On Monday 18th September 2017, Proteus officially opened a semi-permanent interactive exhibit within Glasgow Science Centre to members of the public.
Proteus PhD students and Postdoctoral Researchers have been working collaboratively for over a year with the Glasgow Science Centre creative team to produce an interactive Research Capsule, as part of the Centre’s Bodyworks space.
The Proteus Research Capsule is an exciting new addition to the Centre and showcases the key features of Proteus technology in a creative and engaging way, allowing the user to explore the revolutionary healthcare technology being developed and learn more about the research team behind it.
The Research Capsule is open to the public within the normal entry fee and times of the Centre – see their website for more details.
To officially mark the opening of the Capsule, friends and family of the Proteus team attended the Centre during the day along with the wider public, to try it out for the very first time. After the Centre closed, an evening event was held to allow invited guests to get hands-on with the exhibit themselves. Attendees included Proteus researchers and members of the Advisory Board, members of the Breathtakers Bronchiectasis support group, and Warren’s Wish founder Jacqueline Cummings.
The event was started with an introduction and welcome from Dr Robin Hoyle, Director of Science for Glasgow Science Centre. Following this, Proteus Director Prof. Mark Bradley spoke about bringing the passion for the team’s research to the wider public, and how it is vital not to limit the group’s achievements to an isolated, closed-off academic environment.
Prof. Moira Whyte (Head of the University of Edinburgh Medical School, and Director of the Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research at the University of Edinburgh) then took to the stand to explain the scientific drive behind the Proteus project, and how its interdisciplinary nature is part of what makes it so successful.
The Capsule was officially opened by Prof. Mark Bradley in a ceremonial cutting of the ribbon (which, of course, was Proteus orange in colour!), and a specially selected number of guests were invited to step forward and be the first to experience the exhibit.
After some fun playing, guests were invited to take their seats once again to listen to a special panel Q&A session, chaired by Proteus Public Engagement Strategist, Dr Helen Szoor-McElhinney, as they answered questions relating to the exhibit, Proteus research, and wider Public Engagement strategy.
We hope that the public will enjoy our Research capsule, and gain insight into all of the exciting work being carried out by the Proteus team.
Many thanks to Jenni Chambers (Head of RCUK Public Engagement), Dr Robin Hoyle, Prof. Kev Dhaliwal and Dr Beth Mills (both of Proteus) for agreeing to be a part of the discussion panel and for contributing some thought-provking ideas.
View the full gallery of images from the launch event here.