Small Talk - discussing nanotechnologies

About the project

Small Talk is a collaboration exploring the aspirations and concerns of scientists and the public about nanotechnologies, as well as sharing these views with policymakers.

Small Talk aims to provide coherence to a range of activities around the UK focused on discussing nanotechnologies with the public and scientists, helping the science community, science communicators and policymakers to learn more about these views and about the process of working together to gather these views.

The challenge

Recent public debates on issues such as GM have taught us that scientists and society should engage in dialogue sooner rather than later if we are to build a climate of trust and openness and develop robust policmaking. This is the challenge for nanotechnologies.

Our main objectives are:

Facilitating dialogue on nanotechnologies
Providing resources and support for organisations preparing such events and activities
Building a better understanding of the public and scientists’ aspirations and concerns about nanotechnologies
Sharing our results with policymakers and the science community
Improving our understanding and use of good practice in engaging with the public on scientific issues
Evaluating the impact of a co-ordinated approach and sharing our findings with the wider science communication community

The project team consists of:

Project Director: Melanie Smallman, Think-Lab
Project Manager: Adam Nieman, Think-Lab
Evaluator: Laura Grant, University of Liverpool

Steering Group:

Alice Taylor-Gee, The BA
Gail Cardew, The Royal Institution
Melanie Quin, ECSITE-UK
Kathy Sykes, University of Bristol, Cheltenham Festival of Science

More about the Small Talk partners