientists to collaborate.

Grant success - a starting point...

2004-11-10T03:36:00.000Z

The department grants us the full £10K from the Wellcome Trust VIP award and the idea suddenly has legs. Thank you Wellcome Trust, thank you University of Manchester. With the money it feels like we have a little breathing space and a little leverage to talk to people and to get them interested. We decide to write several articles to publicise our ideas more widely, garner interest, feedback, participants...

Another idea, another grant...

2004-10-19T05:12:00.000Z

Ellen and Stuart applied for a small grants award (BBSRC, MRC, NERC), with a proposal to involve school children in the planning and devising of activities for a National Science Week event. They hit on the broader concept of engaging the PUBLIC AS COMMUNICATORS (PAC - as we fondly refer to it now) in the communicating of the science where the planning and devising of activities is an engagement event in its own right.

This 'Upstream engagement' can also be used by scientists to inform and set research priorities http://www.demos.co.uk/catalogue/paddlingupstream/

The seed is planted...

2004-10-12T19:16:00.000Z

Grant money was up for grabs within the Faculty of Life Sciences for funding a range of things... including engaging the public in science... the maximum grant was £10K.

...a few ping ponged emails later and Stuart Allan (Faculty of Life Sciences), Ellen Poliakoff (Faculty of Pscychological Sciences) and i were meeting up to think about writing a joint proposal... it had to be in by the 15th October! I already had a few ideas for making engaging in science with the public easier on the scientists who always complain of being too busy - one for a film project, 'Why science?' to explore why people had taken up science in the first place and another a photography project documenting the ordinary and extraordinary things scientists across the spectrum of science subjects (from plant biology to zoology to particle physics and chemistry) get up to in a day because lots of people i know are always asking 'yes but what do scientists actually do behind closed doors'. To this we added 'How Science' a mentoring scheme for pupils and mapped out a framework for monitoring and evaluating the project. We decided to go for the full £10K.

Buzzing with ideas after this first meeting i retreated to the library with my laptop and wrote the first draft in a couple of hours - amazing what the pressure of a deadline can do - it had to be two pages. It was just over. I emailed it off to my colleagues and Stuart tweaked it down to the required length - the man works wonders with margins!

We submitted the application by email and waited...