Annual Conference sessions
Browse all conference sessions since 2010
Science ♥ society
2019
"The blob: a genius without a brain".
2019
"Mathematics as Material Play"
Equity & Inclusion
2019
A blindfolded experience to grasp visual accessibility requirements.
Business & fundraising
2019
The session explores different models for financing our institutions and tackling the biggest challenges we face in the search for a diversified and balanced model.
Strategy & vision
2019
The Supreme Court of the Ecsite Conference will decide whether virtual reality (VR) in museums and science centres is visceral reality providing vital reactions, or just virtually rudimentary and very rubbish.
Research, theory & evaluation
2018
James Beacham is a particle physicist involved in the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Watch a video of his keynote.
Science ♥ society
2018
“Go forth and collide, Multiply and create” is the motto of our Science Assembly. Inspired by religious revival meetings, we will offer you songs, laughter, inspiration, and meaning.
Exhibit development
2018
Are you facilitating creative team processes? Tired of always using the same old tricks? Interested in the wider potential of creative techniques? This session is for you.
Strategy & vision
2018
What is the future of science centre exhibitions? Do we need to stick to scientific phenomena, or focus on high tech and current science? Do we concentrate on objects or interaction? Or are physical exhibitions becoming obsolete in the digital era?
Research, theory & evaluation
2017
Professor Alice Roberts is an anthropologist, author and broadcaster, and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. Watch a video of her keynote.
Science ♥ society
2017
Nina Simon has been described as a “museum visionary” by Smithsonian Magazine for her audience-centred approach to design. Watch a video of her keynote.
Research, theory & evaluation
2016
Dr. Frans de Waal is a Dutch-American biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behaviour and social cognition of primates. Speech title: Prosocial Primates: The Cooperative Background of Our Species
Equity & Inclusion
2016
Dr. Elizabeth Rasekoala is the President of African Gong – the Pan-African Network for the Popularisation of Science & Technology, and Science Communication. Watch a video of her keynote.
2015
Andrea Illy is the Chairman and CEO of illycaffè S.p.A., a family coffee business founded more than 80 years ago. Watch his speech on Ecsite's YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2014
Professor Ian Goldin is Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Globalisation and Development at Oxford University. He delivered a speech entitled "Individual and Collective Wisdom and Failure".
Science ♥ society
2014
Ahmet Üzümcü is the Director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2013.
Strategy & vision
2013
Dominique Pestre is a social and political historian.Hos speech was entitled "What kind of innovation for the Anthropocene?". Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2013
Susan Greenfield is a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford and delivered a speech entitled “ The neuroscience of creativity – Making the most of 21st century technology”. Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2012
Martin Rees, Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, gave a speech entitled "Space exploration, life and the cosmos".
Strategy & vision
2012
Carlo Ratti, Professor at the MIT, gave a talk entitled "Future Cities - The real-time city is now real!"
Science ♥ society
2011
Derrick de Kerckhove, Professor at the Department of French and former Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto, gave a speech entitled "Navigating among the shoals and reefs of social, state and business controls in science and technology".
Strategy & vision
2011
Michael Jones Chief Technology Advocate, Google, gave a speech entitled "The Billionth Visitor".
The first Ecsite Conference took place in 1989. Here you can browse all Conference sessions since 2010. Use the search engine to look for people, topics...
Looking for an older session? Our digital records start in 2007, with programme pdfs attached to each conference page.
Elin RobertsMarion SabourdyAnna GunnarssonThierry Brassac
Once upon a time...
Embark on a trip through enchanted landscapes. During this journey, meet three speakers, hiding in the storyline of an interactive fairytale. They all share a passion: stories! Assuming that the human brain was shaped...
Mikko MyllykoskiJohn Falk
John Falk will answer all questions from his keynote speech in an engaging conversation with Mikko Myllykoski, Director of Heureka (Vantaa, Finland) and Ecsite Conference Committee Chairperson.
A selection of demonstrations and highlights from some of our member institutions, including Heureka's 'Moments of the Week' and NEMO'S online science demo on making paper whistles and eggs-periments.
Research, theory & evaluation
Marianne AchiamMarianne AchiamYuri MattemanHenrike WelpinghusJustin Dillon
The educational efforts of science centres, museums, zoos and aquaria are often challenged by the fuzziness and complexity of the notion of sustainability. This means that educational initiatives may be governed as much by serendipity and local...
Shaaron LevermentYuri MattemanJen DeWittKatia FranzosoInka de PijperAmanda Colbourne
Commitment: Equity & inclusion
Science centres across Europe are pushing for the role of equity and partnership for diverse participation, with an aim to include and involve families who may not currently walk...
Alexandre QuintanilhaSharon Ament
Conference hosts Brad Irwin and Dorothée Vatinel are here to welcome you to day two of the 2021 Ecsite Online Conference. In today's welcome, they'll be joined by two very special guests; Alexandre Quintanilha and Sharon Ament. Alexandre will...
Anna SchaefersAmparo Leyman PinoElizabeth RasekoalaGabriele ZipfMariam BachichRilando June LamadjidoGeorgina YoungAlexandra AlberdaCraig RitchieTibisay Sankatsing NavaCaroline TurreDevina LobineMicah ParzenEva Trujillo
Commitment: Equity & inclusion
After a first session on decolonising museums at the 2019 Ecsite Conference 2019 in Copenhagen and a webinar for Ecsite Online in 2020, we would like to continue the discussion:...
Research, theory & evaluation
Christina ClassenClaudia GorrVesa LepistöClayton Cutajar
The idea for this session is to talk about data that render practical changes in our science centres or museums. To be precise, it's about evaluation data – mostly quantitative but to a certain extent also qualitative. The sticking point is to...
Get ready for an exciting selection of events. Make sure you’re here at 17.15 CEST to start the evening’s Not-so-Nocturne, where you'll get a glimpse of what is to follow (and how to get there).
Get active with scientific baking, enjoy a...
Research, theory & evaluation
Bernadette DecristoforoJana HawigRick Martin SpringerBernadette SchrandtJuliana Restrepo
Conservation of nature, working with death, the time span of the evolution of man and capturing the ‘genius loci’ of a site - four different exhibition topics with one similarity: they are hard to display. The choice of exhibition techniques can...
Robert FirmhoferZuzanna MichalskaNato SamkharadzeOlena PavlyukBarbara Szymańska-MarkowskaElżbieta Miterka
Commitment: 21st century skills
In a constantly changing, interconnected world the formal education systems, based in most countries on factory production principles, cannot help educate the next generation for the...
Research, theory & evaluation
Lizzy MoriartyAnne-Sophie GresleGiovanna PaciniBálint Balázs Daria Dvorzhitskaia
This session explores evaluation as a self-reflection tool and how it can be used for quality assurance and stakeholder engagement. Our panel will cover current aspects of evaluation tools based on adaptations due to Covid-19 with examples from...
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