Organise an event

The BSA Psychology section welcomes proposals for events at the British Science Festival. Here are some things to think about if you'd like to put on an event:

  1. Who is the audience? The BSF attracts a diverse audience, including families, retired people and the media. Traditional lecture-style events are appropriate for an adult audience, but it family-oriented and interactive events can also be fun.

  2. What is new in your event? The BSF committee encourage the presentation of new results at the festival, and media coverage is always better for new things. However, we realise that scientists normally publish their data in a journal before presenting it at a festival. This means you may have to think differently about what makes your event novel. Is this a new combination of ideas or speakers? Can a new theory or perspective come out of your event, building on published data? Highlight this novelty in your application and press release.

  3. What kind of event is it? Most of the events we organise involve 1 or 2 speakers in a 1 hour slot, giving engaging talks around a central theme. But other formats are also possible - such as a talk and demos in a more informal setting.

What next?

When you've got an idea for your event, you can submit it directly to the BSF. Their website normally opens for submissions around November and closes around February. Your initial submission does not have to have all details and speakers confirmed, it just needs a title and an exciting idea.

If you want advice on an event, do contact us at the BSA Psychology section - we are happy to help.

Email: ellen.poliakoff@manchester.ac.uk

Some useful links

Guidance on public engagement and communication:

http://www.big.uk.com/festivals

http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/about-engagement/what-public-engagement

https://wellcome.ac.uk/what-we-do/topics/public-engagement

https://www.ukri.org/public-engagement/