Annual Conference sessions
Browse all conference sessions since 2010
Science ♥ society
2019
"The blob: a genius without a brain".
2019
"Mathematics as Material Play"
Equity & Inclusion
2019
A blindfolded experience to grasp visual accessibility requirements.
Business & fundraising
2019
The session explores different models for financing our institutions and tackling the biggest challenges we face in the search for a diversified and balanced model.
Strategy & vision
2019
The Supreme Court of the Ecsite Conference will decide whether virtual reality (VR) in museums and science centres is visceral reality providing vital reactions, or just virtually rudimentary and very rubbish.
Research, theory & evaluation
2018
James Beacham is a particle physicist involved in the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Watch a video of his keynote.
Science ♥ society
2018
“Go forth and collide, Multiply and create” is the motto of our Science Assembly. Inspired by religious revival meetings, we will offer you songs, laughter, inspiration, and meaning.
Exhibit development
2018
Are you facilitating creative team processes? Tired of always using the same old tricks? Interested in the wider potential of creative techniques? This session is for you.
Strategy & vision
2018
What is the future of science centre exhibitions? Do we need to stick to scientific phenomena, or focus on high tech and current science? Do we concentrate on objects or interaction? Or are physical exhibitions becoming obsolete in the digital era?
Research, theory & evaluation
2017
Professor Alice Roberts is an anthropologist, author and broadcaster, and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. Watch a video of her keynote.
Science ♥ society
2017
Nina Simon has been described as a “museum visionary” by Smithsonian Magazine for her audience-centred approach to design. Watch a video of her keynote.
Research, theory & evaluation
2016
Dr. Frans de Waal is a Dutch-American biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behaviour and social cognition of primates. Speech title: Prosocial Primates: The Cooperative Background of Our Species
Equity & Inclusion
2016
Dr. Elizabeth Rasekoala is the President of African Gong – the Pan-African Network for the Popularisation of Science & Technology, and Science Communication. Watch a video of her keynote.
2015
Andrea Illy is the Chairman and CEO of illycaffè S.p.A., a family coffee business founded more than 80 years ago. Watch his speech on Ecsite's YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2014
Professor Ian Goldin is Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Globalisation and Development at Oxford University. He delivered a speech entitled "Individual and Collective Wisdom and Failure".
Science ♥ society
2014
Ahmet Üzümcü is the Director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2013.
Strategy & vision
2013
Dominique Pestre is a social and political historian.Hos speech was entitled "What kind of innovation for the Anthropocene?". Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2013
Susan Greenfield is a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford and delivered a speech entitled “ The neuroscience of creativity – Making the most of 21st century technology”. Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2012
Martin Rees, Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, gave a speech entitled "Space exploration, life and the cosmos".
Strategy & vision
2012
Carlo Ratti, Professor at the MIT, gave a talk entitled "Future Cities - The real-time city is now real!"
Science ♥ society
2011
Derrick de Kerckhove, Professor at the Department of French and former Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto, gave a speech entitled "Navigating among the shoals and reefs of social, state and business controls in science and technology".
Strategy & vision
2011
Michael Jones Chief Technology Advocate, Google, gave a speech entitled "The Billionth Visitor".
The first Ecsite Conference took place in 1989. Here you can browse all Conference sessions since 2010. Use the search engine to look for people, topics...
Looking for an older session? Our digital records start in 2007, with programme pdfs attached to each conference page.
Jean-François Clervoy María MenéndezMarc MoutinAna NoronhaAude LestyTina IbsenFranco Bonacina Fiorella ColioloMichaela GitschMonica TaleviStefan Rozporka
In 2016, the Ecsite Space Group continues to explore the topic, “Space for life”.
During this two-days pre-conference workshop, Cité de l’Espace and Tycho Brahe Planetarium will present to the participants the work developed so far on the...
Jörg EhtreiberJohannes RamslEd Sobey
What does "inventing something" mean for a pre-school child? With every object they are holding in their hands for the very first time, young children invent something for themselves. How can we support this process and make them enthusiastic...
Malvina ArtheauMelissa RichardDaniela De AngeliAntoine Blanchard
Why make a game in a science communication situation? How? For whom? What does a game do that nothing else could do better? What is the right balance between fun and content? How much does a serious game cost? And for what result?
During...
Camille PisaniEsther HamstraMichał BuławaAntonia CaolaLorna Williams
We have all experienced the hustle and bustle, the sometimes overwhelming background noise of people and exhibits inside interactive exhibitions. Sound is an important contributor to the museum experience, but it is an aspect that is often...
Marketing & communication
Wiktor GajewskiJessica HilliardTuomas OlkkuJulie BeckerAliki Giannakopoulou
Are you spending long hours lovingly putting together your organisation's newsletter? Are you anxiously following its journey into your readers' mailboxes, hoping to dodge their spam folders and escape a tragic "delete without opening" fate? Are...
Jamie BellAudrey ChangSarah DurcanBrad MacDonald
Cultural/ educational institutions frequently seek to reinvent their galleries and programmes to enhance visitor experience. Ever-evolving audience expectations and established practices are among the challenges faced during this critical...
Nathalie CapletCécile MarsanDon UndeenBaerbel AuffermannAnna OmedesJose Antonio Gordillo MartorellLauren SouterRobert WestNathalie PuzenatIan BrunswickJessica Bradford
How widely do science centres and museums open their doors? Do we always maximise opportunities to connect with our local communities (general public and professionals)? These collaborations can widen our audiences but also enrich the expertise...
Maya HalevySheena LaursenDea BrokmanAliki GiannakopoulouMarjolein van BreemenMarisa Borges
European projects can be very attractive for science centres, museums or schools. These projects add to the variety of science engagement initiatives and activities that we can offer to the public and/or to schools. These projects help us...
Say goodbye to our three 2016 hosts and hello to the Hall of Biodiversity - Ciência Viva team who will be welcoming us to Porto for the 2017 Ecsite Annual Conference (15-17 June 2017).
Marketing & communication
Anna SchaefersAnna OmedesCaroline VrammoutDiana Escobar VicentGérard Cobut
Join our competitive workshop (an unusual format) where five speakers will first present the science competition they are each running, before inviting the audience to rate their initatives in terms of benefits for a) science & society b)...
Paul HixBart Van de LaarCarlos Catalao AlvesAnnette KlinkertAndrea Troncoso Quilaqueo
An effective dialogue between science and the rest of society is vital to find the right answers to the challenges faced by today’s European society. In this process it is important to involve as many stakeholders as possible. Science centres and...
Ian SimmonsAndy LloydMikko MyllykoskiRyan JenkinsAmparo Leyman PinoAnna Starkey
There are lots of great ideas for engaging the public with science out there - but do science centres and museums have to do them all?
We only have a certain amount of resources and it would be unwise to spread them too thin, so have to...
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