EXHIBITOR CASE STUDIES The mathematics of cancer exhibit gave The Mathematics of Cancer exhibit The Summer Science Exhibition Summer Science Exhibition visitors insight was developed and run by a team of into the complex structure of tumours, mathematicians, physicists, biologists is a fantastic opportunity for which was brought to life through and engineers, many of whom were post- games and 3D imagery. The underlying doctoral researchers or PhD students. early career researchers research combines medical imaging and “I think the event really highlighted the computation to generate 3D models of importance of public engagement in THE MATHEMATICS OF CANCER tumours, which enable further study and science for them, and sparked enthusiasm research to improve drug delivery in for them to do this sort of thing again in the Dr Paul Sweeney, University of Cambridge cancerous tumours. future, whether it be volunteering to help with other people’s exhibits or applying Taking part in the Royal Society’s Summer themselves!” said Dr Sweeney. Science Exhibition was instrumental in Dr Paul Sweeney’s career progression and “I think the unique thing about the personal development, and in particular, Summer Science Exhibition is the sheer played a significant role in securing a recent diversity of people that you talk to. fellowship at the University of Cambridge. During the day you could be talking to “The Exhibition is a massive undertaking teenagers on a school visit and then, later but also a massive opportunity”, particularly that evening, be talking to Fellows of the for early career researchers like Dr Royal Society.” Dr Sweeney particularly Sweeney. It gives researchers a valuable enjoyed the Soirée evenings as they chance to gain a number of admin skills, were a “fantastic opportunity to network which are typically not encountered in a with distinguished academics and other research environment, such as project guests at the pinnacle of their careers.” management, leadership, contingency Dr Sweeney thinks that the diversity of planning and fundraising. visitors to the exhibition requires you to “It is a really good experience learn how to pitch your research at a wide The Summer Science Exhibition is highly variety of levels very quickly, and added and I think it’ll definitely stand selective and Dr Sweeney thinks this that this “certainly keeps you on your toes you out of the crowd when it “can only be of benefit to future grant or and is what makes the Summer Science comes to applying for highly fellowship applications.” The experience Exhibition so exciting!” competitive funding.” is advantageous evidence of a successful proposal as well as a highly sought-after Dr Paul Sweeney, University public engagement experience. “It is a of Cambridge really good experience and I think it’ll definitely stand you out of the crowd when it comes to applying for highly competitive funding” added Dr Sweeney. Dr Ben Robinson and Professor Rob “[The Royal Society team] want us to The Summer Science Exhibition Young are part of a team from Lancaster do the best job that we can do and University who have exhibited at the we get so much support and so much is a unique event Summer Science Exhibition in multiple encouragement that it’s a real pleasure years. Their most recent exhibit, the Art to do it” said Dr Robinson. “I don’t think ART OF ISOLATION of Isolation, demonstrated how some of we’d have had the success that we’ve the most sensitive experiments in the had from these events, and gotten what Dr Ben Robinson and Professor Rob Young, Lancaster University world are performed and gave visitors the we have, from these events without that chance to explore aspects of quantum support and training.” mechanics and nanotechnology. Over the years, the team have had input The Exhibition is a great opportunity for from a number of industrial partners, self-development and personal growth, which included loans of demonstration and results in longlasting benefits for the materials and equipment, resulting whole Exhibition team. Both Dr Robinson in highly engaging displays but their and Professor Young have noticed a industry colleagues were also keen to difference in their approach to outreach get involved during the Exhibition week. events – “I wouldn’t be able to do any of Dr Robinson added that having industrial the other outreach that I do now anywhere collaborators really helps you emphasise near as well, without applying everything the impact of your cutting-edge research that we got from the Summer Science in people’s daily lives. Exhibition” said Dr Robinson. The team also involved a number of undergraduate The Exhibition is a fantastic opportunity volunteers, as well as PhD students, who to share your research with a massive “benefited a huge amount, especially in audience through the media. Over the learning how to distil down a scientific years, the exhibition has led to a range of “The ability to reach over a message into its key points and explain press opportunities for Dr Robinson and it in a general way which anybody can Professor Young, including interviews on million people with one article understand,” added Professor Young. “I BBC Breakfast, Sky News and BBC Radio or interview and to influence think that will be reflected in the way they 4, all of which wouldn’t have been possible and inform that many people write papers, their theses and ultimately, without the Royal Society press team. is very special, you don’t get one day, fellowship and grant applications. Professor Young added that “the ability that coming along often. to reach over a million people with one Both were incredibly grateful for the article or interview and to influence and Professor Rob Young, level of support they received from the inform that many people is very special, Lancaster University exhibition team throughout the process you don’t get that coming along often.” and highlighted how this makes the Exhibition stand out from other events. Professor Michael Ramage and his The team had existing collaborations with The Summer Science Exhibition team exhibited their research on the practising architects and engineers from development of sustainable wood-based firms based in London and Chicago, and strengthens interdisciplinary alternatives for building at the Summer these partners were also involved in the Science Exhibition in 2019. Visitors explored Exhibition. These collaborations were collaborations the science behind timber buildings at the crucial, not only in their kind donations of cellular level and the engineering involved architectural models and building materials TIMBER TOWERS OF TOMORROW in designing and building the timber (wood, of course!), but in providing valuable skyscrapers of the future. feedback during the exhibit design process Professor Michael Ramage, University of Cambridge and volunteering architects to take part The research began as a collaboration during the Exhibition week. between the departments of architecture and chemistry, but quickly grew and Professor Ramage was encouraged in his expanded to culminate in the Exhibition research by “how receptive members of team comprising architects, engineers, the public were to very largescale timber biochemists, chemists, physicists, plant buildings” and remembers being asked scientists, mathematicians and materials a host of great questions by visitors. He scientists. Professor Ramage admitted noted that “everybody [on the team], myself that working across such a broad range included, got tremendous experience and of subjects did prove challenging to begin benefits out of interacting with interested, with, as it took a while for the team to find non-specialist members of the public and a “common language.” However, he added school students. We all really enjoyed that that the experience has been highly and I think we’re all probably better at beneficial as it has enabled “a much better engaging with people now.” understanding of how other disciplines proceed in their research” and being The training provided by the Royal “[Being able to understand able to understand the multifunctionality Society was extremely valuable for the the multifunctionality of wood of wood from “not just an engineering Timber Towers of Tomorrow team, and from] not just an engineering properties or architectural application Professor Ramage felt that the process perspective, but how a biologist or of sharing the training outcomes with his properties or architectural plant scientist looks at it has been really wider team worked very well in preparing application perspective, valuable.” This has proved a long-term everyone for the Exhibition. He praised but how a biologist or plant benefit since the Exhibition and enabled the support from the Royal Society team scientist looks at it has been more effective collaboration across his in that “anything and everything we had really valuable.” research team. questions about, somebody was ready to help – even if there wasn’t an answer, Professor Michael Ramage, there was help with how to get an answer.” University of Cambridge Professor Sarah Bridle is an astrophysicist Professor Bridle has recently written a The Summer Science Exhibition working on cosmology and, more recently, book on her work, aimed at informing the has become interested in how we can public about how food and diet choices is an investment for future reduce greenhouse gas emissions can impact climate change. A number of from our food choices. Her exhibit at the topics which form part of her book engagement events the Summer Science Exhibition in 2019 were also key messages of the Take a covered areas such as food production, bite out of climate change exhibit and the TAKE A BITE OUT OF CLIMATE CHANGE processing and consumer choices and experience of explaining these concepts highlighted examples of innovations which to a wide-ranging audience at the Professor Sarah Bridle, University of Manchester improve sustainability in these areas.