Public Engagement Collaborations

Organisations

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council - as a member of the BBSRC family of Institutes, JIC has close links with and collaborates when appropriate with BBSRC External Relations Unit attending regular joint meetings with the other Institute Communications teams to discuss strategy, policy and collaborative working on issues of national importance.

British Science Association - The British Science Association exists to advance the public understanding, accessibility and accountability of the sciences and engineering in the UK.

Regional Beacon of Public Engagement CUE East - proponents and supporters of the regional bid to host a Beacon of Public Engagement, JIC is an active partner and helped trial the SOUL Evaluation Toolkit at events, received funding for events and proposed a successful nomination for their annual PE Awards.

Gressenhall Museum of Rural Life - JIC takes part in themed activity days held at the Museum which attract over 3000 adults and children usually in family groups, and collaborates with them on specific projects for example, Growing The Grain funded by CUE East. Gressenhall hosted “Wheat - A Plant that Changed the World” exhibition during the summer of 2009. This is now housed at NIAB in their Innovation Farm.

Science Outreach in Norfolk (SOIN) - Norfolk is endowed with a range of active partners in science outreach and communication and in an attempt to harness and publicise this, increase collaboration and avoid duplication of effort SOIN was established in 2009. The first Science in Norwich Day was held at The Forum during National Science and Engineering Week in 2010 and it is envisaged that this will become and annual event.

The Forum - the UKs most used and visited Library is in the heart of Norwich City centre and offers a unique venue for a wide range of public engagement activities either working closely with them as part of their events programme, or using the venue for stand alone events organised independently. The Forum has an unequalled visitor demographic and commitment to community engagement in its broadest sense and is host to the community aspect of the CUE East Beacon of Public Engagement. JIC has collaborated on projects such as Earth From the Air incorporating a Climate Change event and Plants & Us, and use the venue for our Showcase of Young Science and Science in Norwich Day. In an attempt to reach new and younger audiences the Forum allowed us to use a series of their Comedy Nights to obtain data from a notoriously hard to reach audience (20-40s).

The Saw Trust - JIC scientists and students are active participants in SAW projects and worked with local schools on a range of projects including Streptomyces, starch, plant natural products, rhizobia, topoisomerases, pattern recognition, meristems, GM, plant development and plant pathogens.

Teacher Scientist Network - JIC provides in kind support to TSN by hosting their offices on site and providing support facilities free of charge, has membership on the Steering Committee and encourages its staff to be active partners with local schools. As part of the JI 100 celebrations JIC scientists participated in A Scientist in Every School in Norfolk in 2010.

Events

National Science and Engineering Week - JIC participates each year in NSEW with school based activities and with IFR presents a Showcase of Young Science for 6th Formers and the public where the audience votes for the research project they think should get continued funding. In 2010 with TSN JIC scientists took part in A Scientist in Every School in Norfolk.

Annual British Science festival - participation in the Festival of Science is a priority whether independently or in association with others as active members of the Agriculture and Food Sector. As co-hosts of the Norwich Festival in 2006 JIC hosted a wide range of other events in the City and Schools Programmes.

Norwich Science Café @ Inspire Discover Centre - the Norwich Science Café is hosted by the Inspire Discovery Centre and JIC contributes to the annual programme

Science Communication Conference - regular attendance by at least one or more of the team to keep up to date with and contribute to national projects, debates and discussions such as Science For All.

The Big Bang Fair - working with the producers of the event in 2009/10, JIC sponsored and provided judges for the CREST Awards programme, hosting the winners on a one day visit to JIC. This has now been taken up by BBSRC from 2011.

Norfolk Food Festival - as a member of the Steering Committee since 2006, JIC has endeavoured to incorporate science elements into the Festival programme and is co-host of the Great Norfolk Food Debate and provides speakers, panellists and input into the programme.