Breaking the Ice: Exeter's pop-up Science Centre
Lead Research Organisation:
Exeter Science Centre
Department Name: Public Engagement
Abstract
Our aims for this project are to:
-Showcase STFC science and technology through our skilled and passionate climate modelling researchers working across multiple disciplines and using atmospheric observations to improve models of the climate, both on Earth and on planets orbiting other stars.
-Demonstrate the importance of collaboration across the scientific community and beyond, whilst changing visitors' perceptions of science and scientists.
-Reach diverse audiences through collaborations with artists and experience-designers.
-Design creative approaches to disseminate cutting-edge science while harnessing the opinions, perspectives and experience of our visitors.
-Encourage the public to see the relevance of science in their everyday lives.
-Motivate people to make positive changes in their lifestyles to protect our environment.
-Become STEMM influencers in our region, providing a place where the public can encounter reliable and clear scientific information and STEMM practitioners are empowered and enabled to effectively communicate their research to the public.
-Provide a launchpad for what aims to be an impactful, large-scale STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Medicine) Discovery centre, co-created with the public and accessible for all, delivering high-quality public engagement activities.
-Spark an ongoing relationship with the community where the public feels invested and included in the project.
-Showcase STFC science and technology through our skilled and passionate climate modelling researchers working across multiple disciplines and using atmospheric observations to improve models of the climate, both on Earth and on planets orbiting other stars.
-Demonstrate the importance of collaboration across the scientific community and beyond, whilst changing visitors' perceptions of science and scientists.
-Reach diverse audiences through collaborations with artists and experience-designers.
-Design creative approaches to disseminate cutting-edge science while harnessing the opinions, perspectives and experience of our visitors.
-Encourage the public to see the relevance of science in their everyday lives.
-Motivate people to make positive changes in their lifestyles to protect our environment.
-Become STEMM influencers in our region, providing a place where the public can encounter reliable and clear scientific information and STEMM practitioners are empowered and enabled to effectively communicate their research to the public.
-Provide a launchpad for what aims to be an impactful, large-scale STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Medicine) Discovery centre, co-created with the public and accessible for all, delivering high-quality public engagement activities.
-Spark an ongoing relationship with the community where the public feels invested and included in the project.
Planned Impact
Any virtual resources used within this project or developed as part of this project will be made available on the Exeter Science Centre webpage (https://exetersciencecentre.org/) as well as through regular social media updates before, during and after the pop-up.
The virtual reality Exoplanet Explorer 360 video developed by Prof. Nathan Mayne and his colleagues will be used within the pop-up but is already accessible to the public. The new exoplanet educational computer game that he has recently developed will also be completed by the pop-up and will be exhibited there and promoted to all visitors (and to our online participants/viewers).
The most successful engagement ideas developed in this project will be used as a model for working with scientists across various research areas in future events. They will also be added to the business plan for the Exeter Science Centre (which is freely available on our webpage) and used in the Centre itself, once it is built.
The feedback from the public consultation carried out as part of this pop-up will be written up into a report which will be shared amongst the Association for Science and Discovery Centres. A public-friendly summary of the impact report for this project will also be provided on our website, to enable others to replicate the process and understand the impact and outcomes.
Once developed and tested the pop-up itself would be easily repeatable at minimal cost and could be repeated in towns and cities across the region. Furthermore, once the Science Centre is built, we would continue to use it as a hub for outreach into the whole region of the South West, with this pilot acting as a model for that future work.
The virtual reality Exoplanet Explorer 360 video developed by Prof. Nathan Mayne and his colleagues will be used within the pop-up but is already accessible to the public. The new exoplanet educational computer game that he has recently developed will also be completed by the pop-up and will be exhibited there and promoted to all visitors (and to our online participants/viewers).
The most successful engagement ideas developed in this project will be used as a model for working with scientists across various research areas in future events. They will also be added to the business plan for the Exeter Science Centre (which is freely available on our webpage) and used in the Centre itself, once it is built.
The feedback from the public consultation carried out as part of this pop-up will be written up into a report which will be shared amongst the Association for Science and Discovery Centres. A public-friendly summary of the impact report for this project will also be provided on our website, to enable others to replicate the process and understand the impact and outcomes.
Once developed and tested the pop-up itself would be easily repeatable at minimal cost and could be repeated in towns and cities across the region. Furthermore, once the Science Centre is built, we would continue to use it as a hub for outreach into the whole region of the South West, with this pilot acting as a model for that future work.
Organisations
| Description | Breaking the Ice: Exeter's Pop-up Science Centre |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our climate-modelling themed pop-up exhibition took place over two long weekends between 11th-21st March 2022 in Maketank, Exeter. As well as inviting the general public we also hosted specific events for schools, an event for local youth groups and an adults only evening. We welcomed 1259 visitors to the exhibition. The visitors were predominantly young families and the average dwell time was between 15 minutes and 2 hours with most people staying at least an hour. We had over 30 volunteer scientists and mediators supporting the exhibition so all visitors had the opportunity to engage with them. This made people feel more connected to scientists (with 93% of visitors saying that they now felt more connected to scientists). It also helped to increase the dwell time, which was significantly longer than we anticipated with some people spending 2 hours in the exhibition. This also meant that a majority of visitors reported an increase in their knowledge from visiting the exhibition, with 95% of the 140 people that filled in the exit poll saying that they had learned either "a lot" or"something" about climate modelling. Having a central creative zone meant that scientists could chat with people while they were creating, which seemed to increase visitors' willingness to talk, particularly about more difficult issues like climate change." Overall, the exhibition was a great success, it allowed us to build lasting relationships with a range of collaborators and the public and we have continued to use elements of it in smaller scale events since and will be updating and repeating the exhibition later in 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://exetersciencecentre.org/events/climate-pop-up/ |