Dialogue at PEALS
At the heart of our work at PEALS is a wide range of ways of engaging in dialogue
with people from diverse backgrounds and varied interests. An important way of ensuring
that science and technology will benefit people is to provide opportunities
for them to participate in its development. Such processes not only draw on
their existing knowledge/practices, but also their assessment of particular
circumstances in which the technology might be used.
PEALS is committed to running a lively and varied public engagement programme to promote such dialogues. This aims to bring the benefits of research to the widest possible audience as well as ensuring that public concerns are voiced in the wider debates surrounding developments in the life sciences.
- PEALS is at the forefront of innovations which give people a bigger say in future scientific and technological developments. This includes approaches such as Citizens’ Juries, community x-change, Weekends Away for a Bigger Voice (pdf),and community inquiries.
- PEALS is a partner in the North-East's Beacon for Public Engagement, a major new multi-funded initiative.
- Every month we host a Cafe Scientifique on a topical issue, introduced by a leading scientist or science writer.
- We run public consultation meetings on topical science issues, for example one on reproductive choice.
- We have run various sci-art projects including our Writer in Residence programme and our Memory & Forgetting project.
- We have completed a project in Cumbria entitled Talking Science, in which a local scientist and writer was funded to give talks to local community groups.
- The Gay Gene project worked with the local gay, lesbian and bisexual community to explore issues around the genetics of sexuality.
- We are exploring stem cell research with various community groups in a project entitled Stemistry.
- You can read details of these and other PEALS activities in our Annual Reviews.
If you would like to be on our mailing list, either to be contacted by email about forthcoming events if you live locally, or to be sent our Annual Review, then please contact PEALS.