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
LAURENT CHICOINEAUJean-michel MolenaarGaëlle CRENNMicol Molinari
Museums and science centres are often cool places for kids. They come with the school and/or their family. But what about grown-ups? We know that enticing teenagers and young adults to science centres is not so easy. Some of us believe that...
Pia ArebladDidier LavalMaria Mebius-SchröderGuillaume Trap
How does innovation happen? Enhancing society’s innovation capacity is essential for social prosperity and economic development. Innovations are sparked by challenging old ideas and practices and trying out new ones. This requires courage...
Ann-Marie PendrillVasilia ChristidouAmy Seakins
Visitors to our science centres and museums are often presented with the opportunity to ‘meet a real scientist’ through our programmes, events and activities. But what do our visitors really think about scientists? Do these experiences of meeting...
Barbara StreicherAndrea BandelliKate SteinerPaola Rodari
Being innovative, especially in a collaborative environment, requires an understanding of the status quo and of the efforts made by others in the same and similar fields.
As a research project, we started by reviewing existing literature...
Amr AlMadaniMargaret Honey
Inspiring audiences to innovate and be critical thinkers are aspirations shared by science centers and educators. But what role do our teams of science communicators play in inspiring this spirit of innovation? What spaces and programmes foster...
Ian SimmonsKrista Leusink
With projects such as APE at the Exploratorium in the United States and Curiosity at the Centre for Life in the UK, hands-on exhibitions are moving away from narrow and frustrating learning goals and briefly engaging surprise resolution models...
Step into the Grand Bazaar to see the mysteries of hands-on science unfold. Wander among the various “action shops” where you can join the building and experimenting. Catch the excitement as science learning accelerates when you...
Research, theory & evaluation
Kayte McSweeneyMarie HobsonAna BrajovicMarie Hobson
Good audience research and evaluation allows institutions to be innovative and take risks in their development processes. Embedding evaluation and engagement processes boosts confidence among staff to try new things, experiment with novel...
Johannes-Geert HagmannKevin EliceiriJochen ThamGöran MånssonKristina Yu
The fascination for the macrocosm and the scales of the universe, as seen through astronomical observation, has continuously been a source of inspiration for visitors in science centres and museums. On the opposite end of the scale, microscope...
Networking & Partnerships
Rinske van den BergDaniel LexénTobias ErikssonMikkel Bohm
The session analyses the evolution of industry role in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education ecosystem, contributing to the debate on Education and Learning – “Teaching innovation. The art of changing perspectives...
Eric SiegelAmparo Leyman PinoMJ Schwartz
The primary objective of any science communication institution is the communication of science and technology. This communication can only be effective when the visitor becomes an active participant in the process. This by definition requires two...
Filip NicolaisenMichaela LivingstonePål Brekke
The last decade has opened outer space up to mankind, both scientifically and to the public, in a way that hasn’t been witnessed since the Space race of the 1960s. Mars-rovers, exoplanets, public space flights and a digital infrastructure...
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