The Kavli Centre for Ethics, Science, and the Public Publish their first Annual Report for The Isaac Newton Trust
The Kavlic Centre for Ethics, Science, and the Public aims to enable global conversations on the ethical issues raised by discovery science. The Isaac Newton Trust is proud to support two post-doctoral research fellows, who are contributing amazing work to ongoing projects. These projects aim to understand what shapes public and scientists’ awareness of, and ability to act on, the ethical issues associated with science and also strive to facilitate encounters between members of the public and scientists to anticipate and engage with ethical questions associated with science. Both PDRAs continue to be the only full-time staff members in the Centre and thus are key, core staff delivering the Kavli Centre strategy.
We are thrilled to hear about the success of these projects to date and cannot wait to see how they develop. Check out the amazing work being done by the team on their website.
Educational Escape Room: The Search for the Scientist's Secret
With the support of INT’s Widening Participation and Induction Fund, Dr Paul Elliott and his Team at Homerton College have created one of the largest and most exciting educational games in the country. Students at widening participation schools can take part in the games at Cambridge or in ‘pop-up’ games at their schools. There are separate escape “rooms” focusing on Thinking Skills, Biology, Earth Sciences, Mathematical Games, Evolution and Astrophysics and Chemistry. Each “room” now has its own distinctive physical element (such as an arcade machine, an anatomical display and a countdown case). The rooms can be used in different combinations for different target groups, and in total there are now over 100 distinct puzzles, each of which is embedded in a range of statues, games, and household objects. The project is has been very well received and in much demand.
Announcing our new Director
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Gemma Burgess as Director-Elect of the Isaac Newton Trust. Gemma will be taking up the role on 1 October 2024 on the retirement of the current Director, Dr Laurie Friday. Gemma is currently Director of the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research in the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge and Vice-Master of St Edmund’s College.
The Isaac Newton Trust Charity Status
In July 2024, the Isaac Newton Trust was officially granted charitable status and can now be found on the Charity Commission for England and Wales' Register.
Congratulations to Dr Giulia Maltagliati!
Dr Giulia Maltagliati joined the Faculty of Classics and Clare Hall College as an Isaac Newton Junior Research Fellow in 2022. Her work studies prose texts from fifth and fourth-century Athens with a particular interest in Attic oratory. We at the INT would like to congratulate Giulia, who has been elected to a Fellowship in Classics as of May 2024, and will be continuing her academic career at Downing College.
Unveiling of a plaque to mark a Europa Nostra award to the MINIARE project at the Fitzwilliam Museum.
On 26 June 2024, the Chair of Trustees, Professor Frank Kelly, and the Director of the INT, Dr Laurie Friday, attended the unveiling of a plaque to mark a Europa Nostra award (Europe’s top honour in the field of heritage) to the MINIARE project at the Fitzwilliam Museum.
The MINIARE project applies cutting-edge scientific protocols and digital technology to medieval manuscripts to identify the pigments used, detect layers of alteration, and reveal hidden clues to the method and culture of making these manuscripts. A number of significant publications have resulted, which can be read about on the MINIARE project page on the Fitzwilliam website.
This project started out with an INT Research Grant to Dr Stella Panayotova to employ 2 RAs. This enabled the project to get underway and acted as a seed to attract funding from other sources, which have equipped the lab and built up a thriving research team. A number of people said that the project could not have happened without the initial funding from INT.
