Dr Claire Donald Engaging the Public
Public Engagement with Research Case studies
Introduction
Dr Donald is a dedicated early career researcher who acts as a role model and ambassador for public engagement in MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research(CVR).
In the MVLS Engagement Awards she was an Individual Winner for Contributions to Public Engagement 2017 which celebrated the exceptional enthusiasm and commitment of staff.
What was the initial inspiration/need that encouraged you towards public engagement?
I find engaging with the public very rewarding and I get a lot from doing it. Sometimes you get asked a great question that makes you think about your research in a different way and you come away feeling even more enthusiastic about your science than you did before!
Why do you continue to support PE activities?
I think that it is very important for scientists to communicate their research with the public and try to increase science literacy in non-academic audiences.
Firstly, because much of what we do is publically funded, it is important that we pass back our findings to the public in an easy to understand and accessible way. It is also valuable to stress the significance of our work so people can see the benefits that scientific research offers to everyone's daily lives.
Secondly, scientists should aim to inspire the next generation of researchers. Some children don’t consider science as a realistic career choice, or are simply unaware of the different areas of science there are to explore. By sharing our research with young people, scientists can show them new possibilities and hopefully encourage them to delve into science for themselves.
Engagement Highlights
The kind of engagement I most enjoy is face-to-face.
I have really loved taking part in a number of local science festivals such as the Glasgow Science Festival, European Researchers Night Scotland (Explorathon) and the Middle of Scotland Science Festival (MoSSFest). Taking part in the Glasgow Science Festival Internship also encouraged me to design my own activities to take to these events.
Engagement Top Tips
When it comes to designing an outreach activity - less is more!
If you have an exciting idea it’s very easy to get carried away and let your project get away from you. However, some of the best outreach activities I have done have been the most simple. Try to keep things straightforward or your aim might get lost.
Understand the purpose of your engagement and the audience you want to target. Keeping this in mind will help you get your point across more clearly.