Why?
- To build on our current partnership with Baldragon Academy, support the school during the pandemic and increase engagement with non-science teachers & pupils
- Increase pupil understanding of key concepts in both cell biology & art
- Engage a wider non-scientific audience with the concept of a cell through the artworks produced
Who?
- Paul Davies, MRC PPU Academic Lead for Public Engagement
- Daniel Squair, PhD Student
- Sarah Patrick, Public Engagement Consultant
- Marc Johansen, Freelance artist
- 8 MRC PPU staff & students
- 7 Science and Art teachers from Baldragon Academy, inc. the Principal Teacher of Biology and the Principal Teacher of Art
What?
As a result of the pandemic, it became impossible to run any of our planned face-to-face activities with partner school Baldragon Academy so we reached out to the Art and Science Departments to understand and respond flexibly to their needs and the challenges faced by pupils and teachers during lockdowns and hybrid teaching.
Originally planned to be in-person, a total rethink of an “Immersive Cell” art-science project - led by PhD student Daniel Squair with support from our Public Engagement Consultant – brought researchers, teachers and an external artist together to co-produce new resources to support both the Art and Science Curriculums.
The three Immersive Cell video workshops and printed workbooks bring art and science together to encourage pupils to be curious, explore the natural world around them and discover the world of the cell while developing their artistic skills:
- Workshop 1: Sketching & Microscopes
- Workshop 2: 3D Modelling & The Cell
- Workshop 3: Animation & Proteins
They can be used in school and/or at home, without the need for internet connection or access to devices if necessary.
Key outcomes
- Baldragon Academy’s Art Department is delivering the workshops in 2023. This is a great outcome, as it’s the first time our activities have been delivered by an Art department – engaging new teachers and pupils with our science and scientists.
- Our partnership with Baldragon Academy has strengthened as a result of the co-production of these resources and our focus on the schools needs – we now have connections with the Pupil Support Unit and have started discussions to focus on the inclusivity of our activities and support their new “alternative curriculum”.
Future plans
- Live Q&A sessions with our staff and students and Baldragon Academy to support workshop delivery.
- Public exhibition of pupils artworks.
- Evaluation of this initial delivery phase with Baldragon Academy.
- Engage a wider group of pupils and teachers with these Art-Science workshops through outreach partners.