1. Science Shops Wales Dr. Steve Harris – Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems Cardiff University IAS Research Workshop Series: Climate Change and HE October 26 th 2011

2. What is a Science Shop? “A Science Shop provides independent, participatory research support in response to concerns experienced by civil society”

3. What do Science Shops Do? Science Shops provide civil society with expertise and research support at low or no cost. They use the term "science" in its broadest sense, incorporating social and human sciences, as well as natural, physical, engineering and technological sciences – hence, inherently interdisciplinary By opening up the resources of higher education and other research institutions to the communities which sustain them, Science Shops also enable students and researchers to strengthen community links and develop research with real local relevance – a ‘service learning’ model All models of science shop/CBR centre are essentially ‘demand-driven’ and interdisciplinary in operation

4. The Science Shops Movement Origins in Europe/US student movements of late 60s/70s  70’s: Netherlands, USA  80’s: Australia, Denmark, England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium  90’s: Israel, Canada, Spain, Romania, Norway, New Zealand, Malaysia, Czechoslovakia, South Korea, South Africa  00’s: Belgium (renewed), France (renewed), South Korea (renewed), Portugal, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Iceland, Japan, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Turkey Currently in 34 countries around the world, organised into national and international networks

5. Science Shops Wales Set up in 2006 using a grant from the Strategic Development Fund (SDF) of the Higher Education Funding Council of Wales Central hub in University of Glamorgan Operational model developed by selecting features from the “spectrum of Science Shops” around the world  Research through SCIPAS Reports, ISSNET Aimed to undertake activities appropriate to civil society in post-devolution Wales; primarily focused on supporting statutory commitments to participatory democracy, equality and sustainable development

6. SSW Setup Budget £375 000 per annum + some additional project-specific funding 3-4 major initiatives, 10-15 short-term projects ongoing throughout project X projects completed, X people contacted by end of project 8 full-time staff, multiple disciplines  Ecology, biology, engineering/renewable energy, computing (cybernetics & general systems theory), anthropology, humanities (basic literacy & numeracy), social science, media studies (science communication) 6-8 contract researchers also employed 14 outreach centres/contact points established

7. Collaborators & ‘Co-creators’ Community/voluntary groups NGOs Regeneration Trusts Local/regional authorities Welsh Assembly Government Schools – teachers, pupils & parents Patient groups & health initiatives Educators & Trainers

8. Criteria for Engagement Research question/problem tractable, practicable within available resources ‘Open Source’ - public results, freely available for use by all Clients/collaborators with no (full) financial means to access expertise by other routes Ethical, oriented toward Science Shops core values of promoting social, environmental & cognitive justice

9. Principal Activities Student project brokerage - short and medium term research with civil society organisations Bespoke research and action for/with community sector/NGOs (using in-house or contact researchers) Collaborative work with University Research Units – data input, field work, publication Collaboration in regional and national research and knowledge-transfer initiatives Outreach (workshops, events) Education & Training Publications – leaflets, handbooks, reports etc.

10. Phase 1 (2006-8) Outcomes 4 Science Shops and 7 Science Shop Contact Points established Review of operations in Quarter to April 2008 indicates move to a looser network model. In Quarter to July 2008 3 full-time external Shops converted to Contact Points with part-time staff presence, producing 11 Contact Points with remaining Science Shop/Network Hub at Trefforest. Year 1: c 1800 individuals engaged in non- accredited activity with Science Shops Wales Year 2: c 2,800 individuals engaged in non- accredited activity with Science Shops Wales