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.
Explainers & visitor services
Nicolas DidierHannu SalmiEric SiegelJudy Diamond
Encouraging youngsters to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related studies and careers is a challenge faced by most European countries. How can this objective be achieved?
This session focuses on the role...
Explainers & visitor services
Alex JohnsonElisa Maria CasatiHeidrun SchulzeTalila Yehiel
In informal science learning we often have to face the “no-show” of teenagers. It is difficult to get in touch with them, and they often seem to shy away from the term “science”. Once they do visit places of informal science learning, they often...
Explainers & visitor services
Malvina ArtheauDidier LavalGène Bertrand
Science centres are wonderful places to ignite curiosity and raise awareness about science or technology topics. But how good are they when it comes to stimulating visitors to start their own projects, to build with others or to co-create with a...
Paula BäckmanAntonia CaolaYuko OkayamaJohn DowneyPäivi GarnerDorothée Vatinel
In a science centre environment, language is of great importance. How much language support should we provide to our visitors? Should we expect our staff to be bilingual? The choice of languages can be a tricky question, as well as their order...
Anna SchaefersLenka MynarovaCornelia ReichertInes PRIETOGérard Cobut
The consensus: texts and exhibits in an exhibition have to be scientifically correct.
The question: how do we come by this correctness and what does “correct” actually mean? Science Centres and museums often employ teams of experts to ensure the...
Research, theory & evaluation
Carole PalecoAnna OmedesHenrik Sell
Citizen Science can result from various recipes, and notably from a participative or a collaborative process. Some institutions collaborate with amateurs for their research and together produce data that nourish science. Some are good at...
Colin JohnsonLukas RichterIya PetkovaElton MicallefAli ÇetinkayaVictor Manuel Simões Gil
Are you planning to set up a new science centre? If so, this is the session for you. You will meet people who are now in the throes of opening a new centre. Come and learn from their challenges and successes. Ask about exhibit procurement,...
Tuomas OlkkuHeidi RosenströmClaudia VelhasIan Brunswick
As an industry, we are able to share and copy good practices more freely than many other fields of business. Sometimes the best way to learn is to move into a new culture and work side by side with peers there. A new face in the organization can...
Explainers & visitor services
Ian SimmonsJohn DowneyElin Roberts
Humour eases all sorts of communication – where does it work when communicating science? Panellists will share their thoughts on successful uses of humour in science communication and on not so successful ones and invite thoughts from the...
Michael CreekJan RiiseErnesto Paramo SuredaAntonio Gomes da CostaLeonardo AlfonsiLuigi Amodio
Science communication at the urban level has been in the spotlight in the very last years and thanks to European projects, building partnerships at the local level is becoming more widespread. At the same time experiences developed in some...
Research, theory & evaluation
Maria XanthoudakiPreeti GuptaAnne Kahr HällmanKevin CrowleyBrad IrwinJen DeWitt
Understanding the learning impacts of informal science settings is a topical and challenging issue. Learning in such places has been under-researched and under-theorised, hampering the field’s ability to address policy and broader concerns around...
Luigi AmodioGuglielmo Maglio
Exhibitions on the human body are among visitors’ most remembered and enjoyed experiences. Even if the general topics tackled by human body exhibitions are similar, science centres and museums can deal with them in very different ways, reflecting...
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