Just because I like them: a video maker at the University of Nottingham, Brady Haran, makes films on science - Test Tube and the Periodic Table of Videos are two good ones - links from the latter to his other sites on molecular biology, physics and other topics.
The British Science Association has developed Collective Memory - a website/database to enable activities in public engagement with science to be shared within the science engagement profession and more widely. This initiative has just started, so needs populating by practiioners.
Study in PLoS One on attitudes of (mainly) French children to biodiversity - their knowledge and conservation interest higher for exotic species, rather than local biodiversity. Attributed to media representation and paucity of field exposure, among other things.
Ballouard J-M, Brischoux F, Bonnet X (2011) Children Prioritize Virtual Exotic Biodiversity over Local Biodiversity. PLoS ONE 6(8): e23152. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0023152
Another facet to the public engagement/science in society/citizen science complex of activities - science shops, which have apparently been around since the 1970s with an international network. The idea seems to be to develop an interface at which the public can request/participate in/engage with research with a research provider such as a university. ScienceWise ERC provides news on a new EU injection of funds. Interesting network of collaborators in the new PREPARES project.
The concept of Impact is of increasing importance in UK research policy: it is an essential policy tool in the Research Councils' strategies and is under development as part of the higher education Research Excellence Framework 2014. Traditionally very much seen in terms of bibliometrics and commercial aspects such as patents, this is rapidly broadening to include public engagement, communication, policy engagement and societal issues. Some resources of interest:
The UK government (BIS) is looking at public attitudes to science in 2011 to update on a 2008 exercise that informed the policy programme on public engagement and science in society. Report of a briefing and discussion session at the British Science Association's recent science communication meeting, and the Science and Public Attitudes website and blog.
Zoological collections of Australian museums on OZCAM, and botanical on Australia's Virtual Herbarium. Looks like increasing potential for complimentary development under the Atlas of Living Australia umbrella with various scientific and public engagement interests.
Last week at Harvard, STS20+20 - looking at current status and future prospects for academic science and technology studies. Of interest in terms of understanding the societal context and interfaces of science with society, including public engagement.
The UK Science Council - an umbrella NGO for various science organisations - has produced a site that maps location and information for scientists and science organisations - the Hidden Science Map.
The UK government-funded ScienceWise ERC has a range of citizen science projects running with museums and science centres in the UK - Science Museum, Oxford, Newcastle and Glasgow - public debate and interaction on issues such as drugs and addiction, use of DNA information and other scientific questions.
