Researcher volunteering opportunity

Should we research things just because we’re curious?

We are looking to collaborate with researchers as part of a project to develop and showcase young people’s perspectives on space science.  This is an opportunity to develop your understanding of how the public perceive space research by talking directly to young people. By doing so you will be able to hone the impact of public engagement in your work in future.

As a specialist you will be collaborating with young people in a Bristol secondary school to explore the question “Should we research things just because we’re curious?”.  Together we will explore why people might choose to research areas of science where the practical benefits are not immediately clear.  You will be supported by coaching from We The Curious in authority sharing and public engagement.

We’d love to hear from you if you work in areas related to:

• Astrophysics, cosmology, exoplanets
• Earth observation, space technologies

You’ll need to be able to commit to:

• A one-day workshop (in person) on 2nd May. This will take place at a Bristol secondary school and will involve chatting with young people and discussing different perspectives together.
• A 1-hour pre-workshop coaching session (remotely in April) with our team at We The Curious to help you explore how to have meaningful discussions about your specialism with young people
• A 1- hour post-workshop reflection session (remotely in May) with our team at We The Curious to discuss the experience and share learnings and feedback

We recognise the positive impact representation will have on our programmes, culture, and organisation. We welcome applications from everyone, particularly those with lived experience not well represented in the Science Centre sector. This includes people who identify as and/or have lived experience of: African and African-Caribbean heritage, d/Deaf, Disabled, Global Majority, LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, Non-Binary, South Asian and East Asian, Visually impaired, Working Class.

Please note that this is a voluntary opportunity and We The Curious will not be offering payment for participation.  There is, however, a maximum of £150 available per researcher to cover travel and lunch expenses.

If you are interested in this opportunity, or would like more information, please contact Gemma Kerr at info@wethecurious.org by 19th March 2024.  Thank you!