'Science from the Sofa' goes online with Emily Gwyer Findlay at Biggar SciFest
September 2020: Emily Gwyer Findlay from CIR and Shane Canning from the University Press Office speak at Biggar Science Festival about what it's like to work with the press.
Forced to cancel their original programme in light of the pandemic, Biggar Science Festival pulled out all the stops to run a series of distanced events for different age groups, including science-themed outdoor treasure hunts and online 'Science from the Sofa' sessions for adults, hosted by Mike Daniels.
The 'Have you heard?' session was one of five 90 minute online talks which covered science in the press, the technology of flexible electronics, wildflowers and biodiversity in Scotland, encounters with parasites, and how to find careers in the life sciences.
The event looked at how science is published and how press releases are written, as well as what it is like when a researcher's science hits the news. Emily talked about the publishing process and Shane spoke about writing press releases and the work of the University Press Office.
Emily also discussed her experiences of speaking to Today, Radio 4 and newspapers, and the differences between them.