Public engagement

At EMBL-EBI we connect with the public to explore how life sciences and technology can progress together.

What we do

We work with the public to develop engagement opportunities that bring people together to listen to and learn from each other whilst exploring bioinformatics and its impact. 

We have chosen to focus on building long-lasting relationships with communities and audiences with low science capital, both globally and locally. To do this we work with trusted intermediaries embedded in the community. 

Would you like to work with us?
Contact us at publicengagement@ebi.ac.uk.

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Empower our staff and students

  • Offer tools and training to staff and students to engage with audiences as part of their role
  • Deliver our public engagement strategy with colleagues
  • Acknowledge high quality engagement. 

Connect communities

  • Build relationships with community-based organisations and the communities they support
  • Bring together people from various backgrounds to spark new ideas
  • Encourage curiosity and invite inquiry.

Encourage exploration

  • Support our staff and students to be role models who inspire interest in the data and life sciences
  • Demonstrate the cross-disciplinary nature of bioinformatics, and the range of career paths available. 

Why public engagement matters

We build long-lasting relationships with community groups who have little exposure to data science, in an effort to make this area of science more accessible and relevant to them.

Public engagement also benefits our staff. Through open conversations with the public they gain a fresh perspective on their work.

How we engage with the public

Alexey stands in front of some trees,it's sunny and he is holding the A4 Into Nature map.

Alexey Sokolov

Data science, the unsung hero of conservation efforts

“I think it is really important to get out from behind your computer screen and talk with people“

Irene stands in front of a school class talking to the pupils, a powerpoint slide is displayed on a intereactive whiteboard behind her - two pupils in the front row are visible.

Irene Papatheodorou

Speaking my language

“It was really nice to take part in public engagement with people from my home country”

Group of 7 adults pose as a group in front of a wall of artworks from the PDB Art project.

Deepti Gupta and David Armstong

PDBe: One beautiful world

“I’m motivated to do more public engagement because it’s so rewarding to talk to people about our work and see their spark of interest.”

“I enjoy talking with people, engaging their views of science and supporting public engagement behind-the-scenes in many ways. Engagement with the public is a crucial part of the cycle of science and I feel my visibility in public engagement spaces allows people to see the diversity of backgrounds within scientific fields.”

Activities and resources

Stylised drawing of the UK in green, in the centre of a blue circle, overlaid with a branched diagram of a phylogenetic tree - next to this image is the wording, in green,

Teaching resource

Our Animal DNA

Downloadable teaching resource supporting 16-18 year old students to explore and use real bioinformatics tools and techniques in the context of the Darwin Tree of Life project.

PDB Art

Bringing art and science together

Our scientists help students explore protein molecules in the PDBe database. The students, with support of their teachers, then use these structures as inspiration for the creation of artworks.

Cover spread of three magazines - left hand one has a photo of a flamingo the middle is the surface of Mars and the right hand is wind turbines on the waters edge.

Science in School

Inspiring articles, engaging activities

Find inspiring articles and engaging classroom activities in Science in School, a free magazine for STEM teachers – funded by EIROforum.

Wetlands Nature Trail

Listen-along

The ChEMBL team have created a science and nature trail around the Wellcome Genome Campus Wetlands Nature Reserve – “listen-along” from home.

Typhaine stands smiling in front of the camera holding up the print version of the card game to the viewer.

Protein Families

Online game

Play with family and friends online, match the proteins into their families and discover fun facts along the way.

View of the Wellcome Genome Campus orchard - a wide path with apple trees each side leads out of sight behind more trees.

Scider

Craft, chemistry and genetics

Cider science – think you know your cider? It’s time to discover the science beneath the surface.

“I started out supporting colleagues’ projects – I soon realised I really liked talking with people and hearing where they might have an interest that links to bioscience. So many people disconnect from science as soon as they leave school, I want to share some of the joy I get from seeing new knowledge and applications make their way into the world.”

Our collaborators

Our policies and reports

Public engagement strategy

At EMBL-EBI we aim to share our science and technology in context through a mutually beneficial process of engagement. 

Safeguarding guidance

EMBL-EBI’s safeguarding guidance sets out our approach to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk.

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