British Science Festival proposals - University of East London Researchers We are no longer accepting proposal from University of East London Researchers to take part in the British Science Festival 2024. The British Science Festival will take place in East London from the 11 - 15 September 2024, and will be hosted by the University of East London. The programme showcases cutting-edge science, technology and ideas that challenge, inspire and excite audiences. Each year, thousands of people come together to celebrate the latest developments in research and engage in open discussion about issues affecting our culture and society. Every year, a significant part of the Festival programme features events proposed by staff from the host university. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase your research at a national festival whilst the University of East London partners with the British Science Festival for the very first time! Exciting events from the University of Exeter staff at the British Science Festival 2023 included: VSimulators: virtual reality and beyond Decolonising Medicine: Travelling Through Time with associated blog. The World Turned Upside Down Mudder on the seafloor Artificially Intelligent One size does not fit all Imagining new possibilities for a liveable future We especially encourage proposals that involve research working or partnering with community groups, particularly those local to East London. We celebrate the widest range of science topics and welcome applications from all disciplines including STEM subjects, social science, arts and humanities. We also welcome applications from non-research staff including professional services or support staff. The deadline for proposals is 23.59 Wednesday 17 January 2024. More information Proposals should: Be targeted at an adult audience (age 16+ years old) Be participatory. We anticipate that the vast majority of events in the 2024 programme will use a range of participatory formats, besides talks and lecture-style events, and will take place outside of a traditional lecture-theatre setting. Be engaging, inclusive and novel Consider the societal impact of the research being showcased Consider the practicalities and scope of delivering the event Consider whether the event would run across one instance, a day, or multiple days Consider that the British Science Festival can support small funding requests for external event contributor fees, materials or equipment though, as a charity, we ask that University of East London staff explore other funding opportunities first. We do not provide funding for travel or accommodation. Allocation of funding is at the discretion of the British Science Festival and will only be allocated to exceptional proposals where all the criteria are met. The amount available will depend on the scale and format of the event and any such costs might affect the success of your proposal. Once your proposal is reviewed, we will be in touch to let you know if it was successful or not. Should your proposal be accepted, we will: Schedule a meeting to talk about the content and format of your event. We may suggest changes to reflect our audiences, venues, and Festival aims. This is a collaborative process and an opportunity for us to understand what you want to deliver and how we can support you, as well as to convey our experience and learnings from the British Science Festival. Work with a copywriter and yourself to provide a title, blurb and image to represent your event for the British Science Festival programme. Promote your event through our Marketing and Communications team, using websites, press resources/relationships and social media. We also appreciate when you promote your event through your channels and networks and will provide a digital pack to support this. Send you a logistics form and risk assessment to fill out and schedule a logistics meeting to ensure that your event runs as expected and that you have everything you need to run your event. Please note that completing these forms is required in order for your event to go ahead. Send you a speakers form, to get details on you and your group for press opportunities. Send you a demographics form, which is anonymous, which helps us to understand if our event contributors reflect the local demographic and target audiences of the Festival. Offer you a free, day-long training event in public engagement during the Summer of 2024, where experienced coaches will guide you through inclusive best practice of public engagement and work closely with you on your event and how to make it accessible and attractive to different audiences. Complete evaluation of your event and the overall Festival. You will be sent feedback specific to your event as well as have access to the finished evaluation report when it is finished in early 2025. Please note, we will not be able to: Support on-the-day delivery of your event's content. While the British Science Festival will ensure that the pre-agreed infrastructure is in place and that there's staff on hand to help with crowd management and logistical trouble-shooting, we are unable to be involved with the direct delivery of your event's content. You will need to make your own arrangements if you require staffing support for the set up and delivery of your event. Source/produce every item you need for your event and take over the planning of all the logistical aspects of your event, beyond the reasonable infrastructure available at each venue. We will talk about responsibilities when we meet, but you will be expected to look after the production of non-standard requirements for your event. Frequently Asked Questions: University of East London Event proposals This document provides answers to frequently asked questions about proposing an event for the British Science Festival and will help you to shape your idea into a successful proposal. The FAQ includes guidance about the content and format of events and information on Festival logistics. If you have any other questions, or if you would like to discuss your proposal, please contact Emery Howarth, who will be able to advise on content, format, general Festival-related queries etc. For any queries that you would prefer to discuss with a member of staff from the University of East London, please contact Nikki Patel. What is the date and location of the Festival? The Festival will take place in East London from Wednesday 11– Sunday 15 September 2024 and will be hosted by the University of East London. Exact venues and locations will be selected and confirmed in Spring of 2024. What time will my event take place? We anticipate the overall programme each day to start as early as 10.00 and finish as late as 22.30. The start time and duration of each event will depend on its format, as well as which part of the wider British Science Festival24 programme it is scheduled under (e.g. daytime events, evening takeovers etc). There will be an option to repeat your event across multiple days, if this is of interest. What kind of audience should my event be aimed at? The Festival is free and open to all, but content should be appropriate for an adult (16+ years old audience). The target audience for the programme is: Non-specialist young adults (16-30 years old), particularly from underserved and underrepresented groups in science: Those with broad interest in science but don’t actively seek to engage with it Those who might not self-identify as interested in science, but who are interested in cultural experiences (e.g., music, technology, films, fashion etc) or have a personal connection to a particular field of science (e.g., gardening, sports, mental health, accessibility technology, etc)" Please note that the British Science Festival does not provide content for children, schools pre-16, or families. What length should my event be? Event duration is flexible depending on the format and we are open to suggestions. We suggest getting in contact with us to discuss your ideas prior to submitting your proposal. What kind of content are you looking for? We are looking for events that showcase cutting-edge science, celebrate the latest developments in science and technology and engage their audience in open discussion about relevant issues that affect culture and society. We’re looking for events that span a diverse range of subjects encompassing science in the broadest sense and welcome applications from all disciplines including STEM subjects, social science, arts and humanities. We are looking for thought provoking events that offer new perspectives on scientific topics and stimulate discussion. The British Science Festival is all about making science relevant, representative and connected to society and we’d like to see that reflected in your content. Newsworthy content will be viewed favourably. What type of events are you looking for? In this call for proposals, we are primarily looking for events with more participatory formats that take place outside of a traditional lecture-theatre setting (i.e. talks, panel discussions). Those formats allow us to reach audiences who would not typically go to a science festival. We will be providing plenty of support in creating and forming those events (please see below). We especially encourage proposals that involve research working or partnering with community groups, particularly those local to East London. We will be able to consider a small number of proposals for talks, only where there is a particular reason why this would be the most appropriate format (e.g. the researcher will be addressing a particularly sensitive subject matter), so please make sure to clearly outline your reasoning if you submit a proposal for a talk. What do you mean by ‘participatory formats’? We welcome proposals for events that allow and encourage festival audiences to engage with content in a variety of meaningful ways, whether by having the opportunity to have a two-way conversation with academics, getting hands on with research through tactile exhibits or interactive workshops, or otherwise immersing themselves in the proposed content. In previous years, festival events have included drop-in activities, fitness classes, creative workshops, musical performances, walking tours and games, as well as many other formats. Here are a few examples of different event formats from previous The British Science Festival 2023: Sculptural snogging beyond the binaryThis creative workshop, with artist and dentist Simon Hall, will delve into the art and science of our mouths, kissing, sexual health and what it means to live beyond binary genders.Read their blog here. VSimulators: virtual reality and beyond Immerse yourself in the future of research with the team from VSimulators at the University of Exeter. Discover the incredible potential of virtual reality (VR) technology, motion platforms and wearable devices in biomedical and engineering research. Decolonising Medicine: Travelling Through Time Explore the hidden narratives of medical knowledge and its entanglement with colonialism and injustice. Musarrat Maisha Reza reveals the untold stories that shape our understanding. Join the conversation and envision a future of equitable healthcare systems. Read their blog here. The World Turned Upside Down Immerse yourself in the transformative power of theatre and research with 'The World Turned Upside Down' documentary. Witness the journey of a play inspired by dementia research, followed by a Q&A with the team behind it, chaired by Dr Catherine Charlwood from the University of Exeter. Mudder on the seafloor Explore the hidden wonders beneath the ocean's surface. Join the Convex Seascape Survey for a hands-on adventure in the mud, discovering fascinating marine life and its impact on the environment. Enjoy sea-inspired cocktails and unleash your creativity with colorful mud art. Artificially Intelligent Discover Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) potential and limitations. Engage with the University of Exeter's Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence to ask questions, co-write poetry and test your ability to differentiate human and AI responses. One size does not fit all Step into the future of footwear with Jo Reeves from the University of Exeter. Experience the revolutionary approach of personalised shoe design, tailored to the unique shape and size of your feet. Join the team, get measured and try out the cutting-edge equipment. Imagining new possibilities for a liveable future What would a more sustainable, healthy and socially just world look like? Join the University of Exeter’s Cecilia Manusa Nyblon and Sally Flint to unleash your imagination through community, collaboration, and creative writing. Will you support the development of my event? We are very happy to advise on content and format and help translate your research into an engaging event. To discuss your ideas prior to submitting a proposal please contact Emery Howarth. In December 2023, we will be running Q&A live sessions as an opportunity to find out more about the Festival and get any questions answered. You will be notified of the dates of these sessions by the University. If your proposal is successful, you will also: have one to one sessions with a member of the Festival team to help you finalise the details of your idea be invited to an Events & Public Engagement coaching day in the summer of 2024. We strongly recommend that you attend as we will help you to develop the content and format of your event. While we will support your event development in the ways previously outlined, please be aware that you are responsible for finding co-facilitators/speakers for your event and ensuring that any events you propose are fully organised by spring, in time for the Festival programme to go live. When will I find out if my event has been accepted? We will be in touch shortly after the proposal’s deadline. Will journalists be invited to my event? There is a strong media presence at the Festival. If your proposal is accepted, we will ask for more detailed information that will be provided to the media. Will you provide a fee or cover any expenses? The British Science Festival can support small funding requests for external event contributor fees, materials or equipment though, as a charity, we ask that University of East London staff explore other funding opportunities first. Allocation of funding is at the discretion of the British Science Festival and will only be allocated to exceptional proposals where all the criteria are met. The British Science Association has a limited amount of budget available. The amount available will depend on the scale and format of the event and any such costs might affect the success of your proposal. All British Science Festival events are free to attend. Please note that we only cover expenses, fees or direct costs where is explicit in your proposal and formally agreed with the Festival Team. We are not responsible for any lost deposits if your proposal is unsuccessful. We do not provide funding for travel or accommodation You may also wish to consider contacting your line manager about funding available from your school or faculty. Is accommodation provided? No, if you are based outside of East London, you will need to organise your accommodation yourself, but we can provide you with a list of local hotels with preferential rates. Is travel provided? No, if you are based outside of East London, you will need to organise your travel yourself. What onsite assistance will I receive during the Festival? Refreshments will be available during the Festival. Festival staff will assist with the operation of your event, including AV support, queue management and distribution of Festival evaluation forms. Please note that our staff members will not be able to help you facilitate your event’s content; you will need to source your own assistants/volunteers for hands-on help with the event’s activities. The British Science Festival will not: Support on-the-day delivery of your event's content. While the British Science Festival will ensure that the pre-agreed infrastructure is in place and that there's staff on hand to help with crowd management and logistical trouble-shooting, we are unable to be involved with the direct delivery of your event's content. You will need to make your own arrangements if you require staffing support for the set up and delivery of your event. Source/produce every item you need for your event and take over the planning of all the logistical aspects of your event, beyond the reasonable infrastructure available at each venue. We will talk about responsibilities when we meet, but you will be expected to look after the production of non-standard requirements for your event. Can I get sponsorship or fundraise for my event? Please contact us before applying for any sponsorship or fundraising to discuss the possibilities. How do I submit a proposal? Please complete the proposal form by 23.59 on Wednesday 17 January 2024. What is the Festival’s commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)? The Festival is organised by the British Science Association (BSA). The British Science Association’s vision is a future where science is more relevant, representative, and connected to society. For this vision to come to fruition, we need to see science relating to those from all areas of society, including those who are currently least engaged. We need to be able to engage with people in groups that are poorly represented in science, and that’s why EDI will be central to our activities. We recognise that in many settings, at the British Science Association and beyond, EDI can be seen as an add-on or ‘fix’ to the regular work. Our aim is for EDI to be the heart of everything we do. For more information about the British Science Association’s EDI commitment, please see our 10 year strategy, which outlines our EDI objectives for the next 10 years. Manage Cookie Preferences