Education
One-stop leisure locations where visitors can enjoy different kinds of recreation are becoming more popular. A number of science centres are preparing or have already undertaken an expansion of the science centre with other activities in order to...
Research, theory & evaluation
This session will discuss recent ideas and strategies on the complex topic of obtaining evidence of impact. An underlying aim is for us as a field to work together, rather than in isolation, to define, to determine, and to communicate to funders...
Operations & finance
Are we sometimes too cautious and colourless during the design process? Can a deliberately ‘risky’ approach sometimes enhance our creativity and produce a better visitor-experience?” In this session we will explore various...
Science in Society
In a modern world where different cultures often clash, scientific thinking is surely the best cure for intolerance. How can we help the public to evaluate information about science coming from sources which may or may not be reliable? Many...
Operations & finance
A maintenance insight. Have three different institutions found a good process? How is the key human factor involved and motivated in their task? Do they really understand what they are repairing? Are they sharing the same objectives than the...
Science ♥ society
Ortwin Renn
Ortwin Renn, Professor and Chair of Environmental Sociology and Technology Assessment at Stuttgart University, gave a speech entitled "Why do people fear what they fear? The psychology of risk".
Risk perceptions have a reality of their own...
When science moves, things are different. The projects displayed here share common goals: making science more popular, reaching the audience in its own environment. But travelling science is specific: you have to be creative because of the...
Human Resources
What does it take to have volunteers in your science centre? There is no single optimal model of cooperation. Some science centres rely strongly on volunteers while others prefer full-time staff. Some accept them, but only as backstage people,...
Research, theory & evaluation
This session will explore tensions in public engagement with science and technology (PEST) by reflecting on the concepts and practical dimensions of public engagement in research and practice. We will examine these tensions through a combination...
Science & Arts
Art has long been a part of science centres but it can be argued that much of this art is “safe” i.e. not critical of science or how it is done. Would a science centre risk showing art encouraging visitors to question who researches what, to...
Outreach
We think science busking at its best is a non-judgmental and wholly open invitation to play and investigate the world around us. We also believe science busking can be a devastatingly effective and adaptable means of communicating with people....
Museums and universities are both learning institutions working for education, for the professional development of educationalists, carrying out research. Cooperation between them gives added value to the field. However, the relationship is not...