During my MSc course, I knew that I really enjoyed in-person science communication, and I wanted to gain some experience of running science-related events. The opportunity to do just that was afforded to me in the form of 'Pint of Science'.
Pint of Science is festival of science communication that has many hubs across the UK (and beyond), aiming to connect researchers and the public in a shared space - the pub! I was one of the volunteers helping to organise Manchester's Pint of Science events, and culminating in 3 nights of events in May 2023.
I worked alongside 2 other amazing postgrads - Trina and Fabi - to organise all 3 'Creative Reactions' events. These were hands on events which had an element of co-creation, bringing together art and science in different and interesting ways. Ours spanned from discussing DNA in the form of a jigsaw puzzle, through to using digital and biological technologies to make fashion more sustainable.
Although I am very likely biased, my favourite event we held was 'The Future of Sex Ed', which I was responsible for, and hosted it on the night. This event allowed us to combine the expertise of Sex and Relationships Professional Sophie with the sex education work of Illustrator Phoebe Holden, and provide a forum to discuss just how important effective, inclusive and purposeful sex ed can be. As the 'creative reactions' twist for this event, Phoebe created a custom 'Teach Love, Preach Love' tote bag which our attendees were invited to colour whilst they asked our experts questions.
I learnt a lot from this experience, and not just from the fabulous speakers we had! This allowed me to gain experience with the basics of running events, like budgeting, finding venues, coordinating speakers and the practicalities of live events. It was also a really interesting opportunity to think about co-creation, and how art and illustration can be a key part of effectively communicating and forging connections between science and the public.