Powered by PERu

Involving the public in research is invaluable – and critical. The University’s Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) supports and enables this, bringing an extra level of value to research projects.

Public engagement with academic research is mutually beneficial. It brings new perspectives, better understanding, and public trust to the research, and it informs and involves the public – both locally in Southampton and more widely.

PERu is the University team at the heart of this, inspiring and supporting highquality public engagement across all disciplines. PERu facilitates networks, supports community engagement hubs, runs public engagement training, awards seed funding for engagement projects, and facilitates partnerships between researchers and the public. The team also oversees two festivals each year – the Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival, and the Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (SOTSEF) – showcasing and demonstrating research across disciplines.

Jo James, Director of PERu, said: “From inspiring and informing through to participation and co-creation, engaging people with the University’s research helps us to build understanding, listening and learning from each other and responding positively through dialogue and partnership.”

Find out more: southampton.ac.uk/per

PERu awards seed funding annually to develop public and community engagement with research. Here are some of the local projects it has recently supported.

HOW WOULD YOU HAND-le THIS?

Tinashe Munyebvu, Bioengineering PhD student

The project focused on the power of public involvement in hand-related research. Tinashe has woven patient experience into her PhD research on hand osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that affects the hand joints.

This project was created alongside members of the public to develop an educational website to raise awareness of what it is like to live with hand osteoarthritis and demonstrate to the scientific research community the importance of working with patients to incorporate lived-experience insights into their decision-making processes – changing the engineering mindset.

The logo for How Would You HAND-le This?

MICROBIAL NEIGHBOURING

Dr Paul Hurley and Professor Emma Roe, from Geography and Environmental Science, with Dr Sandra Wilks, from the School of Health Sciences, and Dr Charlotte Veal, from Newcastle University

‘From micro-passengers to microbial neighbouring’ explored the relationships we, as human beings, have with the (almost) invisible microbial community we share public transport with.

In the context of emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, the project ran workshops to educate people about microbial communities, especially viruses, and discussed increased concern within society about hygiene.

Some of these workshops were illustrated by artist Sam Church and can be seen on the project’s website.

Find out more: neveraloneonthebus.org

Artist Sam Church captured discussions at Microbial Neighbouring workshops

WILD CITIZENS!

Dr Andri Christodoulou, Associate Professor in Education, and Dr Marcus Grace, Professor of Science Education

This project enabled local primary school children to become active environmental citizens by teaching them about how to protect and enhance the wildlife in their school’s grounds and giving them the confidence to recognise that they can actively protect and increase wildlife – and really make a difference.

The project initially worked with Kanes Hill Primary School, in Thornhill, Southampton, running an after-school science club, where they planted wildflowers, installed bird feeders and nest boxes, a bat box and created bug-friendly habitats. The ‘Wild Citizens’ presented their work to their parents and peers at their school, took part in the Science and Engineering Festival at the University and presented their work to children from other schools at a celebration event at the University. The project now continues at more Southampton schools.

‘Wild Citizens’ at Kanes Hill Primary School

IS THIS STREET MADE FOR ME?

Dr Alan Wong, Research Fellow within the Transportation Group, and Claudia Murg, of We Make Southampton

This project came about when Claudia Murg, Managing Director of We Make Southampton Community Media, learnt to drive a bus to use as a mobile office, and her experience of the roads of Southampton diversified. The bus has become a mobile office for the community media social enterprise she set up.

Claudia said: “The project team is aiming to capture and map the health of the city’s streets within the SO14 to SO19 postcodes, exploring how the environment created by the street design, street facilities, and the behaviour of fellow road users impacts our physical and emotional wellbeing and our sense of belonging. The perspectives of residents of all ages and from all backgrounds are being captured on film.”

Find out more: wemakesouthampton.co.uk

Claudia Murg and the mobile office for We Make Southampton Community Media

Dr Alan Wong with Ros Best at a community event for We Make Southampton