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Programme

The 2023 Ecsite Conference 15-17 June 2023 at the Mediterranean Convention Centre in Valetta, Malta, hosted by Esplora Interactive Science Centre.

Take a look at the inspiring programme of sessions, networking meetings and social events.

09:00 - 10:15

Republic Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Explainers & visitor services
Sarah FunkCatherine OualianNatalia Cândido VendrascoInga Specht

What makes a good science explainer/facilitator /educator? The spontaneous answers are often that you have to be motivated, smiling, accessible and like the public. What about skills and knowledge? As the first link with our institutions, the...

Malta Experience Auditorium
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Exhibit development
Vesa LepistöRosalina BabourkovaSampsa PiiraJana GrasserGunnar Behrens

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a pervasive technology which extends to many industries and activities. The development of AI lies at the complex intersection of technical, natural, human and social sciences, thus obscuring the underlying...

Michel'Angelo Grima Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Strategy & vision
Sara MiraIvone FachadaLouis Vosse

Reflect on practices and methodologies for creating new tourist products associated with scientific tourism, considering the need to structure, qualify, promote and monitor tourist experiences based on a deeper knowledge of local resources....

Michel'Angelo Grima Hall Annex
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Equity & Inclusion
Justin DillonMarianne AchiamLuisa MassaraniValeria Cernei

Effective science engagement assumes that people share an understanding of who is an expert and what counts as evidence. In reality, different groups of people hold differing ideas on these issues. This prevents constructive conversation and...

Vassali Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Exhibit development
Dacha AtienzaJavier Hidalgo GilBeate LangholfMiriam AtienzaFriederike Wawerka

Temporary exhibitions give Museums the opportunity to boost their programmes and engage their visitors. It is not always easy to find places or exhibitions spaces for this purpose and sometimes is necessary to imagine new emplacements. In this...

David Bruce Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Aoife TaylorCamilla ThamMitzi TanHolly CushenFariha AghaMatthew Taylor

Science on the climate and biodiversity crises is essential. But data alone doesn't create change. Young activists are driving action and pushing for solutions. Should scientists and young activists collaborate more? Should places like museums...

Girolamo Cassar Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Marta IglewskaMarilena PaceTiffany AlnefeltFederica Tamburrini

Despite the well-known awareness of the advantages of engaging children as young as primary school age with STEM/STEAM, a comparatively more limited effort is put into involving children who are even younger than that. Yet, caregivers with their...

Tinkering and Making Space (La Cassiere Hall)
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Inka de PijperCristina OlivottoSamar D. KirreshMay Sabbah

This is a two-part workshop. Participants are expected to take part in both parts.

Science educators recognise the importance of Environmental Education (EE) and how hard it might be to engage learners as deeply as one would like...

10:30 - 11:30

Republic Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Lauren Vargas

Hear from Keynote speaker Lauren Vargas, who helps organisations reshape their digital ecosystems, how your organisation can reach Digital Maturity. Lauren will talk about future-oriented and community-centred digitalisation strategies that go...

11:30 - 12:00

Sacra Infermeria Hall

Coffee Break

12:00 - 13:15

Republic Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Exhibit development
Hannah BoddyChristian SichauMaarten TaborskySarah TealeGabrielle Zaug

It takes hundreds of decisions to develop and deliver an exhibition. How can we be sure we make the most environmentally sustainable choices? Which materials are better to choose: a sustainable product with a short lifespan or a more robust, but...

Malta Experience Auditorium
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Pere VilanovaToivo Aukisti YlinampaRick Martin SpringerRick Martin SpringerWiebke RössigMarjana BrkićPetar LausevicJudith FeichtingerColette SchrodiStephanos CherouvisStephanos CherouvisCarla Molins PitarchJelena BastaMichael CreekMichael CreekEmma ClarkeEdward DucaEmily CameronDidier Laval

Could an object describe your entire project?

The courageous speakers of this session will be taking on this challenge to tell you about their projects in an original and jargon-free style. Expect a two-minute story for each project,...

Michel'Angelo Grima Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Strategy & vision
Linda GalléSonja KreftUwe MoldrzykDominik SeitzAnders Drud Jordan

Natural history museums are in a phase of renewal and institutions thrive to reinvent themselves. Some renew old buildings, others move into completely new spaces. Large renewal projects stretch over years and come with their own challenges that...

Michel'Angelo Grima Hall Annex
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Exhibit development
Kathrin KöstersWouter van der ZouweCaroline JulienEric Londaits

Exhibits that allow two or more visitors to explore and experiment together take advantage of the social dimension of museums and science centres. Cooperative dynamics enable richer experiences, promote inclusion by allowing visitors to help each...

Vassali Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Marketing & communication
Neta ShabyRan PelegAnastasia VoloshinaStephane BerghmansSarah FunkAnnette Lein

In the beginning of 2020, many of us woke up to a reality of strict lockdown, meaning our institutions were stripped of their physical presence overnight with only a digital presence (websites & social media) as a means communicate with our...

David Bruce Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Eilis DowdKenny GaughanClaire RiordanNiamh HeeryTom HopeRachel O'Mahony

'Science on Screen' is a collaborative public engagement programme established in 2015 through partnership between CÚRAM, a Science Foundation Ireland medical device research centre and Ardán, a non-profit organisation supporting creatives within...

Girolamo Cassar Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Equity & Inclusion
Esther Redhouse WhiteDavid JonesRebecca ButtigiegHannah-Rose Ford Tomlinson

Many celebrated science communicators display neurodivergent traits (e.g. autism or ADHD). In science centres we often hire people with traits great for SciComm, like great charisma or love of science, and since such traits are often found in...

Tinkering and Making Space (La Cassiere Hall)
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Inka de PijperCristina OlivottoSamar D. KirreshMay Sabbah

A continuation of the "Tinkering to connect with the environment: part 1" - this drop-in session is open to anyone.

Science educators recognise the importance of Environmental Education (EE) and how hard it might be to engage...

13:15 - 14:15

La Valette Hall

Lunch Break

14:15 - 15:30

Republic Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Nils Petter HauanJen DeWittAnne LandJoe Kristoffer Hoving-PartykaHannie GijlersPernille Kjølholt

Although the informal science community has years of experience developing and evaluating our STEM communication efforts, the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises mean the stakes are higher than ever. Our work needs to be impactful and we...

Malta Experience Auditorium
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Business & fundraising
Lars MaroyMikko MyllykoskiKim Gladstone HerlevPilvi Kolk

What's the best way to organise a science centre? There are likely as many answers to that question as there are science centres. You'll find functional and flat, matrix and team-based, and others - as well as combinations of these. We would like...

Michel'Angelo Grima Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Yuko OkayamaFabienne WillMariana Rama Pedro AlvesNorina VicenteCHISA MITSUHASHIJihye Lim

Many museums experienced developing activities to engage researchers. What about from a researcher’s perspective?

Four presentations focus on 1) the importance of realising that researchers understand and communicate what they have learned...

Michel'Angelo Grima Hall Annex
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Strategy & vision
Frederic BertleyGail LordHenna BhattiSara Leikin

Our 21st century world is dominated by innovation and advancement across a multitude of sectors such as communication, transportation, agricultural, energy, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and artificial intelligence amongst others. These by...

Vassali Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Edward DucaIro VoulgariAmanda Mathieson

Guided-play environments have the potential to tackle common problems faced by science communicators and educators. How can we interest diverse groups in STEM topics? How can we reduce the barriers to accessing complex science? How do we create...

David Bruce Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Science ♥ society
Vanessa MignanSabrina Vitting-SeerupTina IbsenJon ChaseMarianne Achiam

For many, the persuasive power of science rests on its ethos, that is, its identity of being objective and rational. Scientists and communicators draw on this ethos to engage the public in science. But even though objectivity and rationality are...

Girolamo Cassar Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Equity & Inclusion
Sheena LaursenShaun UssherPetra VaničMeghna Nag Chowdhuri

In the recent years, informal science learning spaces have prioritised supporting diverse and minoritised youth to engage with science. These spaces can provide a meaningful science experience for the youth who might have felt alienated within...

Tinkering and Making Space (La Cassiere Hall)
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Learning
Sebastian MartinBalduin Landlfabrizio stavolaArmin Duff

With the surge of interest in making and the increased availability of approachable digital tools like micro:bit and block-based coding, there have never been more opportunities to make 21st century skills like coding and computational thinking...

15:30 - 17:00

Sacra Infermeria Hall

Coffee break

15:45 - 17:15

Republic Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street

The Ecsite Annual General Meeting (AGM) is open to all Ecsite members.

Only Full members of Ecsite have voting rights.

17:00 - 18:00

All session rooms
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street
Camilla Rossi-LinnemannCamilla ThamRebecca ButtigiegVanessa MignanIlona Iłowiecka-TańskaAudrey Korczynska

Join one of the informal meet-ups to discuss topics of interest with your peers.

1. Art&Science melting pot

2. Is the climate crisis a crisis of imagination?

3. Neurodiversity

4. Diversci

5. REV Group

...

17:30 - 19:00

Sacra Infermeria Hall
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Old Hospital Street

A networking highlight! Ecsite invites all participants to come together for a drink among exhibitors’ booths. Traditionally, exhibitors bring specialities from their home countries.

20:00 - 00:00

Esplora Interactive Science Centre
Esplora Interactive Science Centre
Dawret Fra Giovanni Bichi

The whole Esplora team is looking forward to welcoming all participants at the Nocturne in our science centre. Programme details coming soon.