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About this event
About this event
This swap shop was an experimental public engagement workshop at the University of Bath. It was a collaboration between Physics researchers at the University of Bath and professional artists. It was a chance to focus on unique skills and craftmanship, and to share them across fields that may ordinarily never meet.
Participants had an introduction to things Physics researchers in the department frequently utilize for science, such as computer modelling, computer aided design, 3D printing, laser cutting, basic electronics, etc. In exchange researchers could gain some insights into skills they would like to learn about, such as photography and design.
On Thursday 23rd May, eight artists visited the Department of Physics at the University in order to see our resources, equipment and experiments. This involved laboratory tours, experimental demonstrations and discussion sessions. Twelve physicists attended the workshop to share the skills they use to achieve their research outputs. For example, during the lab tours we showed how we fabricate optical fibres.
On the day, we got to see and experience some printing techniques from Damien Leech at the University of the West of England, a method of developing pinhole photographs with coffee and salt water from Katie Harrington, art pieces that used optical fibre from Stephen Spicer, and some quick doodles summarizing the event from Rae Goddard.
Event organisation
Event organisation
The event was funded by the University of Bath Public Engagement Unit. It was organised by a postdoc at the University of Bath, Kerrianne Harrington. It ran on Thursday 23rd May 2019. The event was held in the Department of Physics undergraduate labs. We visited research facilities such as the optical fibre tower for the Centre for Photonics and Photonic Materials and the Bath Open Instrumentation Group's labs. Before the event, artists who were potentailly visiting the University for the first time were sent information packs (these can be downloaded here).
Attendees
Attendees
Researchers at the University of Bath were invited through email, notifications at meetings and through word of mouth. Artists from outside of the University were invited through email contacts such as UWE and Bath Spa, posters in relevant spaces (such as community studios and maker spaces), and twitter. Physicists and artists were encouraged to sign up through sign up forms that explained the event and asked for what attendees would like to see and do on the day. These can be seen here (artists) and here (physicists).
Attendees: Physicists
Attendees: Physicists
Attendees: Artists
Attendees: Artists
The event
The event
The event ran for one day. Over coffee and tea, we started by introducing visiting artists to the department and campus, and going over safety information. Afterwards, Physicists joined and introduced themselves. There was a short discussion session, and then visits to labs with demonstrations of ongoing experiments. Lunch was provided, and afterwards we visited some of the optical fibre facilities the department has such as the optical fibre tower and taper rig. In the afternoon we had free activity and discussion time.
Timetable
Timetable
Time table of the day can be viewed here.
Pictures from the event
Pictures from the event
If you have any pictures you would like to share, please email them to me (kh302@bath.ac.uk) and I will add them here. Thank you!
Outputs
Outputs
I hope to facilitate some preliminary attempts of the collaborative ideas that were thrown around, such as laser cut fluorescent photographs, optical fibres in sculpture and some 3D printed glass casting. I look forward to hearing about what everyone gets up in the future!
This will be updated as projects go on. If you have anything you would like to contact me about to add here, please email me (kh302@bath.ac.uk). Thank you!
Media
Media
- Summary poster (to be updated with scan)
- Coffee photos (didn't develop - not enough light exposure)
- Prints (demonstration by D. Leech)
Publications
Publications
- University of Bath blog post
- In progress: case study from University of Leicester public engagement team with M. Nugent for running similar events
- PE Evaluation (will be uploaded after feedback from UoB PE team)
Projects
Projects
- DIY Pinhole 'Picasso' camera
- 3D Printed Hollow Core preform for glass casting
- Laser cut photos
- Using old equipment in art installations: possibly using old laser pens and surplus/discarded lab materials in order to somehow build up a laser grid/cube. This is something J. Weston and C. Parry would like to investigate further.
- H. Wood and J. Weston spoke about publication photo projects.
Visits
Visits
- K. Harrington + S. Yerolatsitis visited UWE (19/07/2019).
- J. Jenkins to visit UoB maker space working with C. Parry.
Events
Events
- FUTURES2019 Pop-up Science Event - DIY Pinhole Photography
Future events
Future events
There are no future events confirmed so far, but there are some currently in the works. Updates will be posted as these changes are implemented.
Feedback
Feedback
I believe this was a successful experimental event, and I would be interested in running similar events in the future. Overall, I think people thought the event was useful and engaging, and I personally learnt unexpected and interesting things from everyone I talked to.
Due to the nature of the event being held at the University, I feel the event was science demonstration heavy. This was noted in feedback too, and perhaps in future money should be invested in facilitating and inviting artists to bring demonstrations to share with Physicists. Artists brought many fantastic objects and demonstrations on the day, but in future I would like to better aid this. In future, based on feedback I would like to further improve the event so people and any of their pursued outputs are better facilitated.
I also think the event could benefit from being run like a 'unconference', and over more than one day. I think it should definitely run over two days, with a day to focus on art techniques and then physics techniques.
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