Glasgow Science Festival

Glasgow Science Festival (GSF) is a science festival held every June in Glasgow, Scotland.^[1][2][3] It was founded in 2007 and provides science-themed events for children, schools and adults at various venues in the city, including lecture theatres, laboratories, cafes, pubs, theatres and cinemas.^[4]

The majority of events are free of charge to promote accessibility and events are developed primarily with practicing scientists in order to showcase real research.^[5]

Events include science comedy nights,^[6][7] pub quizzes, whisky tastings, art classes, workshops and tutorials on the science of 'zombie-ism'.^{[8][9][10][11]} Science Sunday is a day of family activities at the University of Glasgow which coincides with the West End Festival.^[12][13]

The festival is primarily funded by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Government. It also involves partnerships with a variety of organisations including the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University, the MRC, Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, the RPSB, Glasgow School of Art, the British Science Association, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and Glasgow Science Centre^[14]

The festival director is Dr Deborah McNeill, a marine biologist and Head of Public Engagement in STEM at the University of Glasgow.^[1][15]

In 2013 the festival was launched on a barge on the Forth and Clyde Canal, chartered by The Clipperton Project and attended by Scottish Minister Alasdair Allan.^[16][17]

Other projects

Outside of the festival period in June, the festival delivers a range of public engagement projects that bring STEM subjects to new audiences:

• 'A Shed Load of Science', funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, involved working with scientists and artists to deliver free arts-science activities for communities in the North of Glasgow, including Possilpark and Lambhill.^[18]

• 'Cleaner Canal Science' was a collaboration with Scottish Canals and the Scottish Waterways Trust, funded by Zero Waste Scotland. This project engaged primary schools, community groups and local businesses in hands-on science, as a means of tackling the problem of litter on canals in Maryhill, Firhill and Clydebank.^[19]

• 'CLAN' (Community Led Ambassador Network) was funded by a Scottish Government Talking Science grant and connected University of Glasgow researchers with communities in the top 0.5% most deprived in Scotland, through free community-led public engagement activity.^[20]

• 'Panto Science: The Periodic Fable' is a theatre show which blends pantomime with science. The idea was conceived by Dr Zara Gladman, Public Engagement Co-ordinator for Glasgow Science Festival,.^[21] The story was developed by Dr Gladman with University of Glasgow researchers and comedian Bruce Morton, who wrote the script for a live show. The show aims to promote the message of gender equality in STEM to children.^[22]

References