Visualising Impact: Engaging Visitors with Complex Science and Environmental Issues

Visualising impact: Engaging visitors with complex science and environmental issues.

An opportunity for a fully-funded PhD studentship, to be co-funded by UWE Bristol, and the Eden Project (subject to contract).

Closing date for applications is Monday 7 November 2016.

About the studentship

This project offers the successful applicant an incredible opportunity to work in collaboration with the Science Communication Unit, at UWE, who are internationally recognised for their innovative science communication approaches, and the Eden Project, a world-famous visitor attraction and educational charity. The Eden Project is the largest paid-for visitor attraction in the South-West of England. Since opening in 2001, it has had over 18 million visitors, and contributed over £1.7bn to the local economy. 48,000 school children visit every year.

The Eden Project has recently been awarded £1.9 million by the Wellcome Trust to create a permanent immersive exhibition, Invisible Worlds, exploring the interconnectedness of life and the environment around us at every scale. These innovative new exhibits are due to be developed from May 2017, with the exhibit opening to visitors in Spring 2018. This PhD project will provide a unique opportunity to follow the development of an exhibition through its life cycle.

Invisible Worlds will be truly contemporary in its approach as it is an ‘exhibition of our time’ (Grand, 2016), encouraging visitors to explore the world of science and the environment that lies beyond our senses. From a science communication perspective this presents some exciting and challenging opportunities, as the exhibition must consider how and why to engage people and have impact in topics which are truly at the forefront of scientific thinking. This may mean the exhibits contents do not relate to topics shaped by existing everyday experiences, previous formal education or existing mental models, and in some cases they may challenge the existing knowledge, as well as social, cultural and educational values of visitors (Gammon, 2016). The emphasis on areas like Earth Sciences, will mean visitors encountering scientific methods such as observation and modelling, as well as highly complex systems (Gammon, 2016), which are often shied away from in science museum, centre and educational contexts. Beyond the topics the exhibition will cover, the methods via which it will do so are also at the cutting edge of science communication practice and their impacts. For example, visitors will be able to participate in citizen science style research projects, engage in a working laboratory, and participate in live demonstrations and debates.

This offers a rich space for a PhD student to develop their research. We would envisage this taking the form of an action research project, whereby the student will be able to develop their line of enquiry by and with the Eden Project and its visitors. Although we anticipate shaping the final research questions with the successful student, we would provisionally expect that they would cover aspect/s of the following questions:

-How do visitors engage with complex, cutting edge environmental research during short term visits? What impacts can we realistically expect from such visits?

-How do visitors ‘unlearn’ existing scientific and environmental knowledge and attitudes over the duration of their experience?

-How do different types of engagements (e.g. participation in citizen science, contributing to debate) influence the depth of visitor experience?

Funding details

The studentship is available from 1 October 2016 and consists of an annual tax-free stipend of £14,296, subject to satisfactory progress, for three years. In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for three years.

The studentship will only fully fund applicants who are eligible for Home/EU fees. Applicants who are normally required to cover overseas fees will have to cover the difference between the Home/EU and the overseas tuition fee rates.

Eligibility criteria

This project is ideal for a self-motivated and enthusiastic student with a broad interest in science communication and/or public engagement who is willing to learn the interdisciplinary skills required in the field. The project requires the student to carry out a substantial amount of field work and it is expected that for periods of the PhD they may be based at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Applicants must have a good honours degree (2.1 or equivalent). A relevant Masters qualification, for example in science communication, is desirable. If the language of first degree or Master’s degree is not English, a recognised English language qualification is required.

Although training will be provided, it is desirable that applicants have some previous knowledge or experience of science communication and/or public engagement. The successful applicant will also demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively with both partner organisations.

How to apply

Download and complete the application form and send it directly to the UWE Graduate School. Please ensure you include the title of the research project you propose to undertake and detail why you are interested in undertaking this PhD project and what relevant knowledge, experience and qualifications you would bring to the research.

Please also complete the Equal Opportunities form and complete the first section of the Application reference sheet before sending to your nominated referees.

For an informal discussion about the studentship, please contact Dr Clare Wilkinson