Funded Society Awards summaries

Recently funded awards

Chris Smith
The University of Cambridge
"The Naked Scientists"
£125 000
Over the next four years the Cambridge University-based Naked Scientists will use funding from a Society Award to maintain and extend their existing public engagement initiatives, which include the production of science radio programmes and podcasts, interactive web pages and live science discussions and debates. The team will build upon their previous work through the development of a new range of compelling visual media packages, including video podcasts, new specialist science programme strands that target under-served areas of the biomedical science arena, and the use of other forms of new media and social networking as tools for public engagement with science.

Helen Della Nave (née Penny)
At-Bristol
"Embedding Dialogue and Debate"
£228 000
Embedding Dialogue and Debate is a two-year project lead by At-Bristol working in close collaboration with Ecsite-uk, Thinktank, Centre for Life and Glasgow Science Centre. The project aims to embed dialogue about science within the culture of science and discovery centres, and to encourage science centres to make relevant training a part of the ongoing professional development programme for all staff. The project will deliver training for facilitators to deliver dialogue and debate activities with visitors confidently through the development and delivery of four facilitator academies. Focusing on the skills needed to discuss contemporary science issues with audiences, the Facilitator Academies will equip centre staff to enhance dialogue opportunities in their home venues. The Academies will encourage participants to share training with their colleagues, create a buddy system for ongoing support and share dialogue resources for the sector online. Ultimately, the project will help to create a culture of discussion where Science and Discovery Centre visitors can be supported to consider and question key issues within science.

Donna Renney
Cheltenham festival Ltd
"Expanding Horizons: Breaking down festival boundaries"
£200 000
The Cheltenham Festivals sell over 150 000 tickets and have a culturally rich network of individual performers associated with each festival. Performers often comment on how much they enjoy meeting people from other disciplines in the Green Room at the festivals. This three-year project focuses on harnessing the creative energy of those individuals in a more formal way through the appointment of a Biosciences Project Manager for the festivals. The aim is to embed bioscience in the programming mind of all the festivals. The project will provide us with the resource to follow up, develop and deliver as innovative events, the many ideas that are generated at a Cheltenham Festival. We will disseminate the work through our media partners and through the creation of a group of leading thinkers and scientists.

Theme: Genetic Variation(s) and Health

Peter Finegold
Nowgen, The University of Manchester
'Nowgen Schools Genomics Programme'
£218 319
The Nowgen Schools Genomics Programme, led by the Manchester-based centre for genetics in healthcare, is a programme of work aimed at embedding human genomics, (the study of genetics and the human genome) in UK science lessons.The programme will bring current scientific research into schools, exciting pupils about the pace of discovery and engaging them in thinking about how advances in genetics will affect their future lives - narrowing the gap between genomics research and classroom genetics. The programme includes working with examiners on how to draw on the latest developments in genomics and healthcare. It offers students opportunities to visit research establishments as part of assessed coursework and will result in the co-production of three new Teachers' TV programmes for students and teachers. As well as influencing how genetics is taught in schools, the project will look at new ways of integrating contemporary content into traditional science and within science related courses such as A-level Science in Society and the Perspectives on Science Extended Project.

Sally Montgomery
W5 at Odyssey
'Can I Blame It On My Genes?'
£127 978
Over two years W5 will work with Professor Frank Kee at the Centre for Excellence for Public Health Research and Dr Gary McKeown, School of Psychology at Queen's University to use the theory and practical applications of biomedical science to raise the importance of public health genetics, highlighting not only the evolving capacity of new genetic technologies, but also the implications for individuals, their understanding of health risks and their lifestyle choices. This will be achieved by exploring young peoples' attitude to risk through a programme of interactive workshops and by raising teachers' knowledge in relation to the theory, and practice of public health genetics and the emerging bioethical context to develop a tool box of resources teachers can use to explore genetics, risk and life style choices in the classroom. The programme will focus on two topics skin cancer and high blood cholesterol.

Jeffrey Teare
Tinderbox Consultants Limited
''Not My Fault' - Genetic Predisposition or Personal Responsibility?'
£125 000
''Not My Fault' - Genetic Predisposition or Personal Responsibility?' is a long-term project involving new and established writers, scientists, clinicians, students and theatre practitioners in the creation of exciting and engaging new work on the subject of genetic variation and health, which will be presented at the Eden Project (Cornwall, UK) in late 2010. Audiences will attend announced performances and 'guerrilla' shows will also be staged to the general public. Post show discussions and public engagement events will be held to support every performance, and published scripts and video material will be available.More information can be found at the Theatre Science website.