Durham: Science and Museums Conference

Where science and society meet 

University Museums Group and University Museums in Scotland joint conference 

23-24th September 2015, Calman Learning Centre, University of Durham 

Conference Programme 

Wednesday 23rd September 

13.00-14.00 lunch and registration (lunch provided) 

Kingsley Barrett Room 

14.00-14.15 Welcome 

Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

Kate Arnold-Forster & Paul Smith, Co-Chairs UMG and Neil Curtis, Chair UMiS 

Prof Claire Warwick, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research), Durham University 

14.15-15.30 Panel Session 1: Engaging with science research 

Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

What are the challenges to be faced when scientists and museum professionals collaborate to engage the public with scientific research? How can we find innovative ways to engage audiences with scientific breakthroughs and the wider social and ethical issues they raise? How can works of art or historic collections be used to communicate cutting edge science? What might the future look like for public engagement with science in museums and galleries? 

Chair: Tonya Nelson, Head of Museums and Collections, UCL 

Speakers: Chloe Sheppard, Researchers Engagement Manager, Wellcome Trust 

Prof John Heath, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Estates and Infrastructure), University of Birmingham 

Dr Steve Cross, Head of Public Engagement, UCL 

Dr Jennifer, Downes, Curator (Exhibitions and Science) Aberdeen University 

15.30-16.00 Tea Kingsley Barrett Room 

16.00-16.30 UMG AGM Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

16.30-17.15 Session 2: Keynote address by Prof Otto Sibum, University of Uppsala 

Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

Chair: Prof David Gaimster, Director, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow 

18.00-19.30 Drinks Reception in the Great Hall, Durham Castle 

Sponsored by Durham University 

Welcome by Dr Keith Bartlett, Director of Culture, Durham University 

Thursday 24th September 

09.30-10.45 Panel Session 3: Communicating the controversial 

Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

Science can be controversial. Issues such as climate change or genetic research can arouse strong feelings among sections of the public. Should museums be engaging with difficult scientific questions? How can museums act as spaces for constructive debate on controversial subjects? Do museums need to put both sides of the argument, as honest brokers, or should they campaign in areas that are perceived to be of societal importance? 

Chair: Paul Smith, Director, Oxford University Museum of Natural History 

Speakers: Ian Brunswick, Programme Manager, Science Gallery Dublin 

Dr Rebekah Higgitt, University of Kent 

10.45-11.15 Coffee Kingsley Barrett Room 

11.15-12.15 Panel Session 4: Contemporary science in museums 

Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

Three different approaches to communicating science within university museums. What has worked, what hasn’t worked and what could be done better next time? An opportunity to learn from current science engagement in university museums. 

Chair: Prof Nick Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge 

Speakers: Paul Voogt, Head of the Centre for Science Communication and Culture, University Museum, Utrecht 

Prof David Gaimster, Director, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow 

Paul Smith, Director, Oxford University Museum of Natural History 

12.15-13.00 Final discussion and summing up 

Rosemary Cramp Lecture Theatre 

An opportunity for all delegates to contribute their thoughts and reactions to the conference themes 

Introduction: Kate Arnold-Forster, Head of University Museums and Special Collections Services, University of Reading 

Discussion: led by Prof Ludmilla Jordanova, Professor of History and Visual Culture, Durham University 

13.00-14.00 lunch (lunch provided) Kingsley Barrett Room 

Delegates will be able to leave luggage here securely for the afternoon. 

14.00-15.30 optional tours of Durham University’s museums. Delegates can chose from: 

Durham Castle and Palace Green Library – this tour will be led by the Curator of Durham Castle and the Head of Access and Learning and will focus on the challenges and successes we have had using historic buildings, libraries and archives to support university teaching. The afternoon will begin in Bishops Cosin’s library, which was opened in 1669 in a purpose-built building on the Palace Green between Durham Castle and Cathedral. The library still houses the Bishop’s personal collection of more than 5000 volumes and is now a Designated Collection. The tour will include an opportunity to see how historic scientific texts from the library used today to support history of science teaching. 

Oriental Museum - led by the museum’s Curator and Collections Registrar, this tour will focus on the Oriental Museum’s current redisplay programme. Opened in 1960 to support university teaching in the School of Oriental Studies the museums suffered from many of the issues facing university museums – a campus location, anonymous building and historic layouts and labelling ill-suited to modern audiences. Since 2009 the museum team have been working on a programme to completely redevelop the museum. Eight new galleries have now been completed, visitor numbers have almost doubled but so has support for university teaching with the museum now supporting almost 30 different modules right across the university at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. The tour fill focus on how curators have worked to balance the needs of university and non-university audiences and to integrate university research into the displays. 

Durham Observatory - built in 1839 as an astronomical and meteorological observatory for the Durham University, this grade II listed building is about to be converted into a site for public engagement with science with the university museums working in partnership with both internal and external partners. Durham University’s Director of Cultural Engagement will show delegates around the spaces and discuss the ways in which these partnerships are being forged. 

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Conference Exhibition 

Derman Christopherson Room and Kingsley Barrett Room 

Stephen Livingstone – Leverhulme Artist in Residence at Durham University's School of Engineering and Computer Science 

Stephen is a visual artist whose work deals with human impact upon landscapes and habitats. His work is principally project based and he specialises in working with historic sites and museum collections in a variety of media, in particular drawing and digital printmaking. 

Stephen has developed work for numerous institutions including the British Library, the National Trust, Teikyo University of Japan, the Great North Museum, Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society, Bede's World Jarrow, the Dorman Museum in Middlesbrough, Wirksworth Festival in Derbyshire, the Library of Birmingham, Durham University's Oriental Museum and Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and the Museum of Art and Design in New York.

Since September 2014 Stephen has been Leverhulme Artist in Residence at Durham University's School of Engineering and Computer Science working closely with Dr. Karen Johnson and her team of soil scientists exploring the potential of mineral pigments. The residency has enabled him to develop a number of experimental pieces in response to the research work he has shadowed which will culminate in four 10 metre-high drawings for the Earth Sciences building. 

stephenlivingstone.wordpress.com 

Dr Matthew D Eddy
Durham University, Department of Philosophy, 50/51 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HN, United Kingdom.  https://www.dur.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/?id=1715