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.
Michael John GormanJurij Krpan
From the transfusion of horse-blood into a human recipient, to the creation of “female sperm”, hosts of this year’s Ecsite conference, the Kapelica Gallery, have presented some of the most ground-breaking and controversial projects at the...
Gabor ZsigmondImre BardKristin AlfordRosalina BabourkovaImre BardLath CarlsonAndreas GundelweinIrini PapadimitriouMelanie SaverimuthuYumi Miyahara
We are increasingly tasked with offering reflection not only on where we have been, but on where we may be going, and there are considerable challenges along the road. In these times of radical uncertainty such as the climate crisis, the rise of...
Carmen FenollosaMatteo MerzagoraGène BertrandFrank KupperGrace D'Arcy
Science centres, citizen science activities, hybrid cultural spaces, design thinking and discussion games are all using co-creation practices. In recent years, the interest of the science engagement community in the world of participation and co-...
Sebastian MartinShivani SinghalMarina LeonardMareike WieseBeatriz ReyYihsuan LinRyan Jenkins
How can tinkering and making transform traditional learning models?
This extended session allows participants to engage with deconstruction and construction literally and metaphorically as we take apart and re-evaluate our ideas about the...
Meie van LaarChristine ReichSheena Laursen
Family visits, group visits, educational visits. As a science centre or museum we want to facilitate a lot of different visitors at the same time. We want to increase the number of visitors to maximise the amount of people that come into contact...
Armin DuffKim Ludwig-PetschMeie van LaarClaire PillsburyChristof BörnerKatherine McAlpine
We all use smartphones, every day – but few are aware of their potential for science and science education. The numerous built-in sensors turn any mobile device into a mobile lab, which enables visitors to experiment and measure physical...
The Farewell Party is the Conference's most informal social event: dance, chat, share a drink with other participants...
This year it will take place at the legendary K4 Club, located in the basement of the Kersnikova Institute. The venue...
Welmoet DamsmaAnne LandDesiree VaccariniSara TougaardMichael Bradke
Traditionally, museum objects were only observed behind glass and without tactile interaction but today, engagement with real objects is often encouraged. In today’s digital world, museums have to define their added value and interaction with...
Andrew Whittington-DavisMairéad HurleyMaria ZоlоtоnоsаJAN POMIERNYNanne Wytze Brouwer
Data literacy is becoming increasingly important in a digitalised and technology-saturated world, where everything is measured, analysed and predicted, but where information is also being misinterpreted or (deliberately) misused to mislead public...
Helen JonesAmito HaarhuisLouise WhiteleyNatalija PolenecPaul Voogt
In general, science museums tend to present the past and science centres focus on the future. Can we combine these two approaches, connecting past, present and future, to deepen our understanding of how science works and what it means for us?...
Ran PelegAndrea Frantz-PittnerSilvia GrabnerCedric TanKate KnealeDesiree VaccariniBethan RossAstrid Rampula
‘Immersion’ and ‘immersive’ are popping up everywhere these days: immersive theatre, immersive technology, immersive games, immersive experience, even immersive dining. Science centres and museums have not evaded this trend and many offer...
Maria XanthoudakiCatarina RamosSara CalcagniniJochen ViehoffJulia EllrichTony Lockett
AI and robotics are rapidly changing our societies and this is having major consequences in the way citizens foresee the changes to their everyday lives. There is a wide consensus that AI technologies will profoundly change the world as we know...
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