The Octagon unveils summer exhibition

Contained within the quiet of our museums it is the small, the tiny and microscopic pieces that call to us the loudest. From a grain of ancient Egyptian wheat to an exquisite painted miniature, a strand of a mammoth’s hair to the smallest bone in the human body. Our museums contain a mostly hidden world of weird and wonderful small objects. Join us this May as we celebrate the small. Take part in our series of micro-meditations and create your very own ‘Digital Micrarium’.  #UCLMicroWorlds Creative challenge: Create your own Digital MicrariumThe Micrarium in the Grant Museum is a beautiful back-lit cave of 2,300 microscope slides giving a glimpse of the vast diversity of animal life, nearly all of which is minute.Your creative challenge is to design and curate your own ‘Digital Micrarium’ inspired by what you can find around you.  Down in the depths of a cluttered drawer or hidden in a box under the bed; in a shaded part of the garden, or in a pocket of a seldom used coat, small things are waiting for you to notice them again…Choosing anything from a bead of a broken necklace to a close-up of a leaf – we ask you to find and curate your own tiny objects. Arrange them on a large piece of white paper and take a photograph or draw them from above.What story do the items you’ve chosen tell?  What do they say about you, your environment or your mood? Share your Digital Micrariums with us on social media with #UCLMicroWorlds and we will repost our favourites.Creative challenge: Micro-meditationsEvery Monday across our social media channels we will be giving you a new micro-meditation challenge. It’s the perfect opportunity to slow down, study something up close and discovery its beauty. Explore our CollectionsYou can explore many of our tiny collections online. Here are some of the highlights:The Micrarium It’s often said that 95% of known animal species are smaller than your thumb. But have you noticed how most museums fill their displays with big animals?  We have created a beautiful back-lit cave displaying the tiniest specimens in the collection. All in just 2.52 square metres.Find out more about the Micrarium[[{"fid":"14091","view_mode":"medium","fields":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Microscope slides prepared by Doris Mackinnon","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Microscope slides prepared by Doris Mackinnon","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"Microscope slides prepared by Doris Mackinnon, showing Monocystis, a parasite of the sperm sacs of earthworms.","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"medium","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Microscope slides prepared by Doris Mackinnon","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Microscope slides prepared by Doris Mackinnon","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"Microscope slides prepared by Doris Mackinnon, showing Monocystis, a parasite of the sperm sacs of earthworms.","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"attributes":{"height":"464","width":"768","class":"media-element file-medium"}}]]Collection of ProtozoaDoris Mackinnon (1883-1956) was a Scottish protozoologist and parasitologist. During World War I she did vital work studying and diagnosing amoebic dysentery and other intestinal parasites that affected the soldiers. Find out more3,000-year-old Egyptian wheat genome This study was carried out by an international research team who mapped the genetic code from a sample of wheat harvested over 3,000 years ago in Egypt.Find out moreMeteorite beads These beads are made from iron-rich meteorites that fell to earth 5,000 years ago. Someone in Egypt took the time to collect this brittle material, heat and hammer it until it was a millimetre thick and then carefully roll it into beads. They are the oldest known worked iron items in the world.Find out moreRamsay discharge tubesThese discharge tubes in the UCL Science Collection were used by Sir William Ramsay in his discovery of five new elements now known as the noble gases.Find out more

The Engagement team is looking to increase capacity in the short term to help deliver some of its core public engagement activity including our funding programmes Beacon Bursary, Train & Engage and deliver informal networking opportunities for the UCL Public Engagement Network. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to get some initial experience in a busy & varied university Public Engagement team. Previous experience of working with UCL structures is desirable but not essential. The role holder will be closely supported by the Public Engagement team and encouraged to attend online fortnightly Public Engagement team meetings, monthly Engagement team meetings, Keep Learning sessions and additional informal team catch-ups. The role can be work from home, in office at Bidborough House or a blend of the two.Full details can be found in the Job Description.Main purpose of the roleSupport the delivery of our core Public Engagement programme alongside the Public Engagement team and wider Engagement and UCL Culture colleagues.Diversity statementWe encourage applications from those who are underrepresented in the sector and at UCL including but, not exclusive, to non-graduates, disabled, D/deaf and neurodiverse people, LGBTQ+ people, people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, especially women. We also welcome applicants from a range of educational backgrounds and therefore do not require a minimum formal qualification for this role.Length of timeThe role is for 28 days between Monday 25th October and Friday 10th December. Deadline for submission is 09:00 on Tuesday 5th October – submissions after this time cannot be accepted.Please upload your CV to our Recruitment and Sourcing Centre Team at Advantage xPO who are our partners and running this recruitment round. Please do state at the top of the CV that you are interested in this role. Interviews will take place online between Mon 11th to Thurs 14th October. This role is being paid at a Grade 6 equivalent.