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MikkoMyllykoskiCEOHeureka - The Finnish science centreI am the CEO of Heureka, the Finnish science centre. My background is in history and classical philology, which both keep inspiring me through my life and times in science engagement. I think that in our profession we are, in fact, dramaturgists and storytellers. Besides science communication, I have a broad interest in nature, cultures and languages – and especially in building bridges between them. – To live and to mix.Contact details
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CarlosCatalao AlvesBoard MemberCiencia VivaWith a PhD in Education, University of Cambridge, UK, I was a multimedia project manager for education at Cambridge Training and Development. Back in Portugal, in 1996, I joined the founding team of Ciência Viva as project director. I returned later to Cambridge for a PhD in science education and communication. After 2007, I became chief of staff for Education and Culture at the Lisbon City Council, and am, since then, one of the directors of Ciencia Viva and its network of science centres. I teach Science Communication and Education, in master programmes at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and I am a research associate at the CIES, Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia. My research is focused on the social mission of universities and scientific institutions, particularly in terms of its contribution to science education and public engagement with science.Contact details
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Maria JoãoFonsecaHead of Communication / Director of the Hall of Biodiversity - Ciência Viva CenterNatural History and Science Museum of the University of PortoWith a background in animal biology and biology teaching and a PhD in science education and communication, I am currently Interim Executive Coordinator and Head of Communication at the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto and Director of the Ciência Viva Center Hall of Biodiversity. I am in charge of general administration and of coordinating and promoting science communication and outreach activities. I have been involved in the design and evaluation of formal and informal educational activities, teacher training, and outreach initiatives for all sorts of audiences. Also, I am currently part of the team responsible for the reconstruction of the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto.Contact details
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AmitoHaarhuisDirectorRijksmuseum BoerhaaveI have spent my whole career working on quality science education, from being a STEM teacher trainer and author of a study book for student teachers, a presenter of science experiments in a television show, to creating memorable experiential learning experiences in a science museum. As the Deputy Director of NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam, I was concerned with transforming the museum in a 21st century context, introducing a new STEM curriculum in the Netherlands and really involving citizens in scientific and technological developments. Since 1 April 2018, I am the Director of Rijksmuseum Boerhaave in Leiden, the Dutch National Museum of the History of Science and Medicine. It tells the stories of the major discoveries in the history of science in the Netherlands, the scientists behind them, and the impact of their discoveries on our lives today. I was elected on the Ecsite Board in June 2019 for a two-year Trustee’s mandate.Contact details
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BradIrwinHead of Global EngagementNatural History MuseumI have spent my career in informal learning institutions championing educational programmes for various audiences. I have been at the Natural History Museum since 2008, previously leading the face-to-face teams including the Science Educators, Volunteers and their associated management. I am now responsible for our global exhibitions, events, partnerships and diplomacy. I have previously worked as a schoolteacher; art interpreter and university lecturer, and am a published author having written a children’s book on contemporary art as well as articles on informal learning. I have a MEd and am currently completing my doctorate in museology at King’s College London.Contact details
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JoannaKalinowskaDevelopement DirectorCopernicus Science CentreI am Development Division Director. I graduated from Inter-Faculty Studies in Environmental Protection at the Warsaw University, and worked in educational and fundraising NGOs as the Project Coordinator and Director of Development. I joined the team at the Copernicus Science Centre prior to its opening and have collaborated with all the CSC sponsors in joint events and activities ever since. My earlier professional experience in the field of fundraising resulted in setting up the Copernicus Club membership programme for the Centre’s regular visitors. I am a member of the Programme Committee of the European network of science centres and museums (Ecsite) annual conference (since 2013).Contact details
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MarionSabourdyScience writer - New media managerLa CasemateTrained in biology & geology and former science journalist, I'm the new media manager at La Casemate, the science center of Grenoble (French Alps). As such, I'm the editor of "Echosciences", a social network we designed for science enthusiasts of our territory. I'm also associate professeur in the Master of science communication of the University of Grenoble. I’m interested in the new ways of talking about science, especially using digital tools and storytelling. By the way, I love dinosaurs and science-fiction !Contact details
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BarbaraStreicherExecutive ManagerScience Center Netzwerk AustriaI am Executive Manager of the Austrian Association Science Center-Network which I co-initiated in 2005. I have been working in science communication since completing my PhD at the University of Vienna as a molecular biologist. Enabling joyful learning in open and engaging settings is what I cherish within the network and in science center activities for various publics. I am an advocate for social inclusion and diversity and was a Noyce leadership fellow in 2013/14. I have served on Ecsite´s ACPC for many years and co-organised the conference in 2016 in Graz. In 2019, I was honoured to receive Ecsite´s first Beacon of the Year award.Contact details
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NeleVan der ElstExperience directorTechnopolisSince I have kids, I feel the need to help them to succeed in life. We all want the best for our children, but how to prepare them for a constantly changing world, a world they will life in and we don’t even know yet how it will be. It became my personal goal to find a way to keep them curious, keep them asking why, encourage them to experiment and to find out by doing, convince them that a ‘nerd’ is not something bad or boring,… With almost 13 years of experience in consumer research (specialisation in unconscious measuring like observation, neuro-research, eye-tracking etc), consumer centricity is still a passion. Why do people do what they do and how can we influence behaviour. It is the same for science communication; how do we get people’s attention and interest so they will consume our "product" i.e. science and technology? Marketing is ‘make people find you and create a desire to use your product’, or, make people find science and technology, bring it to their world and make it attractive so they want to interact with it, learn it and use it. I want to use my experience in consumer behaviour to ‘sell’ science and technology. Not only to kids but to a wide public, as I’m convinced that lifelong learning is needed to keep up with a never-ending changing world.Contact details
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DorothéeVatinelCuratorCité des sciences et de l'industrieI am Curator of the Exhibitions division, Exhibitions projects department, Cité des sciences et de l’industrie (Universcience), Paris, France. Originally an expert in children's exhibitions with a science background, I am now working on travelling shows and European projects. I am on the lookout for all kinds of museographical proposals, in science centres of course but also in art and societal museums. I advocate for the intellectual and cognitive comfort of all visitors, whether experts or novices.Contact details
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AliceBrighiEducator & project managerNatural history Museum of GenevaI am educator at the Natural History Museum of Geneva and the logistical project manager for the 2018 Ecsite Annual Conference. With a background as a geologist specialised in environmental sciences and as a trainer for teenagers and adults, I work on guided visits, workshops, short conferences and many events. I enjoy transferring knowledge and interacting with people of all ages and horizons.Contact details
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NinianHubert van BlijenburghProject ManagerMHN - Museum d'histoire naturelle GenevaAfter a Master’s degree in Biology, I completed a PhD in Didactics and Science Communication. Thereafter, I worked in museums at the crossroads of natural sciences and humanities for the best of twenty years. I also directed some of them. This experience made me an anthropologist and a museologist. Following that, I worked for a couple of years on diversity policies and social cohesion projects. Today, back in a natural history museum, I work on transversal and multidisciplinary projects on science topics with a strong social dimension, in an attempt to humanise a bit the world we live in.Contact details
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SheenaLaursenProgramme Manager - International Relations and LearningExperimentariumInspiring and motivating especially children and young people to engage in the world of science and engineering has been a major part of my career. As Programme Manager at Experimentarium my main focus of work has been strategically managing a portfolio of European projects and I have as such been in charge of many science learning projects and international relations. Furthermore, I have been involved in several initiatives aiming to motivate young people to engage in STEM with a specific focus towards engaging women. I am a passionate advocate of gender inclusion and member of the diversity interest group under Ecsite. Being a member of the ACPC committee since 2015 I have appreciated inspiring and thought provoking insights and discussions.Contact details
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JurijKrpanArt Director at Kapelica GalleryZavod Kersnikova / Kersnikova InstituteI am an art director at Kersnikova Institute and a senior curator at Kapelica Gallery Ljubljana incepted in 1995. Kersnikova Institute is art space where Kapelica is a gallery for contemporary investigative art, Rampa technology creative collisions and getting experiences through the hands-on workshops thematising cohabitation of humans, animals plants and technology.Contact details
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CatherineFrancheExecutive DirectorEcsiteI am the Executive Director of Ecsite. Under my leadership, the Ecsite Conference has grown to become the largest science engagement event in Europe and Ecsite has firmly established itself as a trend setting platform and as a key stakeholder on the European stage. Before I joined Ecsite in 2006, I was working for the Office de Coopération et d’Information Muséographiques (OCIM, France) as a Training coordinator. From 1992 to 1994, I was Professional development coordinator and then Executive director of the Société des Musées Québécois. I have also worked in architecture and art museums in Canada and managed cultural events such as jazz festivals. I hold an MBA in cultural management from HEC Montréal (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales).Contact details
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JulieBeckerConsultantFreelancerI'm a freelance facilitator and museographer. I love working with groups to frame a question or problem, harness the intelligence and skills in the room (or call!) and work together towards a collective outcome. In the science engagement community many know me for having been Ecsite's Communications and Events Manager between 2014 and early 2020. Among others this made me the Editor of the Spokes magazine and a member of the Ecsite Conference Programme Committee. Before Ecsite I was an exhibition developer for ten years: first on the museum side (Natural History Museum London and Royal Museum for Central Africa Belgium), then on the agency side. I'm interested in storytelling and public engagement across all media and I'm a big advocate of our field's role in shaping more open-minded and more sustainable societies. I hold a Museum Studies MA from Leicester University (UK).Contact details
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