Following last year's success at Explorathon 2016, our Public Engagement Group were 'science busking' in Aberdeen's Golden Zone (outside M&S in Aberdeen city centre) last Friday 29th September (1000-1700) as part of Explorathon 2017.
We ran ‘Explorapolo’, a mock ‘clinical trial’ comparing fruit with mint polos (allocated by ‘blind’ ball pool ball selection) to demonstrate the randomisation process. Participants – members of the public entering into the ‘Golden Zone’ (a place of high footfall) – were invited to take part in comparing the polos, could ‘ring the randomisation bell’, and chat further about our work at HSRU in clinical trials and health services research. Participants could also meet our very own reincarnation of clinical trials pioneer James Lind.
Kindly sponsored by the Marie Curie Alumni Association, Scotland Chapter, colleagues enjoyed a busy and exciting day engaging with over a hundred members of the public about our work. HSRU’s public engagement co-ordinator, Dr Heather Morgan, said: “Once again, we had a fantastic day out in Aberdeen talking with people about our work. It’s really inspiring hearing from members of the public what they find interesting and important, or not, and learning how to better communicate our science. Many people are familiar with James Lind’s scurvy trial and being able to relate that to our surgical and intervention studies in modern medicine works very well. The fun elements are also a boost – costumes, polos and a loud bell tend to attract folks over to find out what’s going on. Explorathon provides us with a great opportunity for working across the team too!”