The John Innes Centre receives strategic funding from BBSRC
The John Innes Centre receives strategic funding from BBSRC
Taking the phobia out of learning science29 August 2006 Whilst the number of pupils taking science subjects decreases each year, the need for a scientifically literate workforce has never been greater. Anne Osbourn of the John Innes Centre argues that a fresh approach is needed to enthuse and inspire young people and stimulate their natural curiosity about the world around them. During the week of the BA Festival of Science she is launching a Science, Art and Writing (SAW) initiative that uses scientific images as inspiration for poetry, artwork and other forms of creative exploration. This draws children into wanting to understand and discover the science behind the images. There have been several pilot projects run in schools throughout Norfolk and successful collaborations with schools in the US. Now Anne is working with the National Science Learning Centre to roll out the initiative across the UK.
"Scientists and artists have many things in common. They may tend to go about things in different ways, but both depend on real insight - on the ability to focus, to observe, to note detail, to extract the essence, to pinpoint the truth as they see it, and then to express this truth clearly and succinctly to others" she says. Anne, who is a senior plant scientist at the John Innes Centre, spent a sabbatical year at the internationally renowned School of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, funded by a Dreamtime Fellowship awarded by NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts). "SAW allows people to explore the science behind the images and immerse themselves in science so they put aside their preconceptions about the subject. It represents a powerful way of bringing science into our everyday lives". Louise Swiniarski, Professor of Education at Salem State College (Boston, US) set SAW as a challenge for 25 trainee teachers going out into placement schools in the Boston area. She said "This project has a life of its own. It has captured the imaginations of not only my colleagues, but my students and their students and schools. By using writing and artistic expression as avenues in which children can express their understanding of scientific notions, teachers can address the diversity of learning styles and strengths of their students. The key to the program, however, remains in the direct teaching of science through images". During the BA Festival of Science Anne will be taking part in a series of lunchtime readings by scientists and writers and will be running a one day SAW workshop on Friday 8th, enlisting the help of Dr Ian Gibson MP, himself a former scientist. On Tuesday 5th at 6pm she will be featuring in a series of talks by writers and scientists followed by a discussion of "Science and the arts - two cultures or one?" chaired by writer and broadcaster Vivienne Parry. Following the pilot projects in Norfolk, Anne published a collection of the artwork and poetry from children aged from four to twelve in a book called "See Saw" in March 2005 and she is now working on a handbook for teachers so they can bring their own projects into the classroom. She is also planning to release a book of her own highly acclaimed poetry next year. Notes to Editors:1. To arrange an interview with Anne Osbourn, please contact Vicky Just on +44 (0)1603 255111 or at victoria.just@jic.ac.uk. Anne will be available for interviews from the 4th September. 2. High resolution images are available to accompany this press release on contacting victoria.just@jic.ac.uk. 3. An anthology of the poetry from SAW is published in See Saw, available from Amazon.co.uk ISBN0-9550180-0-5. 4. The BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) aims to promote openness about science in society and to engage and inspire people directly with science, technology and their implications. The BA Festival of Science is hosted by UEA, NRP and Norwich City Council, and will take place from 2-9 September 2006 in venues across the UEA, NRP and Norwich City. Details of all events are available online at www.the-ba.net/festivalofscience. Tickets for the main and city programme can be booked online or by calling 020 7019 4963. Tickets for the 8-13 yr olds programme can be booked by calling 01603 450042. Tickets for the 14-18 yr olds programme can be booked by calling 020 7019 4945. 5. The BA Festival of Science is supported by the East of England Development Agency. 6. University of East Anglia is committed to creating sustainable collaborative relationships with local, national and international organisations. Private and public sector organisations can work with the university’s academic and research community through collaborative research projects, student placements, the licensing of UEA inventions and technologies for commercial use and the engagement of staff as expert consultants, advisors or trainers. 7. With nearly 9000 staff the Norwich Research Park (NRP) is home to one of Europe’s largest single-site concentration of life science research. www.nrp.org.uk. 8. The John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich, UK is an independent, world-leading research centre in plant and microbial sciences with over 800 staff. www.jic.ac.uk 9. Norwich City Council recognises that science is important to the city in economic, educational and cultural terms. The Council seeks to facilitate cultural and creative developments that enhance both the quality of life for citizens and the wider role of the City and this event provides opportunities to experience current scientific thinking in an accessible and interesting way. 10. NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, is working to transform the UK's capacity for innovation. We invest in all stages of the innovation process, backing new ideas and funding new ventures that stimulate entrepreneurship. www.nesta.org.uk
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