Annual Conference sessions
Browse all conference sessions since 2010
Science ♥ society
2019
"The blob: a genius without a brain".
2019
"Mathematics as Material Play"
Equity & Inclusion
2019
A blindfolded experience to grasp visual accessibility requirements.
Business & fundraising
2019
The session explores different models for financing our institutions and tackling the biggest challenges we face in the search for a diversified and balanced model.
Strategy & vision
2019
The Supreme Court of the Ecsite Conference will decide whether virtual reality (VR) in museums and science centres is visceral reality providing vital reactions, or just virtually rudimentary and very rubbish.
Research, theory & evaluation
2018
James Beacham is a particle physicist involved in the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Watch a video of his keynote.
Science ♥ society
2018
“Go forth and collide, Multiply and create” is the motto of our Science Assembly. Inspired by religious revival meetings, we will offer you songs, laughter, inspiration, and meaning.
Exhibit development
2018
Are you facilitating creative team processes? Tired of always using the same old tricks? Interested in the wider potential of creative techniques? This session is for you.
Strategy & vision
2018
What is the future of science centre exhibitions? Do we need to stick to scientific phenomena, or focus on high tech and current science? Do we concentrate on objects or interaction? Or are physical exhibitions becoming obsolete in the digital era?
Research, theory & evaluation
2017
Professor Alice Roberts is an anthropologist, author and broadcaster, and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. Watch a video of her keynote.
Science ♥ society
2017
Nina Simon has been described as a “museum visionary” by Smithsonian Magazine for her audience-centred approach to design. Watch a video of her keynote.
Research, theory & evaluation
2016
Dr. Frans de Waal is a Dutch-American biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behaviour and social cognition of primates. Speech title: Prosocial Primates: The Cooperative Background of Our Species
Equity & Inclusion
2016
Dr. Elizabeth Rasekoala is the President of African Gong – the Pan-African Network for the Popularisation of Science & Technology, and Science Communication. Watch a video of her keynote.
2015
Andrea Illy is the Chairman and CEO of illycaffè S.p.A., a family coffee business founded more than 80 years ago. Watch his speech on Ecsite's YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2014
Professor Ian Goldin is Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Globalisation and Development at Oxford University. He delivered a speech entitled "Individual and Collective Wisdom and Failure".
Science ♥ society
2014
Ahmet Üzümcü is the Director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2013.
Strategy & vision
2013
Dominique Pestre is a social and political historian.Hos speech was entitled "What kind of innovation for the Anthropocene?". Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2013
Susan Greenfield is a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford and delivered a speech entitled “ The neuroscience of creativity – Making the most of 21st century technology”. Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2012
Martin Rees, Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, gave a speech entitled "Space exploration, life and the cosmos".
Strategy & vision
2012
Carlo Ratti, Professor at the MIT, gave a talk entitled "Future Cities - The real-time city is now real!"
Science ♥ society
2011
Derrick de Kerckhove, Professor at the Department of French and former Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto, gave a speech entitled "Navigating among the shoals and reefs of social, state and business controls in science and technology".
Strategy & vision
2011
Michael Jones Chief Technology Advocate, Google, gave a speech entitled "The Billionth Visitor".
The first Ecsite Conference took place in 1989. Here you can browse all Conference sessions since 2010. Use the search engine to look for people, topics...
Looking for an older session? Our digital records start in 2007, with programme pdfs attached to each conference page.
Mikko MyllykoskiNils Petter HauanSami PihkalaSheena Laursen
Social learning – what people learn from each other and about each other – is a fascinating and little-known area of free-choice learning in science engagement. It is a visitor-driven process and does not necessarily follow our institutional...
All detailed information about this workshop can be found here.
Anne Viberg PedersenGriet BouciquéMarilena PaceMarta IglewskaDanielle Grandeville
Narratives are well known as drivers for learning, but they can be hard to present in exhibitions with free visitor flow. On the other hand, shows are much appreciated among science centre and museum visitors and with a seated audience we get a...
Audrey O'ConnellChris HarrisPetra RotthoffMilada FiserovaMarianne PougetKaterina ChabovaAndreas WaschkCatherine JohnsonAmy Noble SeitzAnna OmedesYihsuan LinHakan LidboAndreas HeineckeJuanita Schläpfer-MillerJole MartinenghiElmar Reinhold
A preview of current and upcoming touring science exhibitions across Europe and the world. This fast-paced session will give you a glimpse of a large range of exhibitions on offer, leaving it up to you to make contacts and find out more.
...
Jane PickeringMaria João FonsecaChris NorrisJanet Stott
The power of natural history collections as tools for scientific enquiry lies in their sheer size. But how do we convey this to visitors? Conventional approaches that treat these collections like art pieces, using small numbers of selected...
Joanna KalinowskaTuomas OlkkuMaria João FonsecaHelen Jones
The session explores different models for financing our institutions and tackling the biggest challenges we face in the search for a diversified and balanced model. The idea is very simple: each speaker will say a few words about their...
Research, theory & evaluation
Nils Petter HauanIlona Iłowiecka-TańskaRoy SchedlerTheano Moussouri Elizabeth McGregor JacobidesPeter Wardrip
What kind of learning is really taking place in museums and science centres? How do we measure it? This two-day pre-conference workshop will equip participants with tools enabling them to identify the learning taking place at their venue. The...
Kim Gladstone HerlevTapio KoivuChristine AntoriniMamoru MohriLindsay BiermanDeb Banning
Now and again visionary leaders with new ideas and different experiences from the outside world land in science centres, science museums and similar science-communicating institutions. This can lead to an exciting meeting between two different...
Juanita Schläpfer-MillerMeie van LaarJuanita Schläpfer-MillerSamar D. Kirresh
In this hands-on tinkering session we will explore the ways in which the tinkering approach can be applied to subjects beyond the usual physics explorations. In this experimental session you can try out tinkering investigations related to biology...
Research, theory & evaluation
Susan MeiklehamSusan MeiklehamAndrew ManchesJudy Brown
Have you ever noticed HOW children move when interacting with exhibits and wondered what this means for learning?
Move2Learn is an international collaboration of science communicators and learning science researchers who are exploring...
Take a guided tour through the past, present, and future of biomedicine at Medical Museion, a university museum that is internationally known for its experimental approach to science communication and exhibition making. Compare the collection of...
Vesna PajićDagmara SzawdynKarsten MadsenAntonia CaolaFriso Visser
Meet at the bottom of Experimentarium’s iconic helix staircase for a playful and entertaining session on the if and how of implementing the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in our science centres and museums. How far are...
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