Glasgow Science Festival

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Glasgow Science Festival (GSF) is a science festival held every June in Glasgow, Scotland. [1] [2] [3] It was founded in 2007 and provides science-themed events for children, schools and adults at various venues in the city, including lecture theatres, laboratories, cafes, pubs, theatres and cinemas. [4]

The majority of events are free of charge to promote accessibility and events are developed primarily with practicing scientists in order to showcase real research. [5]

Events include science comedy nights, [6] [7] pub quizzes, whisky tastings, art classes, workshops and tutorials on the science of 'zombie-ism'. [8] [9] [10] [11] Science Sunday is a day of family activities at the University of Glasgow which coincides with the West End Festival. [12] [13]

The festival is primarily funded by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Government. It also involves partnerships with a variety of organisations including the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University, the MRC, Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, the RPSB, Glasgow School of Art, the British Science Association, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and Glasgow Science Centre [14]

The festival director is Dr Deborah McNeill, a marine biologist and Head of Public Engagement in STEM at the University of Glasgow. [1] [15]

In 2013 the festival was launched on a barge on the Forth and Clyde Canal, chartered by The Clipperton Project and attended by Scottish Minister Alasdair Allan. [16] [17]

In 2017 the festival was awarded a Herald Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community for gravitational waves-inspired show 'Chasing the Waves'. [18] 'Chasing the Waves' was also a finalist in the Times Higher Education Awards [19]

Other projects

Outside of the festival period in June, the festival delivers a range of public engagement projects that bring STEM subjects to new audiences:

• 'A Shed Load of Science', funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, involved working with scientists and artists to deliver free arts-science activities for communities in the North of Glasgow, including Possilpark and Lambhill. [20]

• 'Cleaner Canal Science' was a collaboration with Scottish Canals and the Scottish Waterways Trust, funded by Zero Waste Scotland. This project engaged primary schools, community groups and local businesses in hands-on science, as a means of tackling the problem of litter on canals in Maryhill, Firhill and Clydebank. [21]

• 'CLAN' (Community Led Ambassador Network) was funded by a Scottish Government Talking Science grant and connected University of Glasgow researchers with communities in the top 0.5% most deprived in Scotland, through free community-led public engagement activity. [22]

• 'Panto Science: The Periodic Fable' is a theatre show which blends pantomime with science. The idea was conceived by Dr Zara Gladman, Public Engagement Co-ordinator for Glasgow Science Festival,. [23] The story was developed by Dr Gladman with University of Glasgow researchers and comedian Bruce Morton, who wrote the script for a live show. The show aims to promote the message of gender equality in STEM to children. [24]

• 'Chasing the Waves' was a live, musical show co-written by Dr Zara Gladman and Emily Benita which shared the story of how Glasgow scientists helped detect gravitational waves. The show was the first of its kind to bring gravitational waves to the theatre. [25]

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References

  1. 1 2 "University of Glasgow - Public Engagement Group in STEMM". University of Glasgow.
  2. ↑ "Glasgow Science Festival".
  3. ↑ "Glasgow Science Festival: Weegie Science". The Skinny. 31 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Glasgow Science Festival - Events Programme". Glasgow Science Festival. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "About Us". Glasgow Science Festival. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Silliness and songs as Helen Arney stands up for science in Glasgow". STV News. 10 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "Comedian Helen Arney talks geeks and nerds". The List. 15 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "Life Drawing: Under the Skin". Glasgow Science Festival. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Fun for everyone at Glasgow Science Festival". The Evening Times. 21 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Food, Festivals, Scotland". The Skinny. 5 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "What if Glasgow really had a zombie apocalypse?". The Evening Times. 3 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "Blast off for the Glasgow Science Festival 2012". University of Glasgow. 28 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Science Sunday". West End Festival. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Event Partners". Glasgow Science Festival. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "School of Life Sciences - Dr Deborah McNeill - Staff Profile". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Step aboard the Clipperton Project's floating lab on the Clyde". STV News. 4 June 2013.
  17. ↑ "Science sets sail from Glasgow". Scottish Government. 4 June 2013.
  18. ↑ "In pictures: Glasgow University takes main prize at the Herald Higher Education Awards".
  19. ↑ "Times Higher Education Awards: Times Higher Education Awards 2017".
  20. ↑ Stewart, Catriona (3 August 2015). "Chemistry workshops going off with a bang" . Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  21. ↑ Scottish Waterways Trust (5 February 2015). "Maryhill Schoolchildren Become 'Citizen Scientists' for the Day to Tackle Litter on the Forth & Clyde Canal". Scottish Canals. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  22. ↑ "CLAN: Community Led Ambassadors Network (Scottish Government Talking Science Award for 2013-14)". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  23. ↑ "Glasgow Science Festival: Meet the Team". University of Glasgow.
  24. ↑ Panto Science. "Panto Science". Panto Science. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  25. ↑ "University of Glasgow - University events - Glasgow Science Festival - Events and projects - Projects - Chasing the Waves". Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
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