John Innes Centre

Working with the Media & Public Engagement.

We actively seek to inform and engage the media, general public and specialist audiences with the latest developments in our science and our organisation. This area of our website contains a wide range of information (and links to related sites) for non-specialists and schools.

We produce, and have access to, a very wide range of scientific and non-specialist resources and information. We also make our science and scientists accessible to the public, and special interest groups, by organizing and participating in many activities targeted at different audiences.

What does JIC do for schools?

JIC is committed to supporting science teaching in schools and actively encourages its scientists to join the Norfolk Teacher Scientist Network (TSN), which is an independent organisation that partners Norfolk teachers with scientists.

JIC participates in the JIF/NRP Nuffield Scholarship Scheme which provides local sixth formers with a four-week vacation placement as an opportunity to gain direct experience of research on the Norwich Research Park.

JIC scientist Anne Osbourn has established the SAW Trust to continue her work encouraging children to explore and experience the world around them through involvement with science, the arts and writing. A SAW Showcase event was held at the John Innes Centre in July 2008 at which 15 schools presented the fruits of their labours. View photos from the event.

JIC's Kim Findlay in collaboration with the JIC Communications Team has produced Microscopy@JIC - a website with the aim of answering many of the questions asked of the JIC Bioimaging Team from members of the public and, in particular, teachers and students. They hope the website will provide basic educational information and inspire you to learn more about microscopy.

Inside Science ‘Inside Science’ is now in it’s fourth year. The Norwich BioScience Institutes, funded by BBSRC, invited sixteen gifted and talented science students from around the region to spend three days on an intensive workshop, hearing about the research we do first hand, meeting students, post-docs and research assistants hearing exactly what it’s like to work in science.

We are following the ‘graduands’ to see what impact spending time in a real science environment has on their future career decisions.

For a list of web resources see our 'science for all' section.

What about JIC's involvement with the general public?

JIC actively encourages its scientists to engage with the public and has an active Science and Society programme that uses various communication tools to reach a broad range of audiences. The programme is coordinated and facilitated by the Communications Team.

Many of our Science in Society activities are designed to provide audiences with face-to-face contact with scientists, in an environment that facilitates understanding of emerging science. Our scientists are regularly involved in National Science Week activities and, throughout the year, in giving talks to interest groups (farmers, horticultural societies etc.) We also provide speakers for public meetings/debates on science and its applications.

Friends of JICWe have presented our science at a variety of different shows and festivals including: the Edinburgh Science Festival, Chelsea Flower Show, Cereals, the Royal Norfolk Show, the Royal Show and the Royal Society Summer Exhibition.

John Innes has a Friends organisation that provides previews of JIC activities and an 'insiders' view of JIC science and resources.

What resources does JIC have that are potentially available to the public?

JIC produces 'Advances' which aims to reflect the originality of the science we do and addresses the interests and needs of our wide stakeholder base. We also produce other occasional publications on our activities and on plant and microbial science in general. These are available on our publications pages.

We maintain and/or contribute to various public domain scientific databases that provide access to large amounts of valuable scientific data.

As a result of our long history we have extensive scientific archives that include material from the early days of the John Innes Centre's founding organisations. This archive is a fascinating insight into the growth both of a major research centre and a significant part of the UK's plant science research.

The John Innes Foundation owns a unique collection of botanical books, which chronicles the development of botanical illustration over more than four centuries and includes many works that are landmarks in the history of plant science.

The Centre has a high-quality Conference Centre that is regularly used for scientific meetings but is also available to external users. The Conference Centre is regularly used for musical concerts and art exhibitions.