Case Studies
We're collecting a range of examples of engagement work from right here at the University to help inspire you. Whether you're new to engagement or looking for something innovative, there's something for everyone.
Sensing Volcanos: Exhibiting at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition is a prestigious event where researchers from diverse fields showcase their work to thousands of visiting members of the public. In this case study, we delve into the experience of Prof. David Pyle, professor of Earth Sciences, who led a team and shares insights into their preparations, experiences, and the impact on the audience.
Fostering public engagement through a podcasting mentoring scheme
Julia Migné and Sofia Castelló y Tickell (Zoology) write about their experience setting up a podcasting mentoring scheme to support public engagement with research skills and confidence, a project that was funded by the University's PER Culture Change Seed Fund.
Meat Your Persona: a travelling exhibition
Lucy Yates, Public Engagement Coordinator for the multi-disciplinary Livestock, Environment and People (LEAP) research programme talks us through the development, delivery, and what was learnt from creating a national touring installation to support the public to engage with the environmental and health impacts of meat eating.
The Public Engagement Lab: Researcher and GLAM collaborations
The Public Engagement Lab was a professional development course designed to take participants through a collaborative process to design and pitch public engagement projects that challenge their usual ways of working. The programme covered the entire lifecycle of project ideation, development, delivery and evaluation, providing support and funding for four projects. Find out what they did and how they did it, along with the benefits researchers and the Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) experienced through their collaborations.
Mother Earth: Taking Research to School Children During the Pandemic
In 2020 summer term, as schools closed down due to the corona virus pandemic, Cowley Road Works facilitated projects to bring together researchers and school students in an engagement project for children to access from their homes. Originally envisaged as a project to bring research to life as part of the Carnival in July, here we report how the modified online project went.
Enter the Zooniverse: An interactive light installation
The popular citizen science project, Galaxy Zoo, went super-sized at this year’s Oxford Christmas Light Festival (Friday 15 – Saturday 16 November 2019). Crowds of visitors to the vibrant annual seasonal celebration got a taste of the astronomical by helping researchers describe hundreds of images of galaxies, projected at massive scale onto to the buildings in Bonn Square. Here is a taste of the project.
Yee Whye in I'm a Researcher: Machine Learning Zone
Prof Yee Whye Teh took part in the online engagement activity, I'm a Researcher... Get Me Out of Here (Machine Learning Zone) - and won the student vote! Congratulations. In this blog, originally posted on his groups web pages he talks about his experience.
Watch: Bacterial World - Exhibiting Research case study
This new video case study looks at how researchers from across the university worked with the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on their exhibition 'Bacterial World'.
Accelerate! How to build a particle accelerator from scratch
Dr. Suzie Sheehy (Royal Society University Research Fellow, Oxford Physics) and Lucy Martin (3rd Year DPhil student in the Particle Physics sub-department, Oxford Physics) talk about taking particle accelerator physics to a large audience at Curiosity Carnival by using an interactive science show.
Sing Song Physics: is songwriting an effective way to engage the public with research?
Catchy songs are great way to make a message ‘stick’, but can we use song to enthuse young people about science? Michaela Livingstone-Banks (MPLS PE Facilitator) shares what she learnt from this University Seed Funded project that explored exactly this.
Top Trumps With a Twist: using games to engage the public
Prof David Pyle (Earth Sciences) took his volcano top trumps to the Games Cafe at the Curiosity Carnival last year. Here he explains his experience, and why having fun with public engagement, and why some times simple activities are the best activities.
Stories around the Campfire
Dr Benjamin Brecht (Formerly Dept of Physics) took part in the 'Stories Around the Campfire' at the Curiosity Carnival, and talks about how the experience opened his eyes to the interest the public has in research.
Playing with Maths: The Oxford Maths Festival 2018
In April this year the Mathematical Institute led a weekend of playful and creative maths activities in the city for the local community to discover the delights and applications of maths. Here, Mareli Grady reports on how it went.
‘Becoming a book’ at the Living Library
Dr Jason RC Nurse (Computer Science) talks about his experience of becoming a book at book at 2017's Curiosity Carnival, and why public engagement is an important part of the job of being a researcher.
The Battery Doctors: first connection with the public
Prof David Howey and his group (Department of Engineering Science) had their first taste of public engagement at the Curiosity Carnival (Sept 2017). Here he shares why they got involved and how things went.
Are games an effective method for teaching conservation?
Dr Cedric Tan (Zoology) presents research looking into the effectiveness of games on students' experiences and learning in relation to conservation.
Take-away poetry from a science poet
Dr Sarah Watkinson (Department of Plant Sciences) took her passion for poetry to the Curiosity Carnival as a fun and creative way of engaging the public with science. Here she tells us how it went.
An Evening of Quantum Discovery: a behind the scenes look at the event
Hannah Rowlands, Communications Manager for NQIT (Networked Quantum Information Technologies), reports on the Quantum Discovery evening event that herself and a team in the Physics department hosted in October 2017, with talks, stalls and lab tours.
Learning from Nature: a hands-on stall with something for everyone
Dr Holly Reeve and team (Department of Chemistry) developed a suite of activities to engage people at different levels as part of the Curiosity Carnival. Here, she describes how it all came together.
Leo the Lion: An Interactive Theatre Experience
Dr Cedric Tan lead a group of researchers from WildCRU (Dept of Zoology) to develop and perform an interactive play at the Curiosity Carnival (29 Sept 2017) based on Cecil the Lion. Here he describes his experience.