Creative Idea Generation Workshop for Public Engagement

Led by creative producers from Einstein’s Garden (the science, nature and environment area of the Green Man Festival), this workshop will bring together biomedical scientists and creative practitioners (designers, performers and makers) to share work and perspectives and to spark ideas around creative collaboration for playful science engagement. The workshop was a huge success in 2015 and we are excited to offer another opportunity for researchers across UCL to get involved.

This workshop is a stand-alone event but is also part of a partnership between Einstein’s Garden and UCL supported by a Wellcome Trust funded award. After this initial workshop, Einstein’s Garden will collaborate with a number of biomedical researchers from UCL to produce two projects over the next two years to be delivered at Green Man and other cultural contexts. Einstein’s Garden 2016-17 themes are:

2016: COMPLEXITY

Example topics could be (but are not restricted to) – genetics and genomics, immunology, epidemiology, neuroscience, molecular biology, big data

2017: MIS/BEHAVIOUR

Example topics could be (but are not restricted to) – neuroscience, psychology, mental health, behaviour, decision-making, nutrition, drugs

You don’t need to come to the workshop with any pre-existing ideas for public engagement projects, just bring your passion for research, your enthusiasm for collaboration and an open mind. There is no requirement for workshop participants to be involved in future Einstein’s Garden projects or to come to the Green Man Festival.

All workshop participants will have the chance to work further with UCL Public and Cultural Engagement to refine ideas and identify possible opportunities to run public engagement activities.

ELIGIBILITY:

· You must be an academic, clinical, postdoctoral or postgraduate researcher.

· Your research area must fit within the Wellcome Trust’s broad remit of health and biomedical science

· You must be able to attend the entire 6 hour workshop from 10am – 4pm

· Most importantly you must have genuine enthusiasm for creative public engagement (don’t just come because your supervisor or head of department told you to!)

To apply to participate in the workshop, please complete this short form by Friday 12 February –

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PRBJSQ3

In the event that the workshop is oversubscribed, we will select participants based on representing the most diverse research areas within the make-up of the workshop. We will be in touch by Wednesday 17 February to confirm your attendance.

If you have any questions about the workshop or Einstein’s Garden please email Ellen Dowell - ellen@greenman.net

If you have any questions about the workshop or UCL’s involvement please email Tadhg Caffrey – t.caffrey@ucl.ac.uk

If you would like more information about the kinds of science engagement projects that Einstein’s Garden produces, please take a look at these short films of past projects.

· Hormone Harmony 2013: Two hormone researchers and three performers created an interactive roaming performance about the endocrine system

http://youtu.be/ZRE8djGQhc4

· Blood Lines 2013: Two vascular biologists and a textile designer created a knitting installation inspired by the vascular system

http://youtu.be/RBr88hf7ZZM

· The Energy Factory 2012: 15 low carbon technology researchers and three interaction designers created an interactive installation about energy research

http://youtu.be/YuyfxTHrkRQ