Follow Up and Alumni Networks

It is important to not only deliver on promises but to keep good relationships with all those involved in FameLab. Not only are they the networks to aid the next year’s competition, but they are the developing individuals that you can point to as the success of FameLab.

Encourage the finalists, winners and anyone who took the time to enter FameLab to be pro-active in their public engagement activities. Enable them to network within their new-found grouping “FameLabbers” to think of new ways to communicate and become active in their environments.

As you plan live or media appearances for the winner and finalists, think about using them to promote the competition. Can they take a banner with them to public events, that promotes the website and future competitions? Can you time the launch of the following year’s competition to coincide with a TV slot or a talk at a major science event?

The follow up is just as important as the actual event. You can start a database of FameLabbers to recommend for public engagement activities. Winning FameLab or getting to the National Final is not the end but a beginning. Cheltenham Science Festival is obviously well placed to help finalists with further opportunities and contacts, and is invaluable in giving the openings available to finalists in an international dimension. Involving winners or finalists from FameLab competitions overseas would of course add still another dimension to this work. It is important to maintain a relationship with promising communicators identified through FameLab, and to nurture their talent and enthusiasm.

Alumni Network

As well as encouraging Host Organisations to maintain their own Alumni Networks, Cheltenham Festivals will host an International FameLab Alumni Network where we will aim to create further opportunities for FameLab participants including but not limited to becoming FameLab Masterclass Trainers and judges and using our networks and platforming potential to help develop next generation of Science Communicators.

Timeline

The following is an outline guide for FameLab, with regional heats followed by a digital grand final organised by the Cheltenham Festival in November. Timelines can be modified to fit individual country requirements.

Month Tasks

Start of your cycle:

January - March

■ Start arranging dates with regional partner venues for heats.

■ Begin working with science and engineering organisations, universities, associations and industry bodies, to involve them in recruiting participants.

■ ACM (Annual Central Meeting) for International Host Organisations

■ Open the competition for registrations for drop-in auditions and video entries (closing dates for video entries are set before specific regional heats). Participants are invited to register their interest via the website, but this is not compulsory and they can – and do – just turn up on the day.

■ Publicise regional heats through media, universities, professional bodies, learned societies, formal and informal networks and individual contacts.

■ Weekly email updates to those who have registered on the website, to answer queries, give more detailed information as regional heats approach, and encourage a feeling of being part of a supportive network.

March - April

■ Start distributing publicity material through partner bodies.

■ Dates and venues of the regional heats are publicised, but potential entrants are directed to the website for more details and invited to register there for regular email updates.

■ Identify and recruit judging panel members.

■ Convene meeting of the chairs of judging panels to agree and refine the judging criteria, the judging process, and how each heat will run.

■ Regional heats

■ Publicity for regional finalists

May - October

■ Run weekend masterclass for country finalists

■ Publicity for the finalists and the International Final

■ Engage PR company

■ Marketing plan established

Sept - October

■ Host Country finals completed

■ Deadline for winner information to be sent to CF

■ Online Masterclass and tech check

■ Country film / video to be submitted

■ ACM (Annual Central Meeting) pre final check in

November

■ Online FameLab International Final hosted by CF

■ Country promotion of winner

December ■ Send a brief report / review from FameLab in your country from the current year

■ Templates can be found in the FameLab International Dropbox

June and beyond

■ Cheltenham Science Festival

■ International winner invited to Science Festival (CF to cover UK travel and accommodation)

■ Other previous year finalist invited at Host Organisations expenses

Appendix 1