Professor Mary BownesVice Principal, Research Training

and Community Relations and Professor of Developmental Biology

Public Engagement with Public Policy

The Edinburgh Experience

Challenge for Academia

Arts, Humanities &

Social Scientists

Physical, Medical & Bio-Scientists & Engineers

Aims• To inspire Higher level science students

across the Highlands and Islands• To link the science with the ethical issues

which new technologies present• To give the students a chance to voice their

opinions

Students were to form their own opinions

on the following:• Media impact on our understanding of stem

cell research• Clinical trials• Public trust• The use of embryos in stem cell research• Who pays?

Summary of views and recommendations:• Public and scientists both hold responsibilities• Communication is key• Embryonic stem cells should be

used• Public and private funding• Regulatory model for research

What next?• Discussion forum report is available from RSE• The report was sent to all schools in Scotland,

decision making bodies and Scottish Government

• An e-learning CD-rom was developed for schools and distributed to all schools in Scotland

• Results presented to stakeholders (including government) at RSE

Signing Biotechnology

Developing New BSL Signs for Science Communication

Funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society of Edinburgh

How We Came Up with the Idea

• Biotechnology difficult for translators• Events unsatisfactory for the Deaf• Finger spelling rather than concept

and context driven BSL• Partnership of SIBE, Scottish

Association of Sign Language Interpreters (SASLI), UoE Disability Office and Midlothian Council

Signing Biotechnology Project• Vocabulary development ((very lengthy and difficult very lengthy and difficult

processprocess))o Scientists, interpreters, native BSL userstive BSL userso Questionnaire on biotechnology termsology termso Key practicals (genetic transformation, DNA nsformation, DNA

fingerprinting, extraction)• Reviewing and refinement

o Reviewing videoso Concept threads for contexto One word : many contexts : many signs

Workshop for Interpreters

• 13th March 2004

• Lab Session• Workshop on Signs• Review of CD ROM

Workshop for Teachers of Deaf

• 20th March 2004

• Lab Session• Workshop on Signs• Review of CD ROM

Signed Workshops in Science Festival

• 12th April 2004

Research Communication in Action

A communication skills training programme for postdoctoral researchers and PhD students at

the University of Edinburgh

Project Partners: the Scottish Initiative for Biotechnology Education, the Transferable Skills Unit, individual Graduate Schools/Subject Areas, staff involved in outreach/widening participation. Project Coordinator: Briony Curtis (briony.curtis@ed.ac.uk)

Phase IInitial Training Day

Very interactiveGeneric communication

skills Phase II training (subject specific)

1 day

Phase IIPractical Experience

Non-specialists audiencese.g. workshops in

schools, school visits to university, public

engagement activities2-3 activities over 3-4

months

Phase IIIReview Session

Reflective practiseSelf-evaluation

Constructive feedbackIdeas for the future

2 hours

Public Engagement practitioners include the course participants in new or existing public engagement programmes.

Practitioners from the same subject area/grad school as participants OR a relevant organisation.

Where do participants go from here:

PE activities (uni & external)

Other skills training courses

Help with course next year

How does the course work?

In 2006/2007

Record of activity• the Research Communication in Action

programme was run six times. • Over 67 PhD students and post docs

from 11 Graduate Schools or Subject Areas from all three Colleges were trained.

• These courses included three new models for the course: delivery of the course around a public engagement project for GeoSciences, the first course for the Humanities and a course tailored for Social Scientists organising their own knowledge transfer activities (as opposed to delivering outreach).

• Participants also attended from two external organisations: Heriot Watt University and the University of Highlands and Islands.

Contribution to Public EngagementParticipants were involved in:

• more than 38 workshops for 31 schools

• 9 other events (e.g. Science Festival, public engagement events at science centres, open days)

• 12+ knowledge transfer events (Social Sciences)

• activities for over 685 young people & adults and other public engagement events for 4000+ people

Edinburgh International Science Festival

The largest Science Festival in the UK with over 50K visitors

Discover Science with the University of Edinburgh o Over 11,000 visitors to Discover Scienceo Over 200 staff and students involved

Cyberneering with Heriot-Watt University @ Wonderamao 10,000 visitors to Wonderamao 50 staff and students involved

Space Explorers

Innogen

• Innogen is the ESRC Centre for Social and Economic Research on Innovation in Genomics.

• Innogen's research will provide a sound base for decision-making in science, industry, policy and public arenas and will improve our understanding of each of these groups and their interactions.

• A collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and The Open University

• The researchers working at Innogen include social scientists, economists, and lawyers.

• Innogen also engages with a wide range of stakeholders, nationally and internationally, including scientists, industry and private interest groups, policy makers and regulators, and citizens and public interest groups.

Beacons for Public Engagement

• 84 bids for 6 beacons and a

National Co-ordinating Centre

Winning Beacons

• Manchester

• Newcastle

• Edinburgh

• University College London

• University of East Anglia

• Cardiff

National Co-ordinating Centre: Bristol

The Edinburgh Beltane

Angus Giving the Beltane Cheer, Photographer: Ove Hansen

Aim and Theme

• Edinburgh Beltane aimEmbedding a Culture Change

• Edinburgh Beltane theme Encouraging citizen participation and understanding of areas of research relevant to public policy such as health and life sciences, energy and environment.

Ethos

• It is important for Researchers and HEI’s to play their part in society and policy making.

• Edinburgh Beltane is a means of encouraging, supporting and helping researchers to play their role.

• We want to embed a culture of public engagement in HEI’s.

• We can also play a role to facilitate the process of public policy debate.

Objectives & Proposed Activity

1. Develop a collaborative partnership 2. Develop an effective management structure 3. Ensure effective evaluation 4. Embed a sustainable culture of public

engagement across partnership 5. Run events and activities with partners & share

best practice6. Establish effective training and support 7. Develop structure to meet ongoing PE support

needs

Partners

• The University of Edinburgh• Heriot-Watt University

• Edinburgh Consortium for Rural Research

• National Museums Scotland• Optos plc• Our Dynamic Earth• Roslin Institute• Royal Botanic Garden

Edinburgh

• Napier University• UHI Millennium Institute

• Royal Observatory Edinburgh Visitor Centre

• SETPOINT Scotland East• The Herald• The Royal Society of

Edinburgh• The Sutton Trust• UK GRAD Scotland &

Northern Ireland Hub

Key Elements

• Sharing and developing practical resources o e.g. venues, pod-casting

• Embedding a PE cultureo e.g. rewards & recognition: PE Fellows,

awards

• Training & Staff Development o First example: Dark Skies Scotland event

Key Elements

• Events & Activities o First examples: RSE event for practitioners,

Public Health event.• Evaluation

o Plan involves use of an external contractor and by Funders

• Financeso £1.2m over four years. MoU to cover

distribution process.

Management

Steering Group

Core Project Team

Beacons for Public

Engagement Executive Team

(Funders)

Annual PartnersForum

Training and Staff Development

Sub-group

National Co-ordinating

Centre

Events Sub-group

EvaluationSub-group

Management Team

HR issues Sub-group

Recruitment

Network Coordinator/Project manager Dr Heather J Rea

• Previously a researcher in Digital Tools for Manufacturing Engineering at Heriot-Watt University who arranged and managed Heriot-Watt’s EPSRC funded participation in the EISF and ran a RAEng funded schools outreach/researcher training project.

• PhD in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Napier University

• Started in May 2008

Administratoro Interview 1st July 2008

.

Project Manager familiarisation with project aims, milestones and outputs

Meetings with stake holders, partners & potential partners to date• University of Edinburgh, Napier, HWU, NMS, ROE, ECRR, ECA (next

week)

Interfacing with National Coordination Centre and other Beacons• Meetings in London, Bristol and Norwich• The Beacons Launch, London

Human Resources• Early stage discussions initiated at CSE, UOE wide and HWU

Evaluation• Extensive deliberations regarding framework of external evaluations• Meeting with Beacons External evaluator Monday 16th June 2008

Progress

Awards

Tam Dalyell Prize for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science

The Principal's Medal for a significant contribution to support or benefit the wider community

Progress

Events Planned• Carnegie Festival of Imagination. 30th Aug to 6th Sept • Edinburgh Beltane Launch, 30 Sept 2008• Regenerative Medicine: How will it Change my Life?

24th November 2008• Complementary Medicine, 27th March 2009 • Climate change enquiry tba

Training Planned• Dark Skies Scotland, Autumn 2008• Practitioners event in conjunction with RSE, tba • RAEng funded DEEPER project, 2008/2009

Coming Soon

Workshop for Practitioners

• An opportunity to see interactive public engagement

• Sharing best practice

Edinburgh Beltane 

Beacons for Public Engagement

Launch Event

on Tuesday 30th September 2008

At

The Biosphere, Our Dynamic EarthHolyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AS

Current people

• SIBEo Janet Paterson, Heather McQueen, Ed Sykes, Cathy Southworth,

Gillian Dugan, Kathleen Pullen

• Science Communication in Actiono Briony Curtis

• RinRo Jan Barfoot, Marek Kukula, Lara Crossland, Nicola Cuthbert + 7

Regional Officers

• Edinburgh Beltaneo Heather Rea, Patricia Erskine, Administrator + more

• Administrative Supporto Hilary Anderson