Dr Stuart Allan

stuart.allan@manchester.ac.uk

Fac

ulty

of

Life

Sci

ence

s

manchester.ac.uk/lifesciences

Engaging Experiences

Why do I engage?

• Enjoyable & rewarding

• Moral obligation

• Seen as increasingly important

– Funding bodies

– Learned societies

– Universities

– Public opinion

• To promote science and scientific research

What is public engagement?

“an umbrella term for any activity that engages the public with research, from

science communication in science centres or festivals, to consultation, to public dialogue.

Any good engagement activity should involve two-way aspects of listening and

interaction..”

(RCUK definition)

Who are the public?“Of or concerning the people as a whole”

(Oxford dictionary definition)

• Family and friends

• TV viewers, newspaper readers

• People who fund your research

• Patients

• Animal rights groups, environmental groups

• ‘Those in the pub’

Benefits to the researcher

• Enjoyment

• Satisfaction

• Contacts/opportunities

• Improved communication skills

• Money – grants actually get funded!

Examples

“The Body Experience”

Examples

“Making sense of your brain”

“Stroke research: from test tube to

treatment”

http://manchesterscience.blogspot.com

Examples

“You know it makes sense”

Interactive pub quiz with demonstrations at Manchester, Nottingham and Melbourne for the World Congress of Neuroscience.

“A day in the life”

http://www.a-day-inthelife.blogspot.com/

The dozens of volunteers over the years…

And of course the funders….

The Physiological Society, RCUK, Wellcome VIP, IBRO, FENS/EDAB, UoM, FLS