Discover Materials, a UK-wide outreach programme which is delivered in partnership with the Henry Royce Institute (Royce), has collaborated with the Rosalind Franklin Institute (the Franklin) to explore how public engagement can better meet the needs of different audiences across STEM disciplines.
The two organisations joined forces at The BIG Event 2026 in York to deliver an interactive workshop, One Strategy to Engage Them All?, examining what different community groups want from public engagement and where their priorities overlap.
Discover Materials is a UK-wide outreach programme spanning ten universities and Royce that aims to inspire young people to learn about materials science. While it operates in a different context from the Rosalind Franklin Institute, a national research institute focused on life sciences, both organisations are part of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ecosystem and share a commitment to engaging future STEM audiences.
During the workshop, participants mapped the needs and motivations of six groups: organisations, scientists, partners, adult public audiences, children, and parents or teachers. Their discussions covered themes including curiosity, skills development and organisational reach.
The session also explored the role of fun in public engagement, whether enjoyment should be considered a valuable outcome in itself or a way of achieving broader objectives. Participants considered how organisational priorities can influence engagement activity and the tensions that may emerge when these priorities do not align with audience expectations.
Dr Chris Hamlett, National Outreach Officer at the Henry Royce Institute and Discover Materials, co-developed and delivered the workshop with Dr Alice Fraser, Communications Officer at the Rosalind Franklin Institute.
Dr Chris Hamlett, National Outreach Officer for the Henry Royce Institute said:
“The session highlighted that outreach is not a one-size fits all approach and that different goals, modes of engagement and differing audiences all feed into a strategy.”
Read the full article on the Rosalind Franklin Institute website
