Lisa Thompson’s beautiful 2016 Curiosity Forest
This September, do you fancy sharing your research in a pan-European event? Explorathon 2017 takes place on Friday 29th September, with some events continuing on Saturday 30th.
Explorathon is Scotland’s event for EU Researchers’ Night. Researchers’ Night takes place on the last Friday in September each year. It is a public celebration of research that takes place in more than 300 cities across Europe.
You don’t need to be funded by the European Commission to take part in Researchers’ Night, and you can be working on any area of research – the arts, humanities and social sciences are welcome.
In Scotland, events will take place in the cities of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews. The Beltane Public Engagement Network coordinates the events in Edinburgh (the core team, plus colleagues from Beltane’s partner universities and other organisations). The Scottish event as a whole is led by the University of Aberdeen.
Discussions over a cup of tea at the Living Memory Association in 2016
2017 will be the fourth time that Explorathon has happened in Edinburgh, and we think we think we’re hitting our stride! Last year, around 2,200 members of the public turned out across the city to see events in venues including Ocean Terminal, WHALE Arts, the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, the City Chambers, 50 George Square and, last-but-not-least, the Golf Tavern!
The types of events that happen at Explorathon are varied. Traditional science communication, like ‘science busking’ and drop-by table-top activities, is a valuable part of it, but we’re also really keen to further develop other types of research engagement activity, including: informal conversations; storytelling; facilitated debates and discussions; co-designing workshops with community partners; theatre.
Our venues for 2017 will include the National Museum of Scotland (for a very special “Murder in the Museum” event!), the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and Ocean Terminal.
- Further information
- Express your interest (deadline extended to Friday 30th June at 5pm)
- Flickr (2016 Edinburgh photos)
