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.
Research, theory & evaluation
Marie HobsonMarie HobsonMarjelle van HoornNils Petter HauanEffrosyni NomikouClaire PillsburyChristopher WhitbyGöran JorydHaiko KilksonBronwyn BevanRooske Franse
Accessing and implementing research is often problematic for museum practitioners. In this two-day workshop, participants will:
- learn techniques to help them read academic research more quickly and easily
- hear how academics...
Rick HallRick HallÅsa LindgrenMariana Back
How can we involve hard-to-reach audiences, or those with access challenges, in the design and creation of both the form and content of STEM activities, either in discovery centres or out in their local communities? How do we design activities...
Malvina ArtheauIsabelle Chabanon-PougetMatthieu VernetMelissa RichardKate KnealeJohn Sear
The GameLab is an informal drop-in space entirely dedicated to gaming.
Want to play some yet-to-come games designed by science centers? Ready to participate in an on-going experiment of collectively designing a game, from idea to...
Laura MeadeClaire BownGundy van Dijk
How can we encourage deeper thinking in science centres and museums? Not only do we want to develop visitors’ abilities to think scientifically, but also their inclination to use these abilities and to raise their awareness of situations where...
Michele LanzingerMichele LanzingerHenrik SellIlse van ZeelandUwe Moldrzyk
Are natural history exhibitions bound to offer a bleak copy of experiencing real nature's beauty, wonders and diversity? Are our efforts to stimulate an authentic interest for nature from the inside of a museum building vain? How can we...
Sheena LaursenRikke MagnussenMaria ZachariassenLydia Schulze HeulingHeidi Rosenström
It is well known that the planning and development of an exhibition is a complex task. Throw in a scientific research team and you’ve got yourself an (exciting!) challenge.
How can the slow process of research feed into the faster momentum...
Ryan JenkinsSara CalcagniniSarah FunkVanessa MignanJon HaavieLydia BeallSamar D. Kirresh
As part of this this unique pre-conference workshop, we'll first all participate in a large collaborative chain reaction event called "Ecsite for all", organised with the Graz inhabitants on Tuesday 7...
Simone SchumannBrigitte GschmeidlerDidem AydinmakinaAlexey SemikhatovDacha AtienzaSergey Kishchenko
Cooperation with scientists constitute an essential part of contemporary science communication. The reasons why communicators and scientists work together are manifold, most of the time related to an increasing demand to engage publics with...
Thorsten-D. KünnemannTobias WolffPhil WinfieldLuka VidicAlbrecht BeutelspacherYvonne Simon
As a science centre or museum we all rely on functioning exhibits. This is a key aspect for visitor satisfaction and the organisation's reputation. For a demanding audience only a few broken or malfunctioning exhibits may already leave the...
Rachel HaydonStephanie PaceMaria XanthoudakiPernille Hjort
There are various motivations to involve audiences in the co-curation and co-creation of exhibitions and activities, such as encouraging ownership, harnessing different perspectives, establishing relevance and fostering longer term relationships...
Get a practical science engagement warm-up before the conference and join the local public in building a fantastic machine of chain reactions in one of the Messe Congress convention centre's large halls.
This public event will involve Graz...
Andrea Troncoso QuilaqueoSarah DaviesWiktor GajewskiJane Chadwick
In policy and funding frameworks such as Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), it's no longer an add-on process to inform the public about science, but a fundamental part of research and innovation. Responsibilities of science communication...
Pages
