Engage@Roslin Public Engagement Small Grants Fund

We have a very exciting opportunity for you to develop your own public engagement outreach activity with the support of the Engage@Roslin public engagement team. 

Through this project you will create a portable, easy-to access, research-themed public engagement with research activity that can be used by yourself, your colleagues and other staff and students to engage school pupils and local communities with Roslin Institute research.

Launching in January 2020, this new public engagement small grants fund (awards of up to £250 and £500) is aimed at Roslin and R(D)SVS research staff and postgraduate students who want to develop their own research-linked public engagement activity. Successful applicants will receive training and support from the Engage@Roslin team to develop their activity, and an opportunity to pilot and evaluate it at public events in summer and autumn 2020.

How will we support you?

The activities will be developed with the support of the Engage@Roslin team who will support you from coming up with initial idea to purchasing the equipment, to getting the activity up and running with a real-audience. The activity you produce will be based on your own research and will help you to engage non-specialist audiences with your work and that of  your colleagues. The activity will then form part of our Public Engagement Lending Library for use by all staff and students on the Easter Bush Campus.

We had funding from the Students Experience Grants in 2019 to support the purchase of specific materials and equipment and start the Lending Library, we now have a good format and several boxed activities that you can look at to help inspire your own activity.  You can read out the Public Engagement Lending Library Project and see our boxes and current equipment by clicking here. 

What are the benefits of getting involved?

By taking part in the training sessions you will:

• Gain experience of activity design and evaluation
• Inspire and guide others working on the Easter Bush Campus to get involved in public engagement  
• Develop transferrable skills including event organisation, health and safety, graphic design, public speaking, classroom management and budgeting
• Gain insight into careers in public engagement and science communication

By delivering your activity to public audiences you will:

• Develop your communication and public engagement skills
• Build your confidence in delivering engaging activities to new audiences
• Benefit from new ideas and perspectives about your research from the public
• Strengthen the relationships between schools, local communities and the University of Edinburgh

Your commitment:

This project will be a 9 month commitment.

You will attend monthly training sessions where we will discuss the progress of your activity and help solve any problems. You will be given the opportunity to test your activity out with real-audiences in June-August and showcase the final version at the Midlothian Science Festival Schools Programme and/or Easter Bush Campus Open Day in October.

TIMELINE:

February: Forming a working group of staff & students - outline ideas, determine the programme of activities to be developed, form working partnerships (staff and student pairings)

February - August: Development and piloting of activities – activity development by working groups supported by Roslin Public Engagment staff, testing out activities in local schools and in local communities e.g. Loanhead Gala Day, Peebles Show

August - October: Evaluation of activities and full delivery – evaluation of pilot activities, adjustments to activities as required and delivery at the Midlothian Science Festival. 

How do I get involved?

Details of how to apply are here and the deadline for applications is 5pm Wednesday 5 February 2020.