Collaboration, Consultancy and Research Outreach

Personally, and with colleagues, Gail Davies has been involved in a range of consultancy, outreach, and other collaborative activities.  These have focused on four main activities.

• Facilitating collaborative practices between geographers and artists: host for Neal White (Office of Experiments and Arts Catalyst) as artist-in-residence at the Geography Department for the Overt Research Project 2009-2010 (related outputs include the 'Dark Places Exhibition' at the John Hansard Gallery and the collaborative Experimental Ruins workshop); discussions on the archiving of genetically engineered organisms with Rich Pell (Center for Post Natural History), and ongoing work on visualisation with Helen Scalway. 
• Developing innovative forms of deliberative methods for public engagement with science and technology: the Deliberative Mapping methodology has been trialled in the contexts of organ transplantation (2001-2003) and for the Committee for Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM, 2003-2004). 
• Building and supporting evaluative processes for participatory engagement in science: includes a two-year involvement with the New Economics Foundation, evaluating the process and outcomes of DEMOCS (democratic meetings of citizens), contributing to the development of evaluation criteria, and facilitating evaluation by UCL masters’ students through focus groups.  
• Engaging in public outreach activities alongside academic research projects: public outreach includes a range of activities from working collaboratively with potential users of research, co-hosting a public open space event at the Dana Centre at the Science Museum in London, consultancy on the 50 year anniversary programmes for the BBC Natural History Unit (transmitted September 2007), and popular dissemination of research in podcasts and talks.