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public engagement

July 25, 2018 by sarahharrop

Much more than mud

Earlier this month a group of Reading soil scientists took their research to the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition to tell the public all about the importance of soil. Jeremy Lelean from the Soil Security Programme tells us how it went.

A joint venture between the Soil Security Programme (SSP) and the University resulted in a successful bid to attend this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition – the UK’s largest and most high-profile science communication event.

The SSP is funded by UK Research and Innovation and comprises 15 research projects across a range of UK institutions, including the University of Reading. It exists to better understand how soil resists, recovers and adapts to land use and climate change. But at the heart of the programme is making sure that this research gets heard about in a useful and accessible way. This can mean interacting with policy makers, land owners or commercial partners or, in this case, reaching out to members of the public.

Harry Barratt (Rothamsted Research), Alice Dibley (UoR), Soon Gweon (UoR), Simon De-Ville (Loughborough University) and Harriet Robson (UoR)

We’d been preparing for the exhibition since last November, and all the hard work from SSP scientists and university staff from events, the research communications and impact teams and the press office culminated in us presenting our exhibit at the Royal Society in London from 2 to 8 July.

‘Soil: Our Buried Treasure’ showed both soil’s importance – but also how it is overlooked. We explained the function of soil in context by comparing the contribution of soil structure, life and nutrients combine to make soil the living breathing system we need it to be.

Visitors were able to get hands on in making a rain storm and seeing its effect with our concrete capping display, get up close and personal with soil wildlife in our Soil Safari and learn about pH and how it affects plant growth with our famous Soil Security Hydrangeas.

As well as this we commissioned this video by poet Anthony Anaxagorou to help spread the word about soil:

Excellently, Anthony was able to make it to the first morning of the exhibition and give a live performance of the poem to the assembled press and other visitors. This must have left an impression because John Hammond from the School of Agriculture and Development, seen below engaging a younger visitor with the Soil Safari, was invited to appear on BBC Radio 4 Farming Today. If you didn’t hear John live you can catch up here.


In the interview, John explains the cutting-edge research he’s been doing at the University into how plants can access phosphorous in the soil. Incredibly, 90% of the phosphorus applied to our fields isn’t used by plants because it ‘sticks to’ the soil. John has been improving this by selecting oil seed rape plant strains which attract beneficial bacteria to their roots which can make phosphorous available to plants. He hopes that this research can be applied to other cropping plants such as wheat and barley.

An important part of the exhibition was the two evening soirees attended by principal investigators from the Soil Security Programme who were able to meet scientists, government and industry partners in a more informal atmosphere. This led to many making connections they otherwise wouldn’t have. And, as part of our commitment to developing younger researchers it was particularly good to have Soil Security Fellow Jackie Stroud at one of the functions.

Dr. Jackie Stroud (Rothamsted Research), Professor Chris Collins (UoR), Prof Jonathan Leake (Sheffield University) and Prof Richard Bardgett (University of Manchester).

It’s worth mentioning that of the nearly 50 volunteers who took part, 39 were post-doctoral researchers or PhD students. This is a vital learning experience for them to acquire the essential skills needed as they move forward in their careers. Soon Gweon of the University’s School of Biological Sciences also lent us his microbiological expertise and Soil Security Fellow Nicholle Bell was there to spread the word on how important soil is to concrete capping and erosion.

The primary aim of us being at the exhibition was to engage with the public and share research stories with those who, perhaps, weren’t as engaged with soil as we’d like – and to this end, our superb team of volunteers managed to have 2,500 positive engagements throughout the week. All went away with our map of how to discover the buried treasure within soil for themselves.

Jeremy Lelean is Web and Communications Officer for the Soil Security Programme, which is a UKRI-funded programme with fifteen projects spanning seventeen UK research institutions. Its aim is to fundamentally understand how soil functions and how it adapts to land use and climate change. A key part of the programme is deliver this evidence base at a scale that is useful to both policy and commercial decision makers. For more information, visit: www.soilsecurity.org 

The Reading Soil Security team would like to thank: Hannah Millway, from the University Design and Print Studio, and Kate McNaboe, from the events team, for their help in designing and producing the exhibit; Pete Castle in research communications and Katie Cooper in impact team for the help in developing the video; Pete Bryant in the Press Office for arranging John Hammond’s Farming Today interview; and the 50 volunteers who took part.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged public engagement, royal society summer science exhibition, soil, soil science, soil security programme | 1 Comment
June 4, 2018 by hm903488

When soil and swing collide: science at the Big Band Big Lunch

On Sunday (3 June) the University brought together staff, students, and people in Reading for the Big Band Big Lunch. Jeremy Le Lean, communications officer of the Soil Security Programme, explains that research, like jazz, is often best with a live audience.

As a science communicator I attend a lot of events, but not many like the University of Reading’s Big Band Big Lunch. The music and street food vendors gave it more the feeling of carnival rather than science engagement.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged big band big lunch, engagement, public engagement, soil, soil science, soil security programme
May 1, 2018 by hm903488

‘Engage openly’ during elections, academics urged

Elections – national and local – should not curtail academic engagement.  

University of Reading academics should remain engaged in public debates, even while elections are imminent in the UK, says Professor Steve Mithen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

This week there are a number of local elections across the UK. This means that government departments and agencies are subject to the so-called rules of ‘purdah’, or pre-election period, restricting what can be discussed in public by civil servants.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged elections, Politics, pre-election period, public engagement, purdah

Open Farm Sunday

The University of Reading will participate in the national Open Farm Sunday event for the first time this year. Join us at Sonning Farm to learn more about where your food comes from and how we help to look after the local environment.

Save Our Soils: Soil science at UnEarthed, Edinburgh

NOTE: This event is part of the NERC UnEarthed event

VENUE: Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh

The Soil Security Programme, based at the University of Reading, is running an interactive exhibit on soils.

Read more here >

 

November 9, 2017 by hm903488

We’re Going on a Worm Hunt! Soil science at UnEarthed Edinburgh

By Jeremy LeLean, Soil Security Programme

For those who like to encounter wildlife up close and personal come to UnEarthed 2017 where the renowned Soil Safari will be on display where you can hunt for worms (and other things!) in the soil.

UnEarthed 2017 is the Natural Environmental Research Council’s science and public engagement exhibition.  It will take place from the 17th to 20th of November at the Dynamic Earth attraction in Edinburgh.

Led by Professor Chris Collins, the Soil Security Programme team will be representing the University of Reading there, having been selected by NERC through a competitive process.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged public engagement, soil, soil science, soil security

Pharmacy seminar: Patient and Public Involvement

School of Pharmacy Research & Scholarship Seminar

Thursday 16th November, 1pm – 2pm, Hopkins 101

Mildred Foster and Alison Provins, The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN)

“Patient and Public Involvement – Why do it?”

We will explore this often asked question and seek to demonstrate why the need to consider Patient and Public Involvement when educating our future healthcare providers is gaining momentum.

The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) is a partnership of NHS providers and commissioners, universities and life science companies working to improve health outcomes and prosperity in the Thames Valley region through the widespread adoption of clinical innovations.

The Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Experience theme underpins everything the Oxford AHSN does. It ensures that working with the public, patients and carers is integral to the work of the AHSN. Sustainable healthcare depends on people being actively engaged in maintaining their health, managing long term conditions and being involved in designing healthcare systems.

To achieve this we need a well-informed population, professionals working with patients and carers and person-centred healthcare that responds to what patients and the public need and say.  We are building a network that will create change in individual care, organisational culture and systems of care. We are working with our partners across the Oxford AHSN region to make this happen.

Mildred Foster has a background in biomedical research and experience in clinical research and science funding working for Oxford University and The Wellcome Trust. She joined the Oxford AHSN Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Experience team in August 2015. She is project manager of the ‘Leading Together Programme’.

Alison Provins has a background in financial services and now runs her own small business helping other organisations to improve their customer service. She has worked as a lay representative for Health Education England for several years. Alison actively seeks to increase the use softer skills within the NHS as a way to improve quality of care. She is part of Reading University Executive Stakeholder Group for the School of Pharmacy advocating for skills like empathy and communication to be included in medical student training. In 2016 she completed the ‘Leading Together Programme’.

Pizza and refreshments will be available from 12.50pm, or bring your own lunch along. The talk will start promptly at 1pm

ALL WELCOME

April 25, 2017 by hm903488

Research Engagement and Impact Awards 2017: Enter now!

The University of Reading’s Research Engagement and Impact Awards 2017 are open to all Reading researchers, with entries open until Friday 5 May.

The awards are intended to recognise and reward those who undertake or support high-quality engagement and impact activities. Entrants can be at any level in their careers, and activities of any scale are welcome.

Winners will receive a package of communications support – including film, events support and written materials as appropriate – to help progress their projects. In addition the winner of the Embark award will receive £1,000 towards their project or for personal development.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged awards, engagement, impact, public engagement, research engagement
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