Mercury #4

SCIENCE

CENTRE

NEWS

ISSUE 4

GLASGOW

Good Public Engagement Dine with a Child of our Time Energise this summer

Meet our CEO BodyWorks on Tour

www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

Glasgow Science Centre is a charity whose mission is to inspire, challenge and engage everyone with the wonders of science.

GLASGOW

SCIENCE

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NEWS

Meet our Chief Executive Officer Dr Stephen Breslin took up the position of CEO at Glasgow Science Centre in May 2012. He’s dedicated to taking GSC to the next level in science engagement, in particular by working more proactively in education.

Stephen Breslin’s new role combines his more than 20 years’ experience in science and engineering with the expertise gained from his recent immersion in education. Prior to joining GSC, Stephen was CEO at Futurelab Education, a world-leading think tank and research lab that has had a profound impact on educational practice and thinking.

“Science and technology has been my longstanding passion from a very young age, and in my four years at Futurelab I had my eyes opened to some of the challenges within education,” Stephen says. “I’ve come to appreciate just how crucial it is to support our schools and teachers to make sure they can give kids the very best offer. It’s so critically important to their ability to prosper as adults.”

Over the next decade, Stephen would like to see GSC take an even more proactive approach, particularly in establishing our role as an essential part of the educational infrastructure.

Dr Stephen Breslin

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“ We have a key role in helping to get the key messages out to build a more informed public.

“We do an awful lot of work with schoolchildren, from nursery through to Advanced Higher level,” he says. “But I’d like to see I’d us develop our education programme further by working in collaboration with the schools and teachers we already have relationships with, to make sure that what we offer really matches their requirements.

ISSUE 4 Understanding as he does the pace of innovation, Stephen is also well placed to appreciate how our learning needs might change as technology advances.

“There’s an increasing awareness of the importance of science literacy in the community,” says Stephen. “We have an essential role in helping to get the key messages out to build a more informed public. I think we’ll see some incredible advances in technology over the coming years and decades, and these will bring challenges as well as opportunities.

“We’ll be challenged ethically, certain jobs and industries will be disrupted, and more value will be placed on high level skills, particulary in science and technology. All of us have to be more aware of the importance of skills and of continuing to acquire them over the course of our lifetime. We need to instil in everyone who walks through that door a passion for lifelong learning.”

“ We need to instil in everyone who walks through that door a passion for lifelong learning

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“Our role is to supplement what teachers can already offer.

GSC can help teachers to deliver those parts of the curriculum that they struggle with, whether because they lack specialist expertise or specialist resources.”

Dr Stephen Breslin

www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

GLASGOW

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A real team effort In bringing together Energise, we’ve drawn heavily on the expertise we have in-house to deliver a rich and dynamic experience for all.

Continually refreshing what’s on offer at Glasgow Science Centre is essential in encouraging more people – Science Passport holders included – through our doors to engage with science. Construction of the new BodyWorks exhibition set to launch in 2013 is now well under way. While this continues behind the scenes, Energise serves as the focal point for this year’s programming and activities.

Working to a tight budget and time frame, our highly skilled teams have together created a core presence of large exhibits and workstations in the Clyde Suite. An enticing and broad range of programming activities sits alongside, enabling our limited funding for the project to have much greater impact.

“Having all the teams working together on the one programme has been great preparation for us for the launch of BodyWorks. Energise will be fun for the visitor and it’s also been fun and challenging - for all the staff.”

“ Glasgow Science Centre is a place to do science, not simply to learn about it “

“We’ve never brought together as many strands of expertise on such a large scale before,” says Science Learning Manager Sharon Macnab, who managed the project. “As well as having strong exhibition, programming and communications elements, Energise has involved fundraising and evaluation from the start. Then there’s been all the training on the operations side, to make sure we had the right staffing in place.

Dr Robin Hoyle

ISSUE 4

The science bit Sport is very much the big theme of 2012, but we were keen to shift the focus away from the London Olympics and elite athleticism to look instead at the ways in which physical activity can benefit us all. In this way, Energise aligns with the Scottish Government agenda around healthier living as well as our own policies.

“We work very closely with the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser and try to link every major programme back to some of the key policy drivers,” says CEO Stephen Breslin.

“With Energise and BodyWorks, it’s all about trying to raise awareness of cause and effect in the body and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.”

“Energise is very much about examining the science that underpins physical activity,” continues Director of Science Dr Robin Hoyle.

“Our big, colourful infographics contain easily digestible facts about what happens to your body

when you exercise. We’ve tried to avoid preachy statements and instead give people a scientific understanding of why good behaviours are beneficial.

“If our climbing wall was in a sports centre, people would have the same fun experience of clambering up it. The difference is that here visitors can learn at the same time about lactic acid build up and the weight to strength ratio.

If you feel pain in your muscles but understand that it’s caused by lactic acid, the discomfort may be less off-putting and less of a barrier to activity.”

Glasgow Science Centre is a place to do science, not simply to learn about it. Our visitors particularly enjoy engaging with science when it’s an interactive experience. Energise provides a rich and dynamic environment of engagement and an exciting programme of hands-on activities throughout the summer.

www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

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Design and build Pooling our skills in-house and opting for a temporary installation rather than a full-blown, permanent exhibition has helped to ensure cost efficiencies in the creation of Energise. Exhibition & Technical Services Manager Steve Ross and his team managed the work in record time too, completing construction in less than five months.

“Trying to match expectations with what was achievable - within a very limited time frame and for an extremely limited budget - was very difficult,” says Steve. “But we tried to make the best use of the resources we had available, and I think it’s been pretty effective.”

The Exhibition team worked closely with the Project Management and Communications teams to arrive at a feasible scope of work.

They then set about building the dance floor, tug of war and Scalextric track; welding the balance beams; and putting in place the climbing wall bought for the installation.

Exhibit Development Officer Victoria Thomas joined Steve’s team in January, bringing with her design skills that came in handy in creating Energise. Victoria designed the exhibits, either on her own or in collaboration with others. She also created the 3D visuals and talked these through with our builders and engineers to work out how the idea would be transferred from a drawing to the real thing.

“Testing exhibit prototypes in the atrium was a great way to check how an exhibit will be used – and also see how it might be broken,” adds Victoria. “We had about 900 schoolchildren try out the Aim Game before the exhibit was officially launched. It was so popular we struggled to see how we’d manage to get people off it at the end of the day.”

Programming activities

“ Energise will be fun for the visitor and it’s also been fun and challenging for all the staff

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Dr Sharon MacNab

Energise kicked off with our Move It weekend, a full five days of activities timed to coincide with the Jubilee celebrations. To get people thinking all about movement – and the science that underpins it – Science Education Co-ordinator Tara Gibson and team drafted in a host of inspiring performers.

Bright Night International acrobats gave demonstrations of acrobalance and trapeze, and let visitors have a go of some of the tamer circus arts. The Arts Tree offered hula hooping workshops and a chemistry PhD student who doubles as a dance instructor gave us the Science of Salsa. Scottish Ballet made an appearance, and street dance workshops and Happy Harmonies music and movement sessions for the under fives added to the buzz.

“More special event weekends will run throughout the summer, in addition to the daily programming activities delivered by our science communicators,” says Tara. “Some midsummer sledging is on the cards, and August will bring the Gravity Games. We’ve planned a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities in case we have more sunny weather.”

Talks by a number of sporting celebrities should attract even more people to Energise. On 21 July, Professor Greg White will share his experiences of training David Walliams and the Kilimanjaro team for their Sport Relief challenges. Extreme runner Dr Andrew Murray will give a talk on 22 July, and Gillian Cooke of female UK bobsleigh team is also to pay a visit on 11th August.

As Evaluation Co-ordinator, Florence Edmond monitors and evaluates our exhibits and activities to check that they’re on target to provide an enjoyable visitor experience and valuable learning outcomes.

Florence has been involved in Energise since early on, evaluating the attractiveness of exhibits to visitors and also flagging up the presence of potential hazards. Thanks to Florence’s input, a number of prototypes were refined before going live on 1 June.

“ With Energise and BodyWorks, it’s all about trying to raise awareness of cause and effect in the body and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

“The first exhibit we tested in the atrium was Hang Time, and I evaluated it over the Easter holidays,” says Florence. “I looked at whether it mostly attracted children or families, if it generated interaction between families, and what visitors thought it was all about to see if we needed to tweak the interpretation. I was also able to identify issues relating to the specific ergonomics of the exhibit.”

Evaluation not only helped in terms of getting the current exhibition off the ground and working properly, it also helps us to plan exhibits and activities for next time around.

With this in mind, Florence will complete a full evaluation of the Energise experience, including the overall learning outcomes of the whole programme.

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Dr Stephen Breslin

Our hugely successful BodyWorks On Tour outreach programme is set to take its healthy living messages to more communities, thanks to the continued support of GlaxoSmith Kline.

The latest round of funding is at the same level as before - £500,000 over three years - and will allow us to refresh the activities on offer and reduce the flat fee that we charge per visit. It’s hoped that we will also be able to invest in a second van, to improve access to remote locations like the Highlands and Islands.

Our On Tour van is booked to appear at summer science festivals as far apart as Orkney and Dunbar. We attend a range of other high footfall events besides - from Glasgow Mela to the World Pipe Band Championships.

BodyWorks On Tour gets boost

“We’re out there targeting as many people as possible,” says Science Education Co-ordinator Clare Abel.

“They’re often people who wouldn’t consider coming to the Science Centre or taking part in a public engagement activity, but they might do if we come to them instead.

It’s a bit of science by stealth.”

In 2011 ‘On Tour’ reached 86k people so we’re very grateful to GSK for enabling us to continue to take science out on the road to communities that might otherwise miss out.

www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

ISSUE 4

Evaluation

Guess who’s coming to dinner

Professor Robert Winston is all set to entertain and educate attendees of the second Events By dinner, on 11 October. The eminent professor and presenter, famous for his work in fertility and genetics, will speak on the subject of sport, to tie in with Energise.

The dinner will follow a similar format to the hugely successful inaugural dinner hosted in May 2011 by Muriel Gray, which featured Brian Cox. A reception before dinner will be the ideal occasion for contacts in academia and industry to mix and mingle. For GSC too it presents great networking prospects, acting more as a ‘friendraiser’ than a fundraiser for us.

A sophisticated pub quiz should once again inspire some friendly competition between tables and also give attendees a few new facts to take home. It’s a perfect format for GSC, allowing as it does the opportunity to generate income and promote science engagement at the same time.

“Bringing business in is always going to be the raison d’être of the Corporate Events team,” says Judy Rae, Head of Corporate Events. “But if we can also use these dinners as a conduit for our strategic mission, then that’s even better.”

ntsC e Ev GS BY

Well connected Good public engagement relies on a great deal of expertise. We draw on specialists from a range of scientific fields to help us produce our exhibits and activities – and we like to support their own endeavours in return.

Professor Dave Wyper of the Scottish Imaging Network (SINAPSE) sits on the BodyWorks Advisory Committee and has been instrumental in sourcing scans and commentary for some exhibits.

Experienced imaging experts within SINAPSE have been working with Dunfermline based company eCom Scotland to develop illustrated online learning materials. These help to explain to non-specialists how images are produced using techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and X-computed tomography (CT).

SINAPSE is one of 14 groups set up by the Scottish Funding Council to pool expertise in a specific area – in this case, in medical and human imaging. The objective is to partner with Scotland’s universities to enable them to compete better internationally.

We’re happy to spare a bit of space in Mercury to showcase other successful partnership and public engagement activities in our sector. Look out for the launch of the learning materials in July on www.sinapse.ac.uk

We are a

charity

whose mission is to inspire, challenge and engage everyone with the wonders of science

Proud to support Glasgow in its aim to become a city of science

0141 420 5000 | www.glasgowsciencecentre.org