The Edge of Science

Oxfordshire Science Festival is an independent charity offering an annual opportunity for people to explore science and innovation in contemporary culture. It rebranded in 2018 as IF Oxford (Oxford science and ideas festival) in recognition of our differentiated audience logic model that includes (British Science Association UK adult data from 2016): Professionals produce or curate knowledge (8%); Enthusiastic, actively seeking science (15%); Open but no efforts to engage (53%); and See science is (usually) not for them (24%).

IF Oxford 2018 delivered 100 events across 11 days with 10% of the audience attending 11 events in East / Southeast Oxford by delivering these activities (talks, hands-on zones and workshops) in familiar locations, including a Black Panther zone (300 people, 1-4 hours, community centre), a 'new materials' talk (40 people, 1.5 hours, local college) and Space at the Shops (600 people, 1-2.5 hours, shopping centre). Six of these events were designed in partnership with communities in areas of Oxford in the top 20% of Indices of Multiple Deprivation because we want to challenge publics and researchers to push at the definition of their own (STEM) culture and identity. During event development and following basic Festival evaluation, most people described themselves as new to a science festival (80%) and thought IF Oxford 2018 was good or excellent (90%.)

We want to show how science is relevant to a much greater diversity of audiences and also demonstrate to researchers that existing and new audiences to STEM subjects have valuable ideas to contribute, including helping researchers interpret contemporary research topics as 'relevant to me.' Part of this will involve an evolution of our events development process, inspired by the NCCPE's Museum-University Match Events process that became Wonder Match but tailored to communities in Blackbird Leys, Cowley, Littlemore and Rosehill where we have already established relationships of trust. We want to empower and equip people unfamiliar with the structures of science and large cultural event production with the tools and skills to help the Festival and its traditional contributor base (researchers) better engage with the whole of society. (NB. We have just appointed a 2018 community contributor from Blackbird Leys as a Trustee of the IF Oxford organising charity, Oxfordshire Science Festival Ltd.)

Over the next two years, we want increase the number and range of events developed with and for people in traditionally underrepresented communities. We will diversity the stories and role models in STEM to help adults (including parents) and children explore careers and futures in science that at present may not yet exist. Oxford has an enormous range of STFC-related research and innovation that can be used to inspire conversations about today's technology and tomorrow's future, which can hopefully stimulate a positive shift in self-identity towards fundamental and applied scientific research in STEM subjects.

We produce 60,000 printed copies of the IF Oxford programme and will post news items as press releases / blogs about how special community events are co-created.

We produce an annual report highlighting outputs and outcomes of IF Oxford, which is available to anyone via www.if-oxford.com.

We will present findings at the UK Science Festival Network Conference and meetings, at British Interactive Group (BIG) meetings, the NCCPE Engage conference, or at locally / nationally organised conferences.

We will share project developments and findings at our regular planning meetings in Oxford for subsequent science festivals.

We will be happy to respond positively to requests to share learning with any other organisation that is interested in developing a comparable initiative.