work@gallomanor – Project Executive

We're hiring again. We're calling the job Project Executive and the role is to make our projects happen and to help us improve them. We want someone who is organised, very web-literate, passionate about democracy and engagement.  Someone who is curious and pays attention to detail (curious and attentive enough Read more…

Let’s have a conversation about the funding of science

Throughout the Science is Vital campaign I was aware that whilst we were fighting to retain science funding, no-one really had an accurate map of current funding. We managed fine because we concentrated on funding through BIS and that was reasonably clear. If we had to enter into a wider conversation Read more…

MP’s expenses receipts not to be published proactively

According to the IPSA site (no deep-linking so click on News) Sir Ian Kennedy has decided not to proactively publish the receipts for MP expenses.  He says that  IPSA will not be publishing receipts proactively –the cost of preparing tens of thousands of receipts for publication would be more than Read more…

I’m a Scientist at the Science Council

Last Thursday was exactly a year since Sophia and I presented our plans for I'm a Scientist to the Society Award Grants Committee at the lovely Wellcome Trust. It felt appropriate that exactly 365 days (almost to the minute) we should start a presentation at the Science Council about how Read more…

Science is Vital – 0 – 35,000 in three weeks

On the afternoon of September 8th Dr Jenny Rohn set something off that has developed into something beyond her expectations. The Science Is Vital campaign has gone from 0-35,000 supporters in a very short time with almost zero resources. Richard Grant and I have tried to give you some of Read more…

Beyond Blogging – Science Engagement in 2010

A couple of months ago I wrote how I was disappointed about the lack of ambition in the science communication world. Things move quickly. First the ScienceIsVital campaign has emerged and I've been lucky enough to be able to help and advise on that. The second thing is that the Read more…

Interesting admin job (temp)

We’re looking for an admin assistant, ideally for the next four weeks, to work on I’m a Councillor, Get me out of Here! You would be overseeing part of our (innovative! groundbreaking!) online event where teenagers talk to real live councillors. You can find out more about the event on Read more…

Science is Vital – and so is the campaign strategy

Last Saturday I listened to Evan Harris talk about some failures, in his keynote at the Science Online London conference.  He wasn’t trying to be negative, just making very valid points about the complexities and subtleties of changing government policy. Two particular gems stood out: Simon Singh failed paradoxically because Read more…

Gallomanor Towers is back open

We closed the office for five weeks and much as you want to read my reflections on what that meant, I shan’t bore you other than to say it does help you forget the unimportant things and realise what you miss and don’t. Since returning Sophia and I presented at Read more…