Wellcome’s ISL Review and Evaluation and

Research at the NHM

Emma Pegram

The knowledge base issue

‘ the modal (most common) value for how many individuals had read each publication was zero... The most read article had been read by less than 50% of these key practitioners’

Wellcome Trust 2012 p5

Do we use research to inform practice?

Project specific evaluation

From an evaluative culture to one that focuses on visitors’ learning and contributes to organisational (and sector) learning and change

Language

• Measurement

• Measuring success

• Evaluating impact

• Understanding the visitor’s experience

Meeting scientists in Nature Live: what are the impacts on visitors?Collaborative PhD King’s College London: NHM

EU Researchers Night: Science Uncovered impact report

Participants are inspired to consider research careers

1. Young People’s Reception Snapshot interviews (n=20)• Broadening perceptions and understanding

– It seems like I am more interested in it right now because before when you think of science you think you are going to be a doctor or a dentist or optician but now your view is like more wider and you can do loads of different things.

– I didn’t really know how many different things there were, but Geoff said how he discovered a new species and I didn’t realise how you can do that

• Opportunity to ask the scientists specific questions

– I was like talking to her about choices for universities and she was giving her opinion on each one and it was really helpful

Participants are inspired to consider research careers

2. Group interviews (n=39)• Better understanding of science careers

– The room with the big whale, yes, she was talking about her phytoplankton and she spent up to two months at a time in the North Sea with just 35 other people.

– We were asking, did you get annoyed with the people. She said actually it was the food that got to her.

• Inspired by science careers

– So I wish that I'd taken more notice and studied harder in school. And followed - Because just looking at these people, they love their jobs, they're deeply involved in it, and they're happy. And yeah, I definitely wish I'd taken that up. Without a doubt.

Questions?