Royal Highland Show 2016
The Roslin Institute, together with the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, were at this year’s Royal Highland Show in Ingliston.
The agricultural show is held every year at the Royal Highland Centre, and ran from the 23rd to the 26thof June. Around 200,000 people attend the show each year, offering scientists at the Institute a great opportunity to engage the public with their research.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Dolly the Sheep, and our stand focussed on Dolly as well as current research on sheep. There were information displays and fun activities based on new research, such as the Sheep Atlas Project and Prion diseases that affect livestock and humans. The event also gave people a chance to talk to real scientists about their research. Hands-on activities such as ‘pin the organs on the sheep’, were used to demonstrate scientific concepts which were explained by the scientists themselves. There was also craft activities for younger children that proved to be very popular, such as our colour-in Dolly bunting, which we hung up to decorate the stand.
By the end of the weekend, almost 5,000 people had visited the Roslin stand! The stand was successful in engaging both adults and children with our research. The Roslin Institute would like to thank everyone who attended the show and the members of staff and students at Roslin who volunteered to take part.
- Laura Allison, Public Engagement intern
