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Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences

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Public Engagement Projects

TheÌýWellcome / EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences work across a wide range of public engagement activities, from patient advisory groups and co-produced patient eventsÌýto national festivals and artist-led workshops.

While we can't provide summaries of them all, this page features case studies and articles about a range of different activities the centre are involved with. If you're interested in suggesting or developing a project with WEISS research just let us know.ÌýÌý

Case StudiesÌý

Science of Surgery

In AprilÌý2023,Ìýwe welcomed over 500 members of the public to ‘Science of Surgery’, a fun-filled, interactive afternoon of activities demonstrating how science and engineering at the Centre areÌýchanging surgery.Ìý

Researcher demonstrating an activity to children

In Theatre

In Theatre was an interactive pop-up installation which explored how AI and robotics will revolutionise surgery now and in the future.ÌýIn Theatre ran from 17 October - 6 November 2022 in Brick Lane, London.

Image of In Theatre pop up exhibition

July 2021

The Surge project invited ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº healthcare technology researchers and postgraduate artists at UALÌýto come together and consider the role of data in health, and the public, ethical and societal effects of surgical technologies.ÌýTogetherÌýthey sought to overcome the barriers of communication put in placeÌýas a result of the covid-19 pandemic and engage with members of the public to contribute to the creation of new work.


March 2021

In a collaboration between WEISS,Ìý¹û¶³Ó°ÔºH and Fast Familar,Ìýwe have developedÌýThe Doctor’s Assistant,Ìýa scenario game exploring near futures of data-driven healthcare. The experience presentsÌýparticipants with different cases of the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare settings,Ìýincreasing the complexity, both procedural and ethical, each time and inviting peopleÌýto consider questions around explainability, interpretability and responsibility.


The Aorta:ÌýThe River Within Us

February 2021

Launched in 2021 after a year of development, the Multiscale Cardiovascular Engineering GroupÌýcreatedÌýThe Aorta:ÌýThe River Within Us,Ìýan online experience to explore our anatomy and the techniques we use to understand it. This was developed in collaboration withÌý, a patient association for people affected by aortic dissection and their families, and the design studio Cellule.


SURGE Art/Sci Partnerships Announced

26 January 2021

After a matchmaking workshop, followed by joint funding round for collaborative artist / scientist pitches,Ìýwe announced three final projects that will be funded for short partnerships to develop responses to themes and topics of public interest related to WEISS research.Ìý


The Surgical Science Stand Off IIÌý

24 November 2020

Following the success of our first Surgical Science Stand Off, on 18 November 2020 a new group of six WEISS researchers took to the virtual stage to convince us that their research is the most essential, all in a bid to avoid being mercilessly voted out of the competition.Ìý


Operative Birth Parent Group

18 November 2020

In November we held a 'pilot' forÌýa new series ofÌýparent workshops, bringing together people who work and have experience of operative birth to co-design a group that will shape research in this area together. Read how the group was set up and delivered, as well as the personal experiences of parents and WEISS PhD Student Carmen.


The Surgical Science Stand Off

21 September 2020

This public digital event pittedÌýsix WEISS researchers against each other to pitch their research to 38 members of the public and a panel of sixÌýesteemed judges in an attempt to win the first Surgical Science Stand Off.Ìý


SURGE Sci/Art Partnerships Research Call LaunchedÌý

26 August 2020

In August we launched a callÌýinvitingÌýresearchers at WEISS and artists from the University Arts LondonÌýto take part in matchmaking workshops and short projects to consider the public, ethical and societal implications of surgical technologies. We had 52 responses and the project starts proper in late-2020.


NeuroSAFE PROOF Public & Patient Involvement Session

21 July 2020

On 21st July the NeuroSAFE PROOF clinical research team conducted their first ever virtual Public & Patient Involvement Session, talking to over 35 men with prostate cancer about their research and discussing patients' priorities for futureÌý


Tomorrow's Home 2050: Visions of Home-based Healthcare

June 2020

In June 2020 we announced successful Royal Academy of EngineeringÌýIngenious funding for a collaborative project withÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Institute of Healthcare Engineering,ÌýcreatingÌýan immersive and interactive space to imagine what home healthcare will look like in 30 years’ time, to be deliveredÌýin Winter 2021.


Digital ScienceÌýSciComm TrainingÌý

May 2020

This short seriesÌýtook 30 staff and students through the essentials of breaking down and presenting research online using videos for public audiences. Led by professional science communicators, participants could try out and get feedback on their own videos.


Science Museum Lates

29ÌýJanuary 2020

Two teams at WEISS took part in the Science Museum Lates, talking to over 600Ìýcurious adultsÌýabout robotics and imaging in healthcareÌýunder the theme of ‘Medicine’. This was followed up with family half term sessions and a lunch event for older people, all in their new Medicine: TheÌýWellcomeÌýGalleries.Ìý


Nerve Injury Community Day

16 November 2019

Co-produced between researchers, medical professionals, people with nerve injury and their families, this event brought all these groups together to explore experiences of living and working with nerve injury through workshops, talks and stalls.

Read full details of the event in our Nerve Injury Community Day Evaluation Report 2019, featuring full event details, pictures and feedback from contributors and attendees.


Bowel & Cancer ResearchÌýBig Bowel Event

4ÌýOctober 2019

Peter Mountney from the WEISS spin-outÌýOdin Vision was aÌýcontributor atÌýBowel & Cancer Research's Big Bowel Event, giving a short presentation before hosting a table forÌý'round table'Ìýdiscussion sessions.


Petchey Academy Science Festival

7 August 2019

Staff and students from WEISS shared their research with pupils at Petchey Academy in Dalston, following a programme of workshops and activities organised by Daniil Nikitichev and a team from across ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº.


Science of Surgery

12 April 2019

We welcomed over 300 members of the public to ‘Science of Surgery’, a fun filled, interactive afternoon of activities demonstrating how science and engineering at the centre is changing surgery.Ìý

Case Study: Science of Surgery

See full details of our flagship community open day on ourÌýdedicated webpage, with a full report, videos and images capturing the aims, activites and action of the day!


6 December 2018

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº / KCL staff and students meet regularly with patient and charity representatives on a patient involvement group forÌýtheÌýWellcome/ EPSRCÌýfunded GIFT-surg Fetal Surgery project. As one of the many outputs from this group they co-created a set of patient information videos explaining the core conditions that the project seeks to develop and improve surgical procedures for.Ìý


Exploring Under the Skin

21 November 2018

Since the beginning of time, humans have strived to understand what we’re made of. Taking place last Wednesday in Wilkins Building, ‘Exploring Under the Skin’ was an interactive exploration of how humanities and science have intersected to answer this question.


WEISS/IHE Ideas Generation WorkshopÌý

25 July 2018

Researchers and students from WEISS and IHE came together for a productive one-day workshop which aimed to generate public engagement ideas linked to their ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº research areas.


¹û¶³Ó°ÔºH Research Open Day

5 July 2018

A team of WEISS researchers participated in ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºH Research Open Day to showcase the cutting-edge research and innovation taking place at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº and ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºH and to celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS, winning a prize for best stall.

The WEISS SmartLiver team won a prize for best stall at the ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºH Public Open Day (2018)
Award Winners

This stall, developed and delivered by theÌý, won the ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºH Open Day's award for 'Best Stand',Ìýout of more than thirty other participants.


New Scientist Live 2017

28 September – 01 October 2017

WEISS research and members were front and centre as we took part in the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Insitute of Healthcare Engieering stall at the massive New Scientist Live,Ìýwith approx. 3,000 visitors to the stall over 4 busy days! Our team were inspired by the diversity of questions and the interest shown.


3-7 July 2017

Ivan Parkin's lab took part in the annualÌýRoyal Society Summer Science Exhibition, with an interactive stall exploringÌýtheir workÌýcreating antimicrobial and self-cleaning surfaces and their real world applications toÌýreduce infections inÌýhospitals.