University Brings Science to the Community
Published: 18 July 2014
The University of Glasgow has been awarded a grant by the Scottish Government to take science into some of Glasgow’s most deprived communities.
The University of Glasgow has been awarded a grant by the Scottish Government to take science into some of Glasgow’s most deprived communities.
The £25,000 Talking Science grant will be used to fund the Community Led Ambassador Network (CLAN) - an initiative led by University of Glasgow researchers which delivers free hands-on activities, pop-up museums, workshops and meet-the-researcher events in areas of multiple deprivation.
Last year, 168 researchers participated in CLAN, engaging with more than 6,000 people in Drumchapel, Easterhouse, Govan, Lambhill, Maryhill and Tollcross. Events ranged from a family-friendly “Space Fair” at the Platform community hub in Easterhouse to science-themed crafts for adults at a refugee drop-in centre in Govan.
The High Possil meteorite, part of the Hunterian collections
Science of local interest also featured, including the return of the High Possil meteorite to the site where it fell over 200 years ago in Lambhill, as part of an event with The Hunterian Museum’s Dr John Faithfull at Lambhill Stables community centre. The little-known story of the meteorite’s discovery was shared with locals, who were also free to handle a variety of stony and iron meteorites on loan from The Hunterian.
Leading the project is Dr Deborah McNeill, Head of Public Engagement Group in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) at the University of Glasgow. She said: “We are delighted with the Scottish Government’s decision to fund CLAN for a second year. This will enable us to continue to develop valuable relationships between university researchers and community groups and to bring science to new, hard-to-reach audiences across the city.”
Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages said: "Talking Science grants have given thousands of people, all across Scotland, the chance to discover science and the impact it has on our everyday lives since they were introduced in 2012. They have helped events get to venues off the beaten path to communities and groups that haven’t been given the chance to engage with science in a fun and exciting way before.
“These activities give fascinating insights about the things around us and have allowed audiences to hear about the world-leading research being done in Scotland. This is a wonderful opportunity, not just to find out what is going on in labs across the country, but to showcase the full range of opportunities out there to inspire the next generation of engineers, technicians, mathematicians and scientists.”
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First published: 18 July 2014
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