Public engagement with research Lesley Paterson, Research Services Michaela Livingstone, Oxford Sparks (MPLS and MSD) Wednesday 23 September 2015

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1 Public engagement with research Lesley Paterson, Research Services Michaela Livingstone, Oxford Sparks (MPLS and MSD) Wednesday 23 September 2015

2 Aims of today s session Introduce what Public Engagement with Research (PER) is Provide some inspiration about the types of activity that PER can be Provide an idea of the researchers perspective Provide a space to think about how you might support your researchers to do PER

3 What is Public Engagement with Research? The many ways with which researchers share their research with the public Can include young people adults or family audiences A two-way process with the goal of generating benefit for both researchers and the public

Widening Participation Impact Outreach Public

4 Business & Policy Engagement Responsible Research & Innovation Research Comms Knowledge Exchange PER Widening Participation Impact Outreach Public Engagement Patient & Public Involvement Community Engagement PER

5 Inform and Inspire Consult Collaborate

6 Inform and inspire Facsimile of Tutankhamen's tomb Half-term bioscience day Oxford Sparks Composing opera for children

7 Consult African Local Knowledge: Livestock Diseases and Treatments in South Africa Balancing conservation and commerce in the world s forests

8 Collaborate Zooniverse Citizen Science ArcheOx

9 Why engage? Developing your skills Stimulating research creativity and innovation Motivating inspiring you and your research Enhancing your research quality and its impact Gaining new research perspectives Helping to build trust Forming collaborations and partnerships Accessing more funding Inspiring the next generation of researchers

10 Citizen Science Online Alexandra Swanson The Zooniverse University of

11 Technology is changing the way we collect data

12 Technology is changing the way we collect data

13 Technology is changing the way we collect data

14 Spiral Smooth Technology is changing the way we collect data

17 serendipitous discoveries

19 25 ameras 1, 12 5 km 2

25 1 MILLION classifications in 3 days

26 How do we get good DATA

30 We use a plurality algorithm to aggregate multiple volunteer answers We calculate certainty metrics to reflect our confidence in each final answer We compare volunteer answers to expert answers

31 % correct

33 We want to make citizen science accessible to scientists everywhere

36 QUESTIONS?

37 Communicating migration research through theatre Dr Marieke van Houte International Migration Institute / ODID Wednesday 23 September 2015

38 Goal Bridge the gaps between migrants experience, public opinion and insights from research Using experience rather than arguments Opening up a dialogue rather than imposing ideas

39 In or Out? an extraordinary queuing experience

40 Page title to go here

41 Lessons learned for unconventional public engagement Say Yes, and (if you can).and No if you have to Be prepared to fail so that you will succeed anyway Be in the moment and link to the future

42 THANK YOU! QUESTIONS? CONTACT: MORE INFO:

43 JONATHAN BROOKS- BARTLETT

44 QUESTIONS?

45 Opening up, not dumbing down : Humanities research in the media Kylie Murray Balliol College and English Faculty Wednesday 23 September 2015

46 My research and media experience British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellow, and JRF in Balliol, working on Scottish literature, cultural history, and book history from c AHRC/BBC New Generation Thinker 2015/16: 12 month spot - BBC Radio 3, BBC Ideas Festival. Written work, radio presenting, TV work, live lectures and interviews. April / May 2015: Press release about my research discovery of Scotland s oldest non-biblical book

47 What works well? Some general principles: Media is academia turned inside out : Academic publication: prolonged period, watertight evidence, peer review Media: drawn to bold, new, often speculative ideas. Thinking on one s feet, e.g. live interview. Media success for research is not about technical details, but about engagement: Most technical details cut, as general audience won t take them in Key point / in a nutshell mindset

48 What works well? Creating a story Why is this headline news, and worthy of telling to non-specialists? What is it that you re itching to tell the world about your research? What is your new angle? When is a good time is there an element of timeliness to your research? Is it topical? 3 key points: clear beginning, middle, end. You are literally telling a story to newcomers.

49 What works well? Delivery Authority: think Mary Beard: no matter what she talks about, you believe her Energy and excitement: making the words lift off the page keeps the audience with you Clear language: avoiding technical terminology and jargon Element of surprise: makes the research memorable

50 Element of surprise - an example The OED s earliest recorded f-bomb is from William Dunbar, medieval Scotland s own Malcolm Tucker, paid by King James IV to verbally abuse politicians circa

51 MEDIA REFLECTION, REFRACTION, AND DISTORTION A CASE STUDY, BASED ON A SCOTTISH MANUSCRIPT DISCOVERY

52 Media coverage: manuscript discovery My 3 key points: 1. A 12th century manuscript of the Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (d.524 AD) in Glasgow University is the oldest non-biblical Scottish manuscript.

notes about King David I of Scotland and its illustrations

53 Manuscript discovery key point 2 Earlier scholars had assumed the book was northern English, but the manuscript contains notes about King David I of Scotland and its illustrations resemble those in charters from Kelso Abbey in the Scottish kingdom.

54 Manuscript discovery key point 3 3. There is no evidence this book was ever in England. Instead, it is probably from the Scottish kingdom, with Kelso Abbey the most likely place of production.

55 (i) Reflection Metro, 30/4/15: Book made in England? Aye, write. An English copy of a book is actually Scotland s oldest non-biblical manuscript. The Herald, 30/4/15: A 12th-century document previously thought to be English has been revealed as the oldest surviving non-biblical manuscript from Scotland following new research. Daily Record, 29/4/15: Oldest non-biblical manuscript found thanks to King David I of Scotland connection.

56 (ii) Refraction The Guardian, 30/4/15: 12th-century text revealed as oldest non-biblical document from Scotland. The Scotsman, 29/4/15: An academic from Oxford visiting a Scottish university has discovered the oldest surviving nonbiblical Scottish manuscript in a vault. BBC News, 29/4/15: University of Glasgow researcher discovers oldest book.

57 (iii) Downright distortion STV, 1/5/15:...The book was written by Roman Empire philosopher Boethius in the Scottish Borders 1500 years ago. Daily Mail, 1/5/15: Dr Kylie Murray discovered the book in Glasgow s special collections where it has been sitting undisturbed for around two centuries... Daily Mail, 1/5/15: A spokesman for Glasgow University said Nothing was known about it and it was the first time it has been researched and had work done on it.

58 Take away points: Media engagement has massive impact potential Needs to be successfully navigated - especially the tension between accuracy / credibility and media interest Best treated as a complementary output, alongside, but not instead of scholarly publications Helpful strategy: back up credibility with academic peer-review publication before press engagement? Overall, it is fun, energising, exciting and refreshing - for us and for our audience!

59 QUESTIONS?

61 WHAT S IN STORE AT THE UNIVERSITY

62 THANK YOU Lesley Paterson Senior Coordinator and Facilitator for Public Engagement with Research Michaela Livingstone Public Engagement Facilitator (Oxford Sparks)

HDR UK & Digital Innovation Hubs Introduction. 22 nd November 2018

HDR UK & Digital Innovation Hubs Introduction 22 nd November 2018 Health Data Research UK s vision To create a thriving, high-energy UK-wide network of inter-disciplinary research expertise that will: