BU Research Blog

May 2, 2023

Science & Technology Facilities Council: Public Engagement ECR Forum – Call for Applications 2023

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Public Engagement Early-Career Researcher Forum (the ‘PEER Forum’) will support talented scientists and engineers in the early stages of their career to develop their public engagement and outreach goals, to ensure the next generation of STFC scientists and engineers continue to deliver the highest quality of purposeful, audience-driven public engagement.

STFC Public Engagement Early-Career Researcher Forum

Call for Applications

Closing date: 4pm Friday 9 June 2023

PEER Forum aims

To foster peer learning and support between early career scientists and engineers with similar passion for public engagement and outreach, thus developing a peer support network that goes beyond an individual’s term in the forum
To foster a better knowledge and understanding of the support mechanisms available from STFC and other organisations, including funding mechanisms, evaluation, and reporting. As well as how to successfully access and utilise this support
To explore the realities of delivering and leading public engagement as an early career professional and build an evidence base to inform and influence STFC and by extension UKRI’s approaches to public engagement, giving an effective voice to early career researchers

What will participation in the Forum involve?

Participants in the PEER Forum will meet face-to-face at least twice per year to share learning and to participate in session that will strengthen the depth and breadth of their understanding of public engagement and outreach.

Who can apply to join the Forum?

The PEER Forum is for practising early-career scientists and engineers who have passion and ambition for carrying out excellent public engagement alongside, and complementary to, their career in science or engineering. Forum members from across the breadth of STFC’s pure and applied science and technology remit.

The personal requirements of PEER Forum membership are that members:

Have completed (or currently studying for – including apprentices and PhD students) their highest level of academic qualification within the last ten years (not including any career breaks)
Are employed at a Higher Education Institute, or a research-intensive Public Sector Research Organisation or Research Laboratory (including STFC’s own national laboratories)
Work within a science and technology field in STFC’s remit, or with a strong inter-disciplinary connection to STFC’s remit, or use an STFC facility to enable their own research
Clearly describe their track record of experience in their field, corresponding to the length of their career to date
Clearly describe their track record of delivering and leading, or seeking the opportunity to lead, public engagement and/or outreach
Are keen communicators with a willingness to contribute to the success of a UK-wide network
Can provide insight into their experiences in public engagement and/or outreach and also evidence one or more of the following;
1. Inspiring others
2. Delivering impact
3. Demonstrating creativity
4. Introducing transformative ideas and/or inventions
5. Building and sustaining collaborations/networks

Further information

For more details on how to apply please visit the website or contact Dr Elizabeth Cunningham elizabeth.cunningham@stfc.ukri.org

Alternatively, if you would like advice on developing ideas or submitting your application, please contact Adam Morris (Engagement Officer) publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

June 25, 2019

Attend Interact 2019 – A Free Engagement Symposium from STFC

conferences, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement Adam Morris

4th September 2019. 10am – 4:45pm. University of Central Lancashire, Preston. UK.

Are you passionate about science and your field of work? Do you think you can excite and inspire the next generation of young scientists? Have you got an interesting science story to tell the public?

The Interact Symposium is a free one day event for those working in physical and life sciences, and over 120 delegates have already registered. There are over 20 exciting workshops planned that will appeal to people at all stages of their careers and especially early career researchers.

If you are looking for taster sessions on how to start your engagement work, or looking to improve your evaluation skills, this is the symposium for you! Most of the day is devoted to workshops covering our 3 main themes – reaching underserved audiences, schools outreach and sharing practice – with a strong emphasis on evaluation throughout. The Market place offers a wide range of interactives to show and tell sessions on engagement in practice plus lots and lots of free resources and professional advice to help you in your work.

There will also be plenty of time to network. The University of Central Lancashire is also hosting a free reception from 6-8pm on the 3rd September and this is your chance to try local delicacies and meet colleagues and engagement experts in an informal environment.

STFC are offering travel and subsistence bursaries of up to £100 for PhD, postdoctoral researchers, fellows and those within 10 years of their first academic appointment to attend. All you have to do is send an email with a short paragraph justifying your case with “Why do I want to go to Interact 2019? ”to Nicky.Bladen-Hovell@stfc.ukri.org.

Applications will be treated on a first come first served basis and the final closing date is 5pm July 31 2019.

The draft programme will be available soon, please check the registration site for details.

June 10, 2019

NEW: STFC delivery plan 2019

Jo Garrad

Today sees the launch of the Science and Technology Facility Council’s delivery plan for 2019.

STFC supports research in particle physics, astronomy, nuclear physics, and space science, most of which is undertaken as part of international collaborations. They also plan, design, construct and operate world-class multidisciplinary facilities used by academic and industrial researchers across the remit of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Their national facilities (the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, the Central Laser Facility and Diamond Light Source) are the powerful ‘microscopes’ of the 21st century, imaging matter at the atomic scale. They also drive innovation, leading to the creation of new businesses, supporting the delivery of the UK’s Industrial Strategy and generating wider social and cultural impacts. Their national research and innovation campuses at Harwell and Sci-Tech Daresbury bring together world-leading facilities, academia and business, providing a coherent focus for this activity.

March 18, 2015

Call for Proposals for the Sience Technologies and Faculities Council 2015

Public engagement gibsonh

The call for proposals closes at 4.00pm on Thursday 30^th April.

The scheme provides funds for small, local or ‘pilot’ projects promoting STFC science and technology. Almost anyone can apply, including grant-funded research groups, STFC research facility users, schools, museums, etc. Awards range from £500 to £10,000 and the expenditure can go towards materials, salaries and travel & subsistence.

Projects must be relevant to publicising engagement or teaching about the STFC science and technology areas, namely:

• particle physics;

• nuclear physics;

• space, ionospheric, solar and planetary science;

• astronomy;

• astrophysics;

• cosmology

• studying materials with muon and neutron sources

• studying materials with synchrotron light sources

• research using laser facilities

Applicants should also consult the STFC Public Engagement Strategy in advance of submitting your proposal and are also encouraged (if applicable) to consider working with under-represented audiences such as girls and young women in engineering and physics, groups in areas geographically remote from STEM activity and underperforming schools.

Please see the notes for guidance for further information.

All applications must be submitted through the RCUK Joint electronic submission (Je-S) (link opens in a new window) system. E-mailed or hard copy applications will not be accepted. Please be aware that it may take up to four weeks for organisations to register for the first time on the Je-S system.

For further information and advice please contact Andy Thompson Tel: 01793 442098

October 30, 2012

Wanted: members for RC governing councils

Jo Garrad

Six research councils are inviting applications to fill governing council vacancies expected to arise in 2013.

Suitably qualified academics and experienced individuals from industry, commerce, government, and the voluntary, creative and cultural sectors, can apply.

The vacancies are at the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The vacancies include some positions with audit committee responsibilities for part-time membership.

Annual honoraria of £6,850 will be paid. The closing date for applications is 19 November.

July 30, 2012

Science & Technology Facilities Council: Public Engagement Large Awards Scheme

Funding opportunities, Public engagement Becca Edwards

STFC logo The Large Awards Scheme makes awards of £10,000 to £100,000 for projects which are expected to have “significant regional or national impact”

Applicants should have strong links with the Science & Technology Facilities Council’s scientific research community. Partnerships between universities and partners that can enhance impact e.g. science centres are strongly encouraged.

Projects must be relevant to one of the following research areas:

particle physics;
nuclear physics;
space, ionospheric, solar and planetary science;
astronomy;
astrophysics;
cosmology;
studying materials with muon and neutron sources;
studying materials with synchrotron light sources;
research using laser facilities;
other science areas

Examples of previous awards can be found here.

Full details of the call can be found here – please note that applications close on 8th November at 4pm.

If you are interested in applying, please contact Becca on (01202) 961206.

January 20, 2012

Funding opportunity – STFC Public Engagement Fellowships 2012

Funding opportunities Julie Northam

The aim of the scheme is to contribute to the STFC’s Science in Society Programme by investing in good communicators with research credibility. They will act as champions or ambassadors for STFC’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (‘STEM’) work to schools, the media or public audiences.

Science in Society fellowships are aimed at those with significant research experience who have demonstrated a track record in outreach or communications work. The fellowships will recognise and reward current practitioners and enable them to expand the work they do in public engagement.

Fellowships will buy time for additional or extended communication activities which will have a significant national or regional impact.

As well as their own wide general research area, other legitimate subjects for activities include current STFC STEM areas in general, the nature of the research process, and ethical and social issues that arise from research and its applications.

We do not wish to be prescriptive about the activities carried out by fellows, but the following are examples of the kind of work which might be expected:

Working with mass media organisations, perhaps by inspiring or contributing to major science features, series or columns in popular print media, broadcasts, etc.
Producing or advising on a major web-based or multimedia resource, possibly including webcasts, podcasts, blogs, etc.
A major series of public lectures.
Working with science centres or museums to develop new ways of presenting STFC STEM work.
Working with the educational sector, including Science Learning Centres, to help teachers or curriculum developers to embed STFC STEM areas in their programmes.

We will not support proposals which are solely aimed at writing a popular science book, but will consider proposals in which the production of a book is part of a larger project.

There is a two-stage process. Short-listed applicants will be interviewed in May 2012, and funding decisions would be known very soon after interviews. Fellowships are normally given in the form of research grants to approved Research Organisations eligible to hold research grants.

The deadline for applications is 4pm on 1 March 2012.

For further information see the call announcement on the STFC website: http://www.stfc.ac.uk/Funding+and+Grants/532.aspx

July 12, 2011

“Music festivals are an ideal place to share science”

Julie Northam

Since 2007 Guerilla Science, supported by the Wellcome Trust, STFC and The Royal Academy of Engineering, has been running bespoke events, activities and performances in unconventional habitats for science. The aim is to embed science into culture by taking researchers out of their institutions and into the public domain thus providing researchers with new ways of engaging with people. As part of this they have been running events at music festivals, such as Glastonbury and the Secret Garden Party. By combining science with art and music they aim to reach a young artsy crowd with little background in science.

A survey in 2010 demonstrated that ca. 80% weren’t expecting to encounter science at a festival and that many participants said they stumbled across the activities by accident but stayed because they looked fun. In addition 84% said they would ‘definitely take part again’.

Promoting research through the arts is not new to Bournemouth University, and the Centre for qualitative Research in HSC has won a number of awards which include this type of activity as part of the dissemination plan, for example Dr Kip Jones‘ New Dynamics of Ageing ESRC-funded project which has produced a film – Rufus Stone.

July 11, 2011

not quite EU but China & UK sign new agreement!

Corrina Lailla Osborne

Scientific and technical collaboration between the United Kingdom and China has expanded further with the signing of a new agreement covering sectors including energy, advanced engineering and life sciences. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the China Guanghua Science and Technology Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), coinciding with the meeting in London of Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Tagged / stfc

Science & Technology Facilities Council: Public Engagement ECR Forum – Call for Applications 2023

Attend Interact 2019 – A Free Engagement Symposium from STFC

NEW: STFC delivery plan 2019

Call for Proposals for the Sience Technologies and Faculities Council 2015

Wanted: members for RC governing councils

Science & Technology Facilities Council: Public Engagement Large Awards Scheme

Funding opportunity – STFC Public Engagement Fellowships 2012

“Music festivals are an ideal place to share science”

not quite EU but China & UK sign new agreement!

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