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Welcome to the QUEST podcast, a series of conversations with leading science communication professionals around Europe.
We learn about the challenges and current trends that impact their work, and hear their advice on how other science communicators can improve the effectiveness of their communication activities. Over the course of the six episodes, we focus in particular on views from female science researchers and specialist science and technology journalists.
The first episode of the QUEST podcast discusses how three European museum spaces approach science communication.
The first episode focuses on science centres, galleries and museums. These institutions offer visitors a direct route to science – it’s where people and science meet face to face. Listen to learn about the different ways museum and gallery spaces in Dublin, Milan and Belgrade have upgraded their science communication activities.
In this episode
Dr Mairead Hurley, Research Fellow in the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Mairéad Hurley is a Research Fellow in the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin, and Principal Investigator of SySTEM 2020, a Horizon 2020 project examining science learning outside the classroom in 19 countries. She previously held the roles of Head of Research and Learning, and European Projects Coordinator at Science Gallery Dublin. She obtained a PhD in Astronomy from Dublin City University in 2011, and has worked as a secondary school teacher of science and mathematics in Ireland and Australia. She also plays Irish traditional music on the concertina, and has performed and taught worldwide.
Muiriosa Guinan, Art-Science Curriculum Coordinator, Science Gallery Dublin, Ireland
As the Art-Science Curriculum Coordinator in Science Gallery Dublin, Muiríosa works to design and deliver interdisciplinary learning experiences. She is an M.A student in University College Dublin, studying Art History, Collections and Curating. She received her B.A. in Sculpture and Expanded Practices from the National College of Art and Design. Muiríosa maintains her Visual Arts Practice, working primarily through sculpture, photography and painting. Muiríosa was awarded the Fulbright Creative Ireland Fellowship in 2020 based in the Exploratorium, San Francisco
Dobrivoje Lale Eric, Head of Department of International Cooperation, Center for the Promotion of Science, Belgrade, Serbia
Dobrivoje Lale Eric is leading the Department of International Cooperation at Serbia’s Center for the Promotion of Science (CPN). The Center was founded in 2010 with a goal to profoundly align science and society, and establish functional relations between local and international actors and stakeholders. He is managing two EU funded projects at the national level – European ARTificial Intelligence Lab / AI Lab (Creative Europe) and RRING (Horizon 2020), aimed at critical and creative assessment of the AI systems, and societal relevance of the research and innovation processes, respectively. He is also coordinating regional activities in six SEE countries within the H2020 TeRRIFICA project, which is fostering citizens’ engagement with climate adaptation and mitigation actions through citizen science and similar participatory methodologies.
Maria Xanthoudaki, Director of Education, Leonardo da Vinci National Gallery of Science and Technology, Milan, Italy
Maria Xanthoudaki is Director of Education at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci Italy. She holds a BA in Pedagogy from the University of Crete (Greece), a Master’s degree in Arts Education and a Phd in Museum Education, both from the University of Sussex (UK). She has worked in education first in the art museums, then in science museums and held academic positions in the UK and in Italy.
Podcast production team
Host: Barbara Schofield
Barbara worked as a reporter, producer and editor in BBC broadcast newsrooms and in features production for 15 years before moving into academic life at City, University of London. She was until recently Programme Director of Undergraduate Journalism at City, while also working on the Erasmus+ INSPIRE project to encourage inclusivity in higher education through training in media skills. She has been active on several other EU-funded partnership projects including MicroEuropa and the Global Environmental Journalism Training Initiative (GEJI). As Research Officer on the QUEST project she has devised an updated curriculum for MA Science Journalism programmes, and a Toolkit to encourage accurate and effective science journalism – available in May 2021.
Producer: Atina Dimitrova
Atina is a City, University of London alumna who did a degree in Journalism. She did her MA in International Relations at King’s College London. Atina is working as MailOnline’s UK social media assistant. She has work experience across a range of media outlets such as The Guardian, The Times and The Sunday Times Magazine. She has also worked as a hub assistant at the Election Broadcast Hub, BBC Elstree Centre during the 2018 Local Election programme and the 2017 General Election programme.
