Each year 1,200 attendees gather for Europe's largest professional event in the field of science engagement, the Ecsite Conference. Contribute to shaping future Conferences:

Apply to become the Chairperson of the Conference Programme Committee (ACPC)

The ACPC brings together science engagement experts, representatives of past, present and future Conference hosts and Ecsite staff. The ACPC is in charge of the Conference’s format and programme, while each year the local host takes care of social events and logistics. More about the ACPC

Mikko Myllykoski has been the ACPC chair since June 2014 and his second mandate is due to end in June 2021.

“It has been a marvellous time to chair this diverse bunch of colleagues: hard-working, fun-loving and inspirational. I always feel empowered after we have met – and I always remain astonished by what we achieve in our collaboration. I wish the next chair good vibes and great professional development – for the future of our field!" - Mikko Myllykoski

This call is open to staff of Full Ecsite members. Apply by 14 March.

This is an exciting time to join - the Ecsite Conference is developing online components and future Conferences are being shaped in the light of the challenges and opportunities brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Feels like something for you?

More about the mandate

The Chairperson is nominated by the Ecsite Board for a three year mandate, renewable once.

In dialogue with the Ecsite Board and in consultation with the rest of the ACPC and the Ecsite team, the Chairperson defines the programme of the Conference and its strategy.
The Chairperson acts as the group leader of the Programme Committee, making the most of the collective expertise present in the Committee and making sure all members feel valued and motivated.

A few rules about this mandate:

• Decisions with a financial impact must be agreed by Ecsite's Executive Director. The Conference budget is managed by the Ecsite Office.
• ACPC members cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. Like all members of other Ecsite Committees or governance structures, the Chairperson will need to cover their registration cost to attend Ecsite's events. The networking is invaluable, however!
• The Chairperson works closely with the Ecsite Communications team and reports to the Ecsite Board and Ecsite Executive Director. The Chairperson is invited to attend a Board meeting once a year on the occasion of the Ecsite Conference.

There are four ACPC meetings per year, taking place online or in different locations across Europe:

• In November or early December, all received session proposals are reviewed in a three-day meeting which usually takes place in Brussels. For the 2021 Ecsite Conference, exceptionally, this meeting will be online, on 19, 21 and 23 April.
• In March or April members normally gather in the city of a future Conference edition, for a two-day meeting. In 2021, the ACPC will enjoy a virtual tour of the sites for the 2022 Ecsite Conference in Heilbronn, Germany.
• During the Conference itself, members attend a lunch meeting together on the last day of the Conference. All members have a few duties during the Conference, such as running evaluation interviews, presenting keynote speakers or welcoming newcomers at the Newcomers' breakfast. In 2021, this will be re-invented in the context of a digital gathering.
• In September, we gather for 1.5 or 2 days and mostly discuss the previous edition's evaluation.

Besides attending the meetings, the Chairperson will spend some hours planning the meeting agendas, reading and pre-rating all 100-150 received Conference session proposals in advance of the November meeting. The Chairperson will be punctually involved in specific task forces.

How to apply

The ACPC Chairperson is a staff of an Ecsite Full member. The same person cannot represent his/her organisation on the Ecsite Board and be the Chairperson of the ACPC, but the same organisation can be represented on both (exceptions might be made in very special circumstances).

Fill in this application form by 14 March.
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed during the week of 22 March.

The new Chairperson will be nominated by the Board on 13 April and will take office from mid-June 2021 onwards.