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Hello! I am a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at Manchester Metropolitan University, and Programme Leader for the BSc in Environmental Science. My current research involves looking at ways in which science can be used to empower society and one of the ways in which I do this is through the use of poetry and games, using these as a creative tools to help engender dialogue between experts and non-experts.
I am also interested in the different ways in which science is perceived in popular culture, and alongside Dr Paul Wake I am the co-director of the Manchester Game Studies Network.
You can find out more about me, and read some of my poetry, on my website: www.samillingworth.com
I teach because I think that it plays an integral part in the development of my research. By working with inspirational students I am able to discuss and improve my research and to get instant feedback on what aspects are engaging, interesting, and relevant to society.
"There is no excuse for letting another generation be as vastly ignorant, or as devoid of understanding and sympathy, as we are ourselves."
- C. P. Snow
I am the Programme Leader for the BSc in Environmental Science. Developed in consultation with employers in environmental agencies and business, this course has real-world relevance and he;ps students to develop skills and knowledge towards the measurement, modelling and assessment of environmental change, and its impacts.
In addition to teaching on the BSc, I also lecture across the faculty on Public Engagement and Science Communication skills and am very happy to help with any queries in these fields that you may have.
October 2014 - September 2016: MA in Higher Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
October 2007 – September 2010: PhD: ‘The Suitability of the IASI instrument for Observing
CO from Space’, University Of Leicester, UK
In my thesis, I investigated the capability of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer
(IASI) satellite to measure atmospheric concentrations of carbon monoxide.
September 2002 – July 2006: MPhys (four-year degree) in Physics with Space Science and
Technology (First Class Honours degree – 87%), University Of Leicester, UK
October 2012 – May 2014: Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Manchester, UK
My research was primarily concerned with the remote sensing of methane and other trace gases
from the Airborne Research Interferometer Evaluation System (ARIES); an airborne Fourier
Transform Spectrometer operated on the UK’s atmospheric research aircraft. In addition to my
work with the ARIES, I was also involved in the development of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
(UAV) for making in situ measurements of ozone on the sub-urban scale.
September 2010 – April 2012: Daiwa Scholar, Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
After a rigorous selection process, I was selected as a 2010 Daiwa Scholar, and from September
2010 to April 2012 I lived and worked in Tokyo, Japan. As part of the scholarship, I devised and
lectured a course at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, which was centred on the need for
effective communication in scientific research, and how this can be achieved. As a result of this
work I was invited to help lead some of the centennial celebrations at Tsinghua University
in Beijing, China.
In addition to my research and teaching commitments, I also have the following roles within the University:
English
Developed in consultation with employers in environmental agencies and business, the BSc Environmental Science degree has real-world relevance and will develop your skills and knowledge towards the measurement, modelling and assessment of environmental change, and its impacts.
The course combines aspects of physical and life sciences to develop your understanding of contemporary environmental issues. Field and laboratory work will develop your practical and analytical ability in undertaking complex scientific investigations. You will learn to process information from a range of sources and scientific disciplines which will enable you to make informed recommendations and take appropriate action.
For more information, please check out our website.
Comparative Anatomy and Physiology (6F4Z1102_1819_9Z6)
Global Environmental Issues (6F4Z3113_1819_9Z6)
Investigating the Environment (6F4Z3111_1819_9Z6)
Natural Resources and Pollution (6F5Z2005_1819_9Z6)
Research Design and Methods (Environmental and Geographical) (6F7Z3001P_1819_9Z6)
Science for Sustainable Development (6F7Z3003_1819_9Z6)
Sciart (1B7V9701_1819_1FO)
Use of Local Knowledge in Designing Transport Infrastructure and Landscape Mitigation in Anticipation of HS2; A Public Engagement Methodology for Ashley
Joanne Phillips (Second Supervisor)
This research is focused on the parish of Ashley, a Cheshire landscape which lies just to the south of Manchester, adjacent to the airport. Ashley is a rural agricultural parish with the village at its centre.HS2 Ltd currently proposes to run the phase 2 high-speed (HS2) rail line through the centre of the parish, just south of the village. In Ashley, the new line will be approximately the width of the M56, for the most part. This research project looks at the development of a public engagement methodology for the community of Ashley in response to the proposed changes that HS2 will bring.
You can read more about this research here.
Developing an Effective Two-way Communication Model of Environmental Hazards
Maria Loroño-Leturiondo (Director of Studies)
The aim of this project is to guide and improve knowledge exchange practices between experts and communities with relevant experiences. This will help to foster a more prepared and resilient UK in the face of climate change intensified hazards, such as floods and landslides. This project will, therefore, develop an effective two-way communication model of environmental hazards, and experiment with it in setting up real-life communication events in the UK.
You can read more about this research here.
Into Ingress: A Walking Ethnography of Augmented Reality Games
Ursula Curwen (First Supervisor)
The aim of this project is to identify the social processes that inform community-formation and peer support through the play of Augmented Reality Games (ARGs), and to better understand the role that ARGs can play in encouraging exercise and mental wellbeing amongst adults.
Experiments in somaesthetic art and the psychology of multisensory perception
Antony Hall (First Supervisor)
The aim of this project is to investigate the implications of artists using galleries as perceptual laboratories or tools for exploring somaesthetic experience.
You can read more about this research here.
Artificial Intelligence and Dynamic Spatial Storytelling in Digital Games
Charlotte Gislam (First Supervisor)
This project will examine the ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) affects narrative space. The research will apply current work on narrative and space, whilst also engaging with recent academic work on narrative and games. Focusing on these two current discourses will allow the project to contribute meaningfully to both by exploring how spaces change when AI is incorporated into them.
With a background in using aircraft, drones and satellites to perform in situ and remote sensing measurements of greenhouse gases, my current research is now concerned with why we are making measurements like these, and how beneficial they are to the rest of society.
One aspect of science communication involves looking at the way in which the sciences are communicated between scientists and members of the public. I am particularly interested in moving beyond the deficit modelof explanation, and instead incorporating upstream engagement and co-development strategies to develop genuine two-way dialogues between ‘experts’ and ‘non-experts’. Such methodologies are not only beneficial to the members of society who are affected by the issues that are described by the research (e.g. biotechnology, engineering, sustainability, and climatology, etc.), but also to the scientists doing the research, as they can draw on the tacit, local knowledge of the communities to improve their own knowledge and understanding. For example, working with local residents on flood mitigation and adaptation strategies can better safeguard these communities against flood risks, as well as reveal localised information about flooding patterns and behaviours that can help researchers to improve their models and preventative recommendations.
My research also involves looking at how poetry and games can be used to facilitate these conversations between scientists and non-scientists. For example, I have recently developed a series of workshops that uses poetry to help create a two-way dialogue with local community groups about climate change. This approach has yielded information that is not only of use to local policymakers and government, but also to the scientists who are researching effective climate change mitigation mechanisms, allowing them to incorporate this local knowledge, and thereby helping to ensure that any proposed activities are more likely to be of genuine benefit to the local communities.
S. Illingworth, A. Bell, S. Capstick, A. Corner, P. Forster, et al. R. Leigh, M. Loroño Leturiondo, C. Muller, H. Richardson, E. Shuckburgh. (2018). Representing the majority and not the minority: the importance of the individual in communicating climate change. Geoscience Communication. 1(1), pp.9-24.
S. Illingworth, A. Bell, S. Capstick, A. Corner, P. Forster, et al. R. Leigh, M. Loroño Leturiondo, C. Muller, H. Richardson, E. Shuckburgh. (2018). Representing the majority and not the minority: the importance of the individual in communicating climate change. Geoscience Communication. 1(1), pp.9-24.
S. Illingworth, K. Jack (2018). Rhyme and Reason-Using Poetry to Talk to Underserved Audiences about Environmental Change. Climate Risk Management. 19, pp.120-129.
S. Illingworth, A. Prokop Science communication in the field of fundamental biomedical research (editorial). Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology. 70, pp.1-9.
S. Illingworth (2017). Delivering effective science communication: advice from a professional science communicator. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology. 70, pp.10-16.
S. Illingworth, G. Allen (2016). Effective Science Communication A Practical Guide to Engaging As a Scientist. IOP Publishing Ltd.
S. Illingworth (2019). A Sonnet to Science Scientists and Their Poetry.
JP. Connerade, SM. Illingworth (2017). Science meets Poetry 5. SM. Illingworth, JP. Connerade. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
S. Illingworth, G. Allen (2016). Effective Science Communication A Practical Guide to Engaging As a Scientist. IOP Publishing Ltd.
WL. Filho, K. Adamson, RM. Dunk, UM. Azeiteiro, S. Illingworth, et al. F. Alves. (2016). Implementing Climate Change Adaptation in Cities and Communities Integrating Strategies and Educational Approaches. Springer.
WL. Filho, K. Adamson, RM. Dunk, UM. Azeiteiro, S. Illingworth, et al. MDFP. Alves. (2016). Preface.
S. Illingworth (2020). Book Review: Craig Cormick, The Science of Communicating Science: The Ultimate Guide. Public Understanding of Science. 29(3), pp.364-365.
S. Illingworth (2019). Feeling stuck? Close your laptop, stop your field measurements and write a poem. Nature. 574(7778), pp.442-443.
K. Jack, S. Illingworth (2019). Developing Reflective Thinking through Poetry Writing: Views from Students and Educators. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship. 16(1),
R. Hut, C. Albers, S. Illingworth, C. Skinner (2019). Taking a Breath of the Wild: Are geoscientists more effective than non-geoscientists in determining whether game-world landscapes are realistic?. Geoscience Communication. 2, pp.117-124.
S. Illingworth “This bookmark gauges the depths of the human”: how poetry can help to personalise climate change. Geoscience Communication. 3(1), pp.35-47.
JP. Tennant, S. Illingworth, I. Stewart, K. von Elverfeldt Editorial: Geoscience in a time of pandemics. Geoscience Communication. 3(1), pp.71-72.
A. Soldati, S. Illingworth In my remembered country: what poetry tells us about the changing perceptions of volcanoes between the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries. Geoscience Communication. 3(1), pp.73-87.
R. Hut, C. Albers, S. Illingworth, C. Skinner (2019). Taking a Breath of the Wild: are geoscientists more effective than non-geoscientists in determining whether video game world landscapes are realistic?. Geoscience Communication. 2(2), pp.117-124.
S. Illingworth, P. Wake (2019). Developing science tabletop games: Catan and global warming. JCOM : Journal of Science Communication. 18(4),
M. Loroño-Leturiondo, P. O'Hare, SJ. Cook, SR. Hoon, S. Illingworth (2019). Building bridges between experts and the public: a comparison of two-way communication formats for flooding and air pollution risk. Geoscience Communication. 2(1), pp.39-53.
S. Illingworth, A. Bell, S. Capstick, A. Corner, P. Forster, et al. R. Leigh, M. Loroño Leturiondo, C. Muller, H. Richardson, E. Shuckburgh. (2018). Representing the majority and not the minority: the importance of the individual in communicating climate change. Geoscience Communication. 1(1), pp.9-24.
S. Illingworth, A. Bell, S. Capstick, A. Corner, P. Forster, et al. R. Leigh, M. Loroño Leturiondo, C. Muller, H. Richardson, E. Shuckburgh. (2018). Representing the majority and not the minority: the importance of the individual in communicating climate change. Geoscience Communication. 1(1), pp.9-24.
S. Illingworth, K. Jack (2018). Rhyme and Reason-Using Poetry to Talk to Underserved Audiences about Environmental Change. Climate Risk Management. 19, pp.120-129.
M. Cain, SM. Illingworth, NJ. Warwick, RE. Fisher, D. Lowry, et al. M. Lanoisellé, EG. Nisbet, J. France, J. Pitt, S. O'Shea, K. Bower, G. Allen, AJ. Manning, A. Bauguitte, I. Pisso, JA. Pyle. (2017). A cautionary tale: a study of a methane enhancement over the North Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 122(14), pp.7630-7645.
S. Illingworth, A. Prokop Science communication in the field of fundamental biomedical research (editorial). Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology. 70, pp.1-9.
S. Illingworth (2017). Delivering effective science communication: advice from a professional science communicator. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology. 70, pp.10-16.
SM. Illingworth, JL. France, M. Cain, RE. Fisher, D. Lowry, et al. G. Allen, SJ. O'Shea, J. Pyle, N. Warwick, BT. Jones, K. Bower, MW. Gallagher, M. Le Breton, C. Percival, J. Muller, A. Wellpot, S. Bauguitte, C. George, GD. Hayman, AJ. Manning, C. Lund Myhre, M. Lanoisellé, EG. Nisbet. (2016). Measurements of δ13C in CH4 and using particle dispersion modeling to characterize sources of arctic methane within an air mass. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 121(23), pp.14,257-14,270.
S. Illingworth, J. Redfern, S. Millington, S. Gray What’s in a Name? Exploring the Nomenclature of Science Communication in the UK. F1000Research. 4, pp.409-409.
SM. Illingworth (2016). Are scientific abstracts written in poetic verse an effective representation of the underlying research? [version 3; referees: 3 approved]. F1000Research. 5(91),
EP. Randviir, S. Illingworth, MJ. Baker, M. Cude, C. Banks (2016). Twittering About Research: A Case Study of the World's First Twitter Poster Competition. F1000Research. 4,
A. Prokop, S. Illingworth (2016). Aiming for long-term, objective-driven science communication in the UK [Version 2]. F1000Research. 5,
S. Illingworth (2016). Are scientific abstracts written in poetic verse an effective representation of the underlying research?. F1000Research. 5, pp.91-91.
S. Illingworth, SB. Gray, S. Millington, J. Redfern (2015). What’s in a Name? Exploring the Nomenclature of Science Communication in the UK. F1000Research. 4(409),
EP. Randviir, SM. Illingworth, MJ. Baker, M. Cude, CE. Banks Twittering About Research: A Case Study of the World’s First Twitter Poster Competition. F1000Research.
BT. Jones, JBA. Muller, SJ. O'Shea, A. Bacak, M. Le Breton, et al. TJ. Bannan, KE. Leather, AM. Booth, S. Illingworth, K. Bower, MW. Gallagher, G. Allen, DE. Shallcross, SJ-B. Bauguitte, JA. Pyle, CJ. Percival. (2014). Airborne measurements of HC(O)OH in the European Arctic: A winter – summer comparison. Atmospheric Environment. 99(0), pp.556-567.
SJ. O'Shea, G. Allen, MW. Gallagher, K. Bower, SM. Illingworth, et al. JBA. Muller, B. Jones, CJ. Percival, SJ-B. Bauguitte, M. Cain, N. Warwick, A. Quiquet, U. Skiba, J. Drewer, K. Dinsmore, EG. Nisbet, D. Lowry, RE. Fisher, JL. France, M. Aurela, A. Lohila, G. Hayman, C. George, D. Clark, AJ. Manning, AD. Friend, J. Pyle. (2014). Methane and carbon dioxide fluxes and their regional scalability for the European Arctic wetlands during the MAMM project in summer 2012.
SM. Illingworth, G. Allen, S. Newman, A. Vance, F. Marenco, et al. RC. Harlow, J. Taylor, DP. Moore, JJ. Remedios. (2013). Atmospheric composition and thermodynamic retrievals from the ARIES airborne FTS system – Part 1: Technical aspects and simulated capability.
S. Illingworth Dr. (2013). Monitoring Earth's canary. Planet Earth. pp.20-21.
SJ. O'Shea, G. Allen, MW. Gallagher, SJ-B. Bauguitte, SM. Illingworth, et al. M. Le Breton, JBA. Muller, CJ. Percival, AT. Archibald, DE. Oram, M. Parrington, PI. Palmer, AC. Lewis. (2013). Airborne observations of trace gases over boreal Canada during BORTAS: campaign climatology, airmass analysis and enhancement ratios.
F. Hilton, R. Armante, T. August, C. Barnet, A. Bouchard, et al. C. Camy-Peyret, V. Capelle, L. Clarisse, C. Clerbaux, P-F. Coheur, A. Collard, C. Crevoisier, G. Dufour, D. Edwards, F. Faijan, N. Fourrié, A. Gambacorta, M. Goldberg, V. Guidard, D. Hurtmans, S. Illingworth, N. Jacquinet-Husson, T. Kerzenmacher, D. Klaes, L. Lavanant, G. Masiello, M. Matricardi, A. McNally, S. Newman, E. Pavelin, S. Payan, E. Péquignot, S. Peyridieu, T. Phulpin, J. Remedios, P. Schlüssel, C. Serio, L. Strow, C. Stubenrauch, J. Taylor, D. Tobin, W. Wolf, D. Zhou. (2012). Hyperspectral Earth Observation from IASI: Five Years of Accomplishments. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 93(3), pp.347-370.
SM. Illingworth, JJ. Remedios, H. Boesch, DP. Moore, H. Sembhi, et al. A. Dudhia, JC. Walker. (2011). ULIRS, an optimal estimation retrieval scheme for carbon monoxide using IASI spectral radiances: sensitivity analysis, error budget and simulations. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 4(2), pp.269-288.
SM. Illingworth, JJ. Remedios, H. Boesch, S-P. Ho, DP. Edwards, et al. PI. Palmer, S. Gonzi. (2011). A comparison of OEM CO retrievals from the IASI and MOPITT instruments. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 4(5), pp.775-793.
SD. Ryder, SM. Illingworth, RG. Sharp, CL. Farage (2010). The Nuclear Ring in the Barred Spiral Galaxy IC 4933. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. 27(1), pp.56-63.
NC. Atkinson, FI. Hilton, SM. Illingworth, JR. Eyre, T. Hultberg (2010). Potential for the use of reconstructed IASI radiances in the detection of atmospheric trace gases. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 3(4), pp.991-1003.
DA. Griffiths, S. Illingworth, M. Girling (2018). Deep time moles: an interdisciplinary approach to geological archiving. A. Toland, J. Stratton Noller, G. Wessoleck. In: Field to Palette: Dialogues on Soil and Art in the Anthropocene. Boca Raton, Florida, United States: Bota Racon: CRC Press,
DA. Griffiths, S. Illingworth, M. Girling (2017). Deep time moles: art and archiving for an uncertain radiological future. Vienna,
I am on the Programme Committee for the European Geosciences Union's annual General Assembly, which is the largest such conference in Europe, attracting over 13,500 scientists from across the world.
I am also the local chair for the Science in Public 2019 conference, which will be hosted at Manchester Metropolitan University.
I am the Chief Executive Editor for Geoscience Communication, a journal to help share knowledge and give more "traditional" recognition to science communication in the geosciences.
I am an Editor for the following journals:
I typically provide reviews for journals such as:
My Publons profile, which outlines my recent reviewing and editing duties can be viewed here.
Over the past four years I have secured over £225,000 in funding from a range of external funding bodies,
which puts me in the 95th percentile in terms of social science funding in the UK (source: Higher Education
Statistics Agency). Listed below is a breakdown of the funding that I have secured from external funding
bodies, and my role in these projects:
10:10 Climate Action, 2019, HEAT, 5 months, £3,500
I am the PI for this project, which involves developing a tabletop game about de-carbonisation for the charity 10:10 Climate Action.
Arts and Humanities Research Council, 2018, The Imitation Game: Artificial Intelligence in Analogue
and Digital Games, 36 months, £56,000
I am a supervisor for the PhD that this funding is attached to, which will cover the tuition fees and student
stipend for the duration of the project.
Society for Applied Microbiology, 2018, Antibiotics on the Tabletop, 6 months, £2,955.
I am the PI for this project, which involves developing resources to empower biology teachers to use tabletop games to engage their students with microbiology during World Antibiotic Resistance Week and beyond.
Royal Society of Chemistry, 2018, Tabletop Chemistry, 9 months, £1,840.
I am the PI for this project, which involves enabling librarians to use tabletop games to engage their
communities with chemistry during International Games Week and beyond.
National Academy of Science, 2017, Sackler Colloquium on SSCIIII Early Career Researcher Awards,
£1,471.
This award was used to attend the Science of Science Communication III Sackler Colloquium in Washington DC, during November 2017.
National Environmental Research Council, 2017, Climate Consortium, 12 months, £119,071.
I am a co-investigator for this project, which aims to coordinate and enhance the significant existing expertise and knowledge-base in the UK on public engagement with climate change. I am in charge of managing Work Package 2, which involves developing methods of co-production, plus identifying audiences and networks.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority, 2016, The Effective Communication of Environmental
Hazards, 36 months, £4,500.
I am a supervisor for the PhD that this funding is attached to. This funding will be used to help further develop the student’s research activities throughout the duration of their PhD project.
Edinburgh University, 2016, En-GAUGE-ing the Public, 18 months, £17,800.
I was the PI for this project, which involved using poetry and games to engender co-creation between experts and non-experts. This work took place in Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh and is part of the NERC-funded Greenhouse gAs Uk and Global Emissions (GAUGE project). I managed the budget, developed the activities and carried out the evaluation.
The Royal Society, 2016, History of Science Poetry, 12 months, £2,740.
I was the PI for this project, which investigated which scientists throughout history wrote poetry, and how
poetry can be used to expand scientists' understanding of the world. This work has been commissioned by
Manchester University Press, with the monograph of the work due to be published in 2019.
National Environmental Research Council, 2015, Driving Air Quality, 3 months, £5,000.
I was the co-investigator for this project, which involved developing a series of events and activities to raise
awareness of atmospheric pollutants with members of the public. In my role, I was responsible for liaising
with Manchester Airport to deliver a campaign to their staff members and was also in charge of evaluating
the project and helping to write the final report.
Public Engagement
As well as the research that I conduct in the field of science communication, I also run several science communication activities, and since joining Manchester Metropolitan I have directly engaged with over 12,000 members of the general public, developing and delivering a variety of different activities ranging from school assemblies and classroom visits to science fairs and SciArt exhibitions. I have also helped to develop and deliver numerous activities at events such as Manchester Science Festival and the European City of Science, as well as at non-science events such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. All this work has helped to further develop the two-way communications between scientists and non-scientists that are so fundamental to my research. I was instrumental in helping Manchester Metropolitan and the city of Manchester to deliver activities for the European City of Science (in hosting the 2016 EuroScience Open Forum, the city received this moniker). Manchester Metropolitan developed and delivered 50 activities over the course of 2016, and I was directly involved with at least 30 of them. This included creating a virtual reality experience for the city, composing the lyrics for a song that was scored by the Hallé Orchestra and sung by 3,000 Manchester school children, and running a Science Meets Poetry event that paired participants from the EuroScience Open Forum with local poets. The Science Meets Poetry event also had an academic session attached to it that I was asked to co-convene, the proceedings of which will form the basis of a book that I have been invited to co-edit. I have also been invited to help develop the next Science Meets Poetry event in Toulouse 2018. In addition to developing and delivering science communication and public engagement events that popularise science to a wider audience, I also organise activities that help to promote the excellent research that is conducted by other academics at Manchester Metropolitan, and provide these researchers with a platform through which to develop and improve their own public engagement skills. For example, over the last three years I have set up Manchester Metropolitan’s SciBar in association with the British Science Association. The SciBar is held on the last Monday of the month in a local pub (The Lass O’Gowry), and involves invited researchers talking to a general audience about their research. These events normally attract about 40-50 people, and to date we have enabled over 20 different researchers to talk about their work, enabling them to develop their public engagement skills whilst generating impact for their research and improving the reputation of the University in the process. With regards to digital communications, I write several very successful and popular blogs, which can be read on my website (www.samillingworth.com), and which have a combined yearly readership of over 30,000 people. In addition to this I am very active on Twitter (@samillingworth), where I tweet about science communication and public engagement research and practice to my 2500+ followers. Furthermore, the podcast that I direct and co-present (The Neutrinos are Mutating) helps to communicate the research of other members of academic staff (24 to date), and has a listenership of several thousand, thereby helping to further advertise the world-leading research conducted by Manchester Metropolitan academics. In my opinion, public engagement also includes working with other researchers that are not experts in science communication, and who want to learn how to better engage others with their research. Over the past four years I have run innovative public engagement and outreach training workshops for over 1,000 scientists. I have also been an invited panellist, lecturer, and after-dinner speaker for, amongst others: the Royal Meteorological Society, the British Science Association, the British Council, the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement, and the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Partnerships with private or public sector agencies or companies I currently work alongside several different agencies, most prominently the Manchester City Council and the Manchester Climate Change Agency. I have been commissioned by the Manchester City Council to help to develop and deliver their RADEQUAL programme, which aims to empower local communities across the Greater Manchester region through the celebration of different and complementary cultures. The work that I am doing with the City Council is directly related to the central ethos of my research, i.e. how science can be used to empower different members of society by developing genuine methods of two-way communication between experts and non-experts. Over the past 12 months I have worked with the Manchester Climate Change Agency in developing and delivering the Climate Lab 2016 programme, an experimental programme designed to test different ways of engaging citizens with Climate Change, and linked to the 2016 European City of Science. The initial analysis of this programme reveals that arts and
I was instrumental in helping Manchester Metropolitan and the city of Manchester to deliver activities for the European City of Science (in hosting the 2016 EuroScience Open Forum, the city received this moniker). Manchester Metropolitan developed and delivered 50 activities over the course of 2016, and I was directly involved with at least 30 of them. This included creating a virtual reality experience for the city, composing the lyrics for a song that was scored by the Hallé Orchestra and sung by 3,000 Manchester school children, and running a Science Meets Poetry event that paired participants from the EuroScience Open Forum with local poets. The Science Meets Poetry event also had an academic session attached to it that I was asked to co-convene, the proceedings of which will form the basis of a book that I have been invited to co-edit. I have also been invited to help develop the next Science Meets Poetry event in Toulouse 2018.
In addition to developing and delivering science communication and public engagement events that popularise science to a wider audience, I also organise activities that help to promote the excellent research that is conducted by other academics at Manchester Metropolitan and provide these researchers with a platform through which to develop and improve their own public engagement skills. For example, over the last three years, I have set up Manchester Metropolitan’s SciBar in association with the British Science Association. The SciBar is held on the last Monday of the month in a local pub (The Lass O’Gowry), and involves invited researchers talking to a general audience about their research. These events normally attract about 40-50 people, and to date we have enabled over 20 different researchers to talk about their work, enabling them to develop their public engagement skills whilst generating impact for their research and improving the reputation of the University in the process. With regards to digital communications, I write several very successful and popular blogs, which can be read on my website (www.samillingworth.com), and which have a combined yearly readership of over 30,000 people.
With regards to digital communications, I write several very successful and popular blogs, which can be read on my website (www.samillingworth.com), and which have a combined yearly readership of over 30,000 people. In addition to this, I am very active on Twitter (@samillingworth), where I tweet about science communication and public engagement research and practice to my 2500+ followers. Furthermore, the podcast that I direct and co-present (The Neutrinos are Mutating) helps to communicate the research of other members of academic staff (24 to date) and has a listenership of several thousand, thereby helping to further advertise the world-leading research conducted by Manchester Metropolitan academics. In my opinion, public engagement also includes working with other researchers that are not experts in science communication, and who want to learn how to better engage others with their research.
In my opinion, public engagement also includes working with other researchers that are not experts in science communication, and who want to learn how to better engage others with their research. Over the past four years, I have run innovative public engagement and outreach training workshops for over 1,000 scientists. I have also been an invited panellist, lecturer, and after-dinner speaker for, amongst others: the Royal Meteorological Society, the British Science Association, the British Council, the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement, and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Partnerships with private or public sector agencies or companies
I currently work alongside several different agencies, most prominently the Manchester City Council and the Manchester Climate Change Agency. I have been commissioned by the Manchester City Council to help to develop and deliver their RADEQUAL programme, which aims to empower local communities across the Greater Manchester region through the celebration of different and complementary cultures. The work that I am doing with the City Council is directly related to the central ethos of my research, i.e. how science can be used to empower different members of society by developing genuine methods of two-way communication between experts and non-experts.
I currently work alongside several different agencies, most prominently the Manchester City Council and the Manchester Climate Change Agency. I have been commissioned by the Manchester City Council to help to develop and deliver their RADEQUAL programme, which aims to empower local communities across the Greater Manchester region through the celebration of different and complementary cultures. The work that I am doing with the City Council is directly related to the central ethos of my research, i.e. how science can be used to empower different members of society by developing genuine methods of two-way communication between experts and non-experts.
Over the past 12 months, I have worked with the Manchester Climate Change Agency in developing and delivering the Climate Lab 2016 programme, an experimental programme designed to test different ways of engaging citizens with Climate Change, and linked to the 2016 European City of Science. The initial analysis of this programme reveals that arts and culture-based initiatives are more successful in effectively engaging local community groups than more traditional methods of communication, e.g. presentations and panel discussions. My work and research was fundamental to the success of this programme, and going forward I am involved in helping to engage different community groups in a meaningful and two-directional manner. This has included being invited by the Dean of Manchester to speak at the Manchester Cathedral for the religion and climate change conference held there in December 2016, and being invited by the Manchester Climate Change Agency to speak at the launch of the new Manchester Climate Plan. Industrial Connectivity The MSc in Science Communication (for which I am the Programme Leader; see Section C for details) has resulted in collaborative partnerships between the University and Cancer Research UK, the BBC, Manchester City Council, the Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and 12 different medical communication companies, e.g. Havas Lynx, Nucleus Central, and the Adelphi Group. These different organisations have offered live projects and work placements to our postgraduate students, and in the case of the medical writing companies they have helped to develop the Medical Writing unit itself. Furthermore, the Programme Director of the Manchester Climate Change Agency is also a member of the Programme Team, providing industrial expertise that is of direct benefit student employability. These links have been made possible because of the excellent reputation of my research and public engagement practices, thereby benefitting both the students and the University itself. Influencing Public Policy I have contributed evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees. For example, I was involved in submitting three pieces of evidence to the Science Communication inquiry, and my research has also featured in the Factors affecting public engagement by researchers 2015 report from the Wellcome Trust. Furthermore, I am a founding (and active) member of MetroPolis, the University’s research-led think tank; as such I am directly involved in helping to shape the future of influencing public policy across the University, not only through my own work but by helping other researchers to better understand how they can also contribute in this arena.
Industrial Connectivity
The MSc in Science Communication (for which I am the Programme Leader; see Section C for details) has resulted in collaborative partnerships between the University and Cancer Research UK, the BBC, Manchester City Council, the Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and 12 different medical communication companies, e.g. Havas Lynx, Nucleus Central, and the Adelphi Group. These different organisations have offered live projects and work placements to our postgraduate students, and in the case of the medical writing companies, they have helped to develop the Medical Writing unit itself. Furthermore, the Programme Director of the Manchester Climate Change Agency is also a member of the Programme Team, providing industrial expertise that is of direct benefit student employability. These links have been made possible because of the excellent reputation of my research and public engagement practices, thereby benefitting both the students and the University itself.
Influencing Public Policy
I have contributed evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees. For example, I was involved in submitting three pieces of evidence to the Science Communication inquiry, and my research has also featured in the Factors affecting public engagement by researchers 2015 report from the Wellcome Trust. Furthermore, I am a founding (and active) member of MetroPolis, the University’s research-led think tank; as such I am directly involved in helping to shape the future of influencing public policy across the University, not only through my own work but by helping other researchers to better understand how they can also contribute in this arena.
In addition to direct public engagement, my research has generated a lot of local, national and international media coverage. For example, I have made several appearances on BBC Radio Manchester as an expert in science communication, have appeared on BBC Radio 4 talking about my research, and have had my work featured by Scientific American, Buzzfeed and the Times Higher Education. Statistics from Manchester Metropolitan’s press office show that over the past three years my research has generated a reach of over 7 million people via different media outlets. As well as enhancing my own reputation, this coverage has helped to further establish Manchester Metropolitan as an internationally recognised institute for excellence in science communication research and practice.