Hansard

Okay.

The science centres attract around 650,000 visitors every year with a mix of exhibitions, shows and workshops for families, young people, school and nursery groups, students and adults.

Although the science centres reach a significant proportion of the Scottish population, they are not easily accessed by everyone. That is one of the reasons why we are continuing to support science festivals in towns, cities and islands across Scotland. From Orkney to Edinburgh and from the Western Isles to Fife, Caithness and Dumfries and Galloway, the events provide a more localised, grass-roots focus to science engagement, attracting a combined audience of around 200,000 every year. Many festivals are organised by volunteers and charities and could not survive without input from local scientists.

I am delighted to confirm that in 2013-14 we will support 19 festivals with £251,000 and that individual festivals will see no decrease in the funding offered for their events compared with that received in previous years. Indeed, the success of the Scottish science festivals and of our wider science base and science engagement sector was instrumental in the British Science Association choosing to hold its annual British science festival in Aberdeen last year, attracting 43,000 visitors.

We recognise that there are still significant parts of Scotland that are less well served by festivals and science centres. Audiences in rural areas can feel remote from the nearest hub for science engagement. Even in our cities and towns there are many people who would never consider visiting a science centre, a festival, a museum or other venue where science engagement activities take place.

With that in mind, in the past year we have pioneered a new approach to encourage science communicators to think more widely about their audiences. The new talking science grant scheme is an annual competition that challenges the sector to take science directly into communities in rural or deprived areas. In 2013-14, £250,000 will support 14 new projects that are expected to reach 78,000 people, as well as 16 projects continuing from last year.

This year’s new projects include the Clipperton project’s floating lab, which is a converted boat that will tour Scotland’s canals this summer with activities that bring engineering and nature to life; and the University of Edinburgh’s hope beyond hype project that sees stem cell researchers working with patient groups and the wider public in rural areas, but especially young people, to explain the potential opportunities presented by that area of science.

I said earlier that the focus of the debate is not on science in schools. However, I want to spend a moment to acknowledge that in 2013-14 we will continue to support a number of initiatives that provide schools with a way to help bring science learning and teaching to life in the classroom. For example, Edinburgh International Science Festival’s generation science tour takes workshops and shows to more than 50,000 primary pupils every year; the Institute of Physics lab in a lorry takes physics activities to 10,000 secondary pupils every year; and there are STEM clubs in schools, through the Scottish Council for Development and Industry’s young engineers and science clubs, and STEMNET’s advice service, both of which help teachers set up and run a science club.

In addition, the big bang Scotland event that will be held in Glasgow next month will give young people a unique opportunity to explore STEM subjects in a fun and inspiring environment. It is coupled with the Scottish finals of a number of Scottish and UK STEM competitions. In 2013-14, we will provide more than £200,000 to support those and similar initiatives.

Supporting the science engagement community is not just about funding. As well as our work with the organisations already mentioned, the Scottish Government works with a number of other science engagement providers by making connections and helping to drive partnerships and collaborations. That includes work with STEMNET—the UK-wide charity that promotes STEM in schools—and the Edinburgh Beltane at the University of Edinburgh, and regular liaison with our universities and research institutes to ensure that they are aligned with other initiatives. For example, partnerships in the science engagement community are embracing the 2013 year of natural Scotland, with a number of themed events and activities taking place across the country to highlight some science aspects of our natural landscapes and habitats.

There is a great deal to celebrate about our science engagement community, but there will always be challenges, particularly in funding and how to increase audiences. That is especially the case in relation to communities that are less able or willing to engage with science.

There is clearly a role for science communicators, industry and academia to play their part, and I know that there are many initiatives that involve collaborations between these three main areas. There is also a role for colleagues in the Scottish Parliament. We can help to raise awareness of the opportunities available, many of which are free of charge, for our local schools and communities to find out more about science.

Colleagues in Inverness, Glasgow and the Borders may be interested in attending science festivals in those areas over the coming few weeks, and I am sure that many members will want to encourage schools in their constituencies to attend the big bang Scotland event in Glasgow on 14 June, to compete for prizes or just have a great day out, immersed in science.

The science engagement sector in Scotland is clearly thriving and playing an important role in helping scientists and the public come together. By making science more accessible and exploring the opportunities and challenges posed by current research and new developments, we can help ensure that the wider public has the tools that they need to make informed decisions on issues that affect their everyday lives. That is an important aspect of building a science nation, and I look forward to continuing to support our diverse science engagement sector in achieving that.

I move,

That the Parliament values Scotland’s science centres and science festivals; notes the efforts made by them and other organisations to make science accessible to a public audience of all ages, and welcomes the Scottish Government’s continuing support for a range of public science engagement initiatives through annual funding.