EPSRC - science and design
April 2010
To the point recently completed two new projects for the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council: their 2010 Strategic Plan, detailing how they will get the best outcome from investments in research, and a major event, www.impactexhibition.org.uk, using social media to promote an RCA exhibition, showcasing scientists collaborating with designers.
Strategic Plan 2010
Previous plans had been large dry documents but with the need to communicate quickly the key benefits and successes of EPRSC, to the point were asked to produce a document that had to be short, clear and concise, yet engaging. The Strategic Plan is a high-level statement of EPSRC’s long-term vision and goals. It defines their position in relation to the landscape in which they operate and provide direction. It describes in broad terms how they work with others to make sure they get the best outcomes for the UK from investments in engineering and physical sciences research. These top-level strategies set the pattern for the policy decisions taken subsequently and for the development of detailed plans and the use of resources.
Glenn Wood, Senior Account Manager at to the point said, "In developing the ideas and directions behind the plan, we had to make sure the messaging was clear and to the point for the various types of audience it would be presented to. This made it especially difficult because the brief also required a plan that appealed visually without looking too corporate".
The document was well received and due to high demand has required a reprint.
Impact! Exhibition
The purpose of this exhibition was to showcase the impact of EPSRC-funded research on the UK economy, society and the vital role in helping to solve the global challenges that we face. Having already established the 'Impact' brand and campaign materials, to the point were asked to provide a site that would allow scientists and artists to discuss these issues in a forum that created interaction and debate. www.impactexhibition.org.uk
This all began in a ground breaking new partnership - leading UK science researchers collaborating with designers from the Royal College of Art to visualise the potential impact of scientific developments and examining how they might affect how we live in future Britain. The culmination of this work, linking art and science, was the week long exhibition at the Royal college of Art.
Before the exhibition, to the point introduced EPSRC to an online platform called 'ning'. This is a low cost but powerful social networking tool, enabling scientists, researchers and the artists to discuss, debate and explore the scope and scale of the project. The site was only intended to promote the Impact Exhibition but became so popular that it is now being used as an ongoing forum for scientists and researchers to discuss and share points of view.
Glenn Wood, Senior Account Manager at to the point said, "We decided to present ning to the EPSRC because of its flexibility - it is a medium that has multiple templates, custom navigation menus and is user friendly. For a low cost, it gave us the freedom to brand the site as part of the Impact campaign".
Further Information
The IMPACT! Exhibition is the first collaboration of its kind between the UK’s main funding agency for science and engineering - Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) and the Royal College of Art. Sixteen original design installations explored how we might interact with new technologies drawn from the latest research, and offered scenarios of how science might influence our future.
Professor Robert Winston, who launched the exhibition, said:
“Through the eyes of design, this project offers a fresh and creative insight into how the ideas that scientists and engineers are working on today might transform our quality of life and tackle the challenges we face in the 21st century in areas like engineering healthcare, transport, digital communications and the creative industries".
