ASDC January newsletter: AI Masterclass FREE for members | Partnerships with Universities | New Associate Member
Association for Science and Discovery Centres
Working with members to make science accessible, inclusive and valued as a fundamental part of our everyday lives.
Hello and welcome to our January 2025 newsletter.
This year feels fresh and full of optimism for our sector, with a renewed sense of collaboration and commitment as we celebrate 25 year anniversaries for many of the UK’s Millennium Science Centres. These unique centres welcome millions of visitors each year to explore hands-on science, from smaller community-embedded centres like Dundee Science Centre in Scotland to the epic tropics of the Eden Project in Cornwall. We will be showcasing many of them at the ASDC Conference 2025 in Bradford, please save the 9-10th September in your calendars and look out for early bird tickets in the Spring.
The new ASDC sector survey has now been sent out to all members to capture collective data for benchmarking across the sector, horizon scanning and insight and sector advocacy and collective voice. Please note the deadline to complete the survey is 7th February.
The next ASDC Members’ Forum is on Wednesday 5th February, focusing on partnerships between science centres and universities, with speakers from Bath University, the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and Glasgow Science Centre .
Could your organisation benefit from joining the ASDC network? Find out about membership?including the benefits, opportunities, and the value of being part of this unique science engagement community. Lastly a reminder to visit the ASDC website for the latest?funding opportunities,?jobs?events and training. We also welcome ASDC members to join the dedicated?LinkedIn group?created to facilitate discussions, share challenges, opportunities and ideas!
We look forward to seeing you and your colleagues at the next ASDC event,
Team ASDC
STFC Masterclass: Emerging technologies to solve complex problems
12th February, 10.30am - 5pm RAL Space Lab, Didcot, Oxfordshire
Curious about how to communicate AI, machine learning, and Quantum computers to your audiences? Join colleagues for this free in-person masterclass, funded by STFC , at RAL Space Lab in Didcot, Oxfordshire.
Open to all ASDC members, attendees will learn about cutting-edge technology from experts, discuss engagement ideas with colleagues, and discover hands-on demos. The programme includes a keynote speech from Michael Wooldridge - previous Ri Christmas Lecturer and Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford.
This event is free to attend and your travel and accommodation expenses will also be covered.
Final call! Apply for STFC grants for community-inclusive projects
ASDC is inviting proposals for projects that implement the Valuing Inclusion Theory of Change into your practice. This programme is a continuation of the work of Explore Your Universe: Valuing Inclusion (2024) with the objective to further refine and define the meaningful inclusive outcomes and their role as mechanisms of change, that nurture STFC STEM capital and STEM identity.
Deadline to apply is 17th January, however there may be an option to extend this if required.
ASDC February Members’ Forum: Partnerships between science centres and universities
5th February 2025 , 2-3pm
Join this forum to explore existing and new partnerships between science centres and universities, discussing how connections can be made, what we can learn from each other and an opportunity to find out what's currently happening across the sector. With speakers Helen Featherstone , Head of Public Engagement, Bath University, Maddy Foard , Senior Project Manager, NCCPE?and Stephen Breslin , Chief Executive, Glasgow Science Centre.
Save the date: Accessibility Unlocked
7th May 2025
We’re busy preparing to launch this one day in-person event at Winchester Science Centre . Look out for tickets going on sale end of January! If you’d like to register your interest or suggest speakers for this event please email the team.
Welcome to new ASDC Associate Member This is Loop
This is Loop is the collaborative artistic partnership of artists Harriet Lumby and Alan Hayes who have established a reputation for creating large scale experiential installations utilising reflections and illusion at the intersection of technology, science and art.
Their playful sculptures invite audiences to be engulfed by intense and thought provoking choreographed audio visual journeys.
Members’ news & events
New CEO of Cambridge Science Centre announced
Cambridge Science Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Rebecca Porter as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Rebecca, who served as Head of Development since 2019, brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to the Centre's mission of inspiring children and young people through hands-on science.
Dundee Science Centre appoints new Chief Executive Officer
Dundee Science Centre has appointed Jill Farrell as their new Chief Executive Officer, replacing Isabel Bruce who retired after five?successful years in the role.
Jill is?a circular economy and business development professional with over 20 years of experience in developing Scotland’s economy. She has previously been Chief Operating Officer of both Zero Waste Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Tayside, and Director of Internationalisation at the University of Strathclyde.
The National Science and Media Museum reopens
After a major transformation, The National Science and Media Museum has reopened, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter as part of Bradford’s cultural scene in 2025 and beyond.
领英推荐
We look forward to welcoming delegates to the ASDC Conference there in September!
EngineeringUK webinar
Thursday 23 January, 11am-12pm
Inspiring the next generation: Promoting engineering and technology careers through environmental sustainability.
Join Michael Hardisty , Head of Environmental Sustainability at EngineeringUK , for a webinar exploring how you can engage young people in conversations around environmental sustainability and motivate them to explore green engineering and technology careers.
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2024 awarded Patronage by UNESCO
The 2024 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, presented by Dr Chris van Tulleken, have been awarded Patronage by the UK National Commission for UNESCO.
Patronage is UNESCO’s highest form of support and serves as a hallmark of quality, signifying the Lectures’ contribution in advancing UNESCO's mission of promoting education, scientific research, and cultural understanding.
News from the STEM sector
Open call for proposals for British Science Festival 2025
Apply by 20th?January 2025
The British Science Festival will take place across the city of Liverpool from the 10 - 14th September 2025, hosted in partnership by the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University.?
We are inviting artists, researchers, community activists, critical thinkers, industry partners, charities and beyond- from across disciplinary backgrounds- to submit proposals events, activities or installations.?
Submit your proposals for Visitor Studies Group Conference 2025
Submit proposals by 20th January 2025
This year’s VSG Conference will be held at the London Transport Museum on Friday 2nd May, with the theme Valuing Audiences: Measuring, Responding to, and Understanding Audience Values and Experiences.
Proposals are welcome from anyone who can address this theme in a creative, collaborative and/or meaningful way.
National Astronomy Week
1st - 9th February 2025
Resources are now available for everyone to use for National Astronomy Week. Download from the Google Drive?(this link can be shared across the network). Find daily themes, graphics, a list of astronomical storytellers, a print-out/giveaway Moon tracking activity and a short video from Professor Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, designed to be played before any family events. The planetarium show developed for national astronomy week is now confirmed at 9 UK venues including the National Space Centre, Glasgow Science Centre, Armagh Observatory and the Royal Observatory Greenwich. If you have a planetarium it’s not too late to get involved!
UK Science Festivals Network Conference
7th February, Bristol
The UK Science Festivals Network, managed by the British Science Association ,?brings together science festivals and non-science festivals with scientific content to consider the highs, lows and future of festival organisation and management.
This year’s conference will focus on exploring how festivals engage with activism and how they can produce events that promote, showcase and champion sustainability in all its forms.
Festival of Tomorrow
10th - 22nd February
Festival of Tomorrow is an action packed exploration of the wonders of science, innovation and the arts, based in Swindon. In partnership with UKRI, the festival aims to share new discoveries and technologies, sparking conversations on how we can choose the future we want to see.
National Trust’s 10-year strategy plans to ‘restore nature’
The?National?Trust?has?launched a 10-year strategy?to tackle the climate crisis, support biodiversity and address inequality in an announcement marking the conservation charity’s 130th anniversary. The strategy has three goals for 2050:
Funding, jobs, events and training
Upcoming ASDC events, sector-wide jobs and funding opportunities are listed on our website. To share news from your centre or museum in our next newsletter please email [email protected]