Glasgow Science Festival

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]

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.[18]

• '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.[19]

• '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.[20]

• '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,.[21] 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.[22]

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. 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. 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. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Event Partners". Glasgow Science Festival. 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. ↑ Stewart, Catriona (3 August 2015). "Chemistry workshops going off with a bang". Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  19. ↑ Scottish Waterways Trust. "Maryhill Schoolchildren Become ‘Citizen Scientists’ for the Day to Tackle Litter on the Forth & Clyde Canal". Scottish Canals. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  20. ↑ "CLAN: Community Led Ambassadors Network (Scottish Government Talking Science Award for 2013-14)". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "Glasgow Science Festival: Meet the Team". University of Glasgow.
  22. ↑ Panto Science. "Panto Science". Panto Science. Retrieved 20 January 2016.


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