Exhibitions and events

Are Women Changing Science? debate

Institute of Contemporary Arts (March 2011)
Leading scientific researchers and artists discussed the continuing under-representation of women in science. Vivienne Parry (science writer and BBC Radio 4 broadcaster) quizzed Britain’s brightest thinkers: Professor Dame Sally C Davies (Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health), Professor Uta Frith (Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development, UCL), Professor Carol V Robinson (Royal Society Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford), Professor Mary Collins (Dean of Life Sciences, UCL) and Liliane Lijn (NASA artist in residence) on women’s progress in science in the past century. Covered by the Scientist and London’s Metro.

Suffrage Science publication series

Institute of Contemporary Arts (March 2011)
A series of publications featuring conversations between leading female researchers in science. The inaugural Suffrage Science book showcases the dialogue between women working in fields of neuroscience and psychology, embryology and genetics, structural biology; and the biology of cancer and HIV. The publication brings to light a collection of stories about the significant contributions that women have made to science over the past 100 years. The next publication is scheduled for 2013 and will feature perspectives from leading women in medicine, physical and engineering sciences. The project has been covered by the Guardian online.

Women in Science heirloom scheme

Leading women life scientists and communicators have being awarded jewellery heirlooms as part of a scheme pioneered by the Medical Research Council to commemorate a century of women in life science in 2011. Recipients of the heirlooms have nominated successors, who will be awarded their limited-edition, hand-crafted piece of jewellery – designed by Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design – on International Women’s Day 2012 at an event to be held at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre.

Synthetic & Systems Biology seminar and workshop

Central Saint Martins Innovation Centre (November 2010)
Fabrics of Life events bring world-class scientists together with design students to explore ways to embody scientific principles in design form. The fourth workshop took place in 2010. Leading scientists in the fields of Synthetic & Systems Biology presented their research to design students at Central Saint Martins. Synthetic biology constructs ‘biosystems’ from ‘biobricks’, an activity celebrated annually through the IGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition. Systems biology applies mathematical modelling to biological datasets to study the emergent properties of systems. On 10th November, presentations ranged from the art of systems biology to its application to the study of schizophrenia. Students spent several days brainstorming with senior scientists and professional designers before exhibiting a diverse array of design probes and animations on 26th November at Central Saint Martins Innovation Centre. Watch the film.

NOBELini: Blind Data engagement scheme / exhibition

Science Museum’s Dana Centre (February 2010)
The NOBELini scheme paired 30 young scientists with 30 design students in a bid to celebrate scientific discovery. Pairs competed for a £2000 prize to create design products that communicate and celebrate science. Scientists and designers were matched up in May 2009 following a ‘seed-dating’ event at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre. Proposals across the themes of stem cells, energy and recycling, synthetic and systems biology and imaging, were judged by an international panel of professional designers and scientists; and three design proposals won the chance to exhibit their work. The project was covered by Nature magazine and Under the microscope profiled one of the pairs. Watch the film.

Evolution seminar and workshop

Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (June 2009)
A collaboration between the Curie Institute and ENSAD, the public seminar was organised in Paris to mark the bicentenary of Charles Darwin. Students from the art college afterwards engaged in a closed workshop to brainstorm ways to incorporate evolutionary theory into design models. The seminar and workshop form part of the Fabrics of Life programme pioneering the use of art and design as a means to communicate and engage a wider audience in science. Watch the film.

Model Organisms seminar and workshop

Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (June 2008)
Leading scientists from all over Europe presented their model organisms to young designers at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London. Science presentations covered the joys of working with fruitflies; exploring the effects of Prozac on nematode worms; watching the development of African claw-toed frogs; learning about cyclops and zebrafish; getting under the shell of a chicken egg; watching the weird and wonderful social life of amoebas; and for good measure, a healthy dose of plant pornography. With the help of a facilitator, art students with scientists later brainstormed ways in which to conceive of key scientific principles as design models. Preview the student films. Watch the documentary.

Scopic schools programme and exhibition

Royal Albert Hall (May 2008)
See schools page…

Nobel Textiles scientist-designer collaborations / exhibition

Institute of Contemporary Arts and St-James’s Park (September 2008)
Fabrics of Life is all about the interface between the science of design and the designs of science. The first project in the series, Nobel Textiles, involved a journey into scientific discovery through fashion and future textiles. What do you get when you pair a scientific researcher with a textile designer? Designers fundamentally shape the way we live, while scientists pervade the very fabric of our lives. Nobel Textiles involved a journey into the interface between science and design, a dialogue between leading researchers in both fields. The project paired MRC Nobel Laureates Sir Tim Hunt, Sir Aaron Klug, Sir John E Walker, Sir Peter Mansfield and Sir John Sulston together with textile and fashion design Fellows from Central Saint Martins: Rachel Kelly, Philippa Brock, Rachel Wingfield, Shelley Fox and Carole Collet respectively. The resulting creative responses were exhibited in St James’s Park in association with the Institute of Contemporary Arts, and were later featured in exhibitions at MOMA and at design events in China and Japan. A series of documentary films chart the dialogue between design muses and their Nobels. Watch the project documentary.

Epigenetics seminar and workshop

Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (June 2007)
Design can be powerful tool to explain science. The inaugural Fabrics of Life workshop brought leading researchers in the field of epigenetics to present their work to art and design students in London. One of the outputs – ‘Epigami’ – employed the Japanese art of folding paper to explain the essence of epigenetics. A series of folds can make the same sheet of paper into a ballerina or baby elephant. Similarly epigenetic processes direct the same genome towards a bewildering array of fates. Consider as examples the fine filaments that are nerve cells or the octopus-like podocytes that assist filtration in the kidney. Unfold the baby elephant and try making a ballerina. It’s like trying to make a neuron from a kidney cell. Once the fate of a cell is sealed, an epigenetic memory anchors its personality. And reprogramming a mature cell, ironing out all the ‘epigenetic creases’, is a biologically messy business. Epigami was one of a host of imaginative responses to presentations from members of the EU Epigenome Network of Excellence; part of a one-day initiative to engage young designers in the development of proposals for epigenetic designs. Watch the student films. Watch the documentary.

GenesTalking exhibition and seminar programme

Institute of Contemporary Arts (July 2005)
A live sequencing lab was installed in the theatre space at the ICA for two weeks to engage the public in a hunt for a disease gene implicated in Specific Language Impairment (SLI). The study was led by Professor Anthony Monaco of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. Members of the public were invited to compare sequences from normal and affected individuals to search for potential mutations that may cause  SLI. While no mutations were uncovered members of the public did find polymorphisms in the sequence, although these were later established not the play any causal role in disorder progression.