Public engagement
We develop and deliver a wide range of activities and events for diverse constituencies including community groups, families, adults engaged in informal learning, scientists, engineers and medics, patient groups and schoolchildren.
We work in partnership with local community groups and organisations to develop collaborative projects which draw upon the history of health, medicine, science and technology.
We participate in local festivals which celebrate the historical and scientific heritage of Manchester.
We initiate and provide leadership for public engagement activities at the University of Manchester and beyond.
We contribute expertise to print and broadcast media, ensuring that our research findings reach the widest possible audience.
We offer opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students to participate in public engagement activities.
Community groups, local organisations and educators interested in collaborating with historians of science, technology and medicine are invited to get in touch.
Expand the sections below to see specific examples of our public engagement work
- Geek Picnic, St Petersburg, Russia (talk from David Kirby about his book, Lab Coats in Hollywood)
- Bluedot Festival, Jodrell Bank (David Kirby, Big Question Time panel)
- Bringing STEAM into Hulme and Lancashire Science Festival (James Sumner, Chemists, Druggists and Beer Doctors talk/demonstration)
- Bramhall U3A (James Sumner, talk on the history of computing in Britain)
- Manchester Histories Festival (James Sumner, co-presenter of and co-ordinator of MSc student involvement in Stories of Women in Science, a guided walk developed by Manchester Girl Geeks)
- Being Human festival (James Sumner, co-presenter/panellist for Jolly Good Beer and Old)
- Inspiring Futures (Carsten Timmermann, contributor to Charlotte Beswick event)
- History stall at Brainbox (Carsten Timmermann, contributor)
- Manchester Science Festival, From Object to Specimen (Carsten Timmermann, contributor with artist Sheila Ghelani)
- London Arts Week, Cloud Design talk (Vladimir Jankovic)
- China Meteorological Administration Lecture - Climate as Agency (Vladimir Jankovic)
- Hayman Rooke Public Lecture, University of Nottingham - What do we talk about when we talk about climate? (Vladimir Jankovic)
- Manchester Policy Week 2015 (Vladimir Jankovic, Climate, Crises and Policy panellist and Hot in the City: Urban Resilience and Cooling discussion)
- Stroke: Stories of the Self workshops and exhibition at Victoria Baths (Stephanie Snow, Lead, in collaboration with the Stroke Association)
- Playing God: Science and Religion on Screen film series, International Anthony Burgess Foundation (launched and introduced by David Kirby)
- Victorian Pharmacy, BBC2 (presented by Tom Quick)
- Who Do You Think You Are?, BBC1 (Tom Quick, on-screen consultant)
- Great British Railway Journeys, BBC2 (James Sumner, sequence on John Dalton)
- The One Show, BBC1 (Stephanie Snow, contributor)
- Manchester: Making the Modern City (James Sumner, chapter on history of science, technology and medicine)
- Is the media scaring the public too much about climate change and extreme weather?, Washington Post (Vladimir Jankovic with David Schultz, interview)
- Umbrella, Pessimist Archives podcast (Vladimir Jankovic, interview about the British and rain)
- Balkan Flood Zones May Face Even More Rain Next Week, New Scientist (Vladimir Jankovic, interview)
- Where is the weather?, Wellcome Trust YouTube channel (Vladimir Jankovic, interview)
- Natural Histories – Leech, BBC Radio 4 (Rob Kirk, contributor)
- In Their Element, BBC Radio 4 series on chemical elements (James Sumner, interview on the discovery of oxygen)
- In Our Time, BBC Radio 4 (James Sumner, panellist on an edition devoted to John Dalton. Stephanie Snow is also a contributor)
- The Matter of the North, BBC Radio 4 (James Sumner, interview on 19th century Manchester science)
- YLE Radio 1, Finland (James Sumner, interview on Manchester's industrial heritage during ESOF 2016)
- Carnival of Lost Emotions, Queen Mary University of London (Tom Quick, participant)
- Science Meets Poetry, European Science Open Forum 2016 City of Science, performed at John Rylands Library (Rob Kirk, co-producer of poetry with Rebecca Audra Smith)
- CSlide – online platform for the public presentation of historical material and analysis (Tom Quick)
- Visit England-sponsored project for UK Countryside Tours (James Sumner, consultant on venue selection and narratives)
- Museum of Medicine and Health (Carsten Timmermann, Academic Lead)
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester (Stephanie Snow, Academic Lead for Engagement and Involvement)
- NHS at 70: From Cradle to Grave – Heritage Lottery-funded project to create a shared social history of the NHS (Stephanie Snow, lead. See videos from the University, Stroke Association and Emmanuel Pinteaux, who is also leading the project)
- History and Policy network (Stephanie Snow, member)