The consortium of UK Universities organising the International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS 2012) launched a public engagement programme called ‘Knowing Sport’ in 2010.

Funding of up to £2,012 was available for Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges for delivering an event or series of events in 2011/12 as part of the ‘Knowing Sport’ Public Engagement Programme, supported by The Scottish Government and Podium.

The Knowing Sport programmes are progressing well. The first tranche of funding has been awarded to the 10 successful institutions/organisations. Knowing Sport has also been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark and individual project leads are utilising the official Inspire Mark branding.

The final list in relation to 2^nd round of successful Knowing Sport applicants is as follows:

University of Highlands and Islands – Public Exhibition
25 – 31 March 2012

A week long public exhibition with sport taster sessions including athletics, swimming, equestrian and followed public lectures in the evening. These discussions will feature – sport and leadership, sport and community engagement and sport and tourism.

A&M Community Training – Glasgow Science and Football Festival
4 March 2012 

A football themed science festival where members of the public are tested on how flexible they are, how high they can jump and complete a sport-station passport before getting training and dietary advice from sport science experts.

University of Glasgow – Series of public engagement in science events
From April 2012 

A series of free public engagement in science events aimed at both children and adults.  For children there will be a series of interactive sport and exercise science workshops at Glasgow Science Centre.  The events for adults will be a series of “Café Scientifique” talks where sport science experts will talk informally to the general public about the science of physical activity, sport and exercise in community settings. Topics will include: ‘Why Exercise is not just for Olympians’, ‘The Genetics of sporting performance,’ and ‘The science and technology behind preparing Olympians’.

Dundee Science Centre – Get in the Zone
March 2012 

A series of public events exploring health and physiology and offer a form of challenge so participants can investigate themselves. Drop-in sessions will include – myth busters, breathing, strength-to-strength and cardiovascular systems.

http://www.fifesciencefestival.org.uk/

Edinburgh International Science Festival – InMotion
30 Mar – 15 April 2012

Public exhibition which brings together science, engineering and technology alive in relation to its role within human movement and sporting performance.

http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/

University of Manchester – Pharmacy at the Games
March 2012 

A series of widening participation events to showcase how pharmacy supports thousands of athletes from across the Globe. This will include workshops in local schools, the Manchester Science and Engineering Festival (9 March 2012) and at the National Science and Engineering week (13-15^th March 2012) held in Manchester.

University of Westminster – The Role of Activity Gaming on Energy Expenditure and Calorie Consumption
Spring 2012

Public engagement activity to demonstrate the potential health benefits of active computer gaming compared to more traditional forms of exercise like the treadmill.

University of Northumbria – Dual Careers: Supporting Athletes in Education
5 – 6 May 2012 

Public exhibition to showcase the relationship between sport and education through exhibition poster boards and meeting the athletes.

University of Brunel – Public Lecture Series
From August 2012

Public lectures free to the public that focus on Transmitting the Games, understanding sporting performance and regeneration legacy.

Loughborough University – The Science of Wheelchair Sport – From Rehabilitation to Sporting Excellence
13 June 2012 

An interactive public workshop at Stoke Mandeville featuring activities including how to efficiently push a wheelchair, increase mobility, select a sports wheelchair and meeting the dietician.

 

A pilot scheme was held in 2010/2011 which featured the following projects:

• Unviersity of Gloucestershire – Drawing the line on doping: Harm, Fairness and the ‘Spirit of Sport’ (31 January 2011)
• University of Leicester – Sports Science Lecture Series (2 December 2010)
• University of East London – Open day: public lecture, open lab (3rd February 2011)
• University of Hertfordshire – Health, Sport and Physical Activity: What You Need to Know (23 November 2010)
• Leeds Metropolitan University – In our own words: Athlete experiences of well-being and development in elite and professional sport (27 January 2011)
• Liverpool John Moores University & Museum of Science and Industry – Meet the Sport Scientist (15 January 2011)
• Uni of West Scotland – The First Transhuman Olympics? (24 January 2011)
• University of Wolverhampton – Improving the Running Experience (15 January 2011) 
• Univeristy of Kent – Health, Medicine and Science – A Sports Open Day (19 January 2011)
• University of Westminster – Fitbeats (5 January 2011)

The report from the pilot programme can be found here.

Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership between the UK’s seven Research Councils. The Research Councils seek to create a culture where the research sector and researchers themselves value public engagement as an important activity, and where an awareness of social and ethical issues informs research decisions.

Podium is the Further and Higher Education Unit for 2012 and is working in partnership with the ICSEMIS 2012 organising committee to deliver the public engagement programme.