Science Policy • Science Communication

Plumbland Consulting Ltd
Plumbland House • Plumbland • ASPATRIA
Cumbria • CA7 2HD • UK

(View Plumbland House)

tel +44(0)16973 21967


enquiries@plumblandconsulting.co.uk
Plumbland Consulting Ltd provides a wide range of services.  We can:
  • help devise strategies for research, education and training needs
  • act as external consultant on RAE2008 submissions in biosciences
  • provide briefings on technical proposals based on desk-research
  • evaluate projects in a broad range of areas including biomedical, environmental and science communication
  • catalyse innovative thinking and problem-solving
  • identify barriers and facilitate networking to promote projects
  • present your case to relevant funding agencies
  • draft your response to calls for consultation and comment
  • help with your written promotional material
  • provide reports for clients on meetings or conferences
  • conduct 'expert interviews' on behalf of clients
  • work with writers and other creative artists on scientific topics
  • provide workshops on science communication

We are prepared to consider any interesting project where our background and experience would contribute added value - but are quite willing to refuse a project if we feel our expertise is inappropriate. We are also very willing to work in partnership with other consultancies where projects require a wider range of skills.

Plumbland Consulting organises meetings for the Cockermouth Café Scientifique – see www.cafescientifique.org for the current programme, which is sponsored by Jennings Brewery.

Principal Consultants:  Dr John Lackie • Dr Ann Lackie

The core strength of Plumbland Consulting lies in the wide range of experience the two partners, John & Ann Lackie, have in academic bioscience, drug discovery research, biotechnology, science policy and science communication. John has extensive experience with Higher Education matters, R&D strategy (particularly in the pharmaceutical industry), science policy relating to molecular bioscience, environmental sciences and the nuclear industry, experience with incubation and support for small companies and a strong interest in training issues. Ann, in addition to her bioscience background, has many years of experience in communicating science through fiction, non-fiction, broadcasting and public speaking. Both have organised conferences on technical and non-technical topics and have worked with a wide range of organisations.

Dr. John Lackie

- a brief biography
   
John read Natural Sciences at Cambridge (St Catharine's College, 1966-69) specialising in Zoology in his final year, and then did his doctorate at the Molteno Institute of Parasitology - although he spent most of the final year working in the Department of Cell Biology, University of Glasgow. Returning to Cambridge to a Research Fellowship at Trinity Hall, he spent three years as Eastwood Memorial Visiting Scientist at the Strangeways Research Laboratory and then in 1975 took up a lectureship in Cell Biology at the University of Glasgow where he stayed until 1990. During this period he
  • Ran an active research group on cellular aspects of inflammation and vascular biology with research funding from MRC, Wellcome, British Diabetic Association and other charities.
  • Taught a wide range of undergraduate courses to students doing Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Developmental Biology, Immunology and Experimental Pathology.
  • Administered a number of courses and developed a new course in Biology of Cells
  • Wrote a book based on a final year module (Cell Movement & Cell Behaviour Allen & Unwin: 1986) and co-ordinated the production of the Dictionary of Cell Biology (the 3rd Edition was renamed the Dictionary of Cell & Molecular Biology
  • Was Honorary Lecturer at the University of Liverpool
  • Organised conferences and was active on committees of the Society for Experimental Biology and the British Society for Cell Biology.
In 1990 he was head-hunted to set up a discovery research unit to find new targets for anti-inflammatory drugs for Yamanouchi, one of Japan's largest pharmaceutical companies that was intent upon globalising its activities and becoming more focussed on discovery research. Over the course of the next 10 years he:
  • Established the Yamanouchi Research Institute in Oxford, organising the refurbishment of space at the Littlemore Hospital to produce laboratories and offices and recruiting a unit of 50 people
  • Raised Yamanouchi's profile locally and in the UK's biomedical research community
  • Co-ordinated inflammation research within Yamanouchi, bringing together the research groups in Japan, the Netherlands and Oxford.
  • Held a Supernumerary Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford and continued to do a small amount of teaching in both Oxford and Glasgow
  • Organised conferences, including the 4th Abercrombie Conference on Cell Behaviour (Biochemical Society Symposium No. 65)
  • Was a member of the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry's R&D Committee
  • Carried out Subject Specialist Reviews (in Molecular Biosciences) for the Quality Assurance Agency
  • Was responsible for selecting research groups to be funded by the Yamanouchi European Foundation
Yamanouchi then offered John the post of Vice President R&D Strategy - which included the responsibility for exploring potential collaborations in Europe and North America which he did for the whole of 2000 before resigning to take up the post of Principal & Chief Executive of the Westlakes Research Institute in Cumbria. In this dual academic and commercial role he:
  • Focussed the Institute on Applied Environmental Science and Healthcare Informatics
  • Oversaw the development of postgraduate-level programmes in these two areas accredited variously by the Universities of Newcastle, Manchester and Lancaster.
  • Was active in promoting West Cumbria as the preferred location for the Headquarters of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, in particular through championing the idea of a National Nuclear Academy in response to DTI's strong interest in the skills base for the industry. This involved liaison with DTI, NWDA, Cogent, and a range of training providers and employers.
  • Was a member of the External Advisory Board for Manchester University's Dalton Project (Nuclear Skills).
  • Developed the concept of a Centre for Environmental Restoration to be based within a Research Hotel on the Westlakes Science & Technology Park.
  • Established the Technology Access Portal to assist small businesses with finding solutions to technical problems (this evolved into the 'Enabling Innovation in Cumbrian SMEs' project)
  • Initiated the annual Innovation Symposium at Westlakes and was involved in running the 1st Westlakes International Conference on Nuclear Decommissioning (which focussed on 'Skills for the Industry' and on 'Environmental Endpoints')
  • Was a member of the RAE 2001 Biological Sciences Panel
  • Remained a member of the Biochemical Society's Professional & Education Committee.
In 2004 John established Plumbland Consulting Ltd, in partnership with Ann, to concentrate upon science policy, science communication, research strategy, Higher Education and Training and other academic issues.
He is Editor in Chief for the next edition of Chamber’s Dictionary of Science & Technology and has advised several Institutions on their RAE2008 strategy. He is also on the Governing Body and Academic Committee of Lakes College West Cumbria.
 

Dr. Ann Lackie

- a brief biography
   
Ann Lackie read Zoology at the University of London's Bedford College and obtained her doctorate in parasitology at the Molteno Institute, University of Cambridge. She remained in Cambridge for a further three years as Assistant in Research in Parasitology and Research Fellow at New Hall, before moving to a Lectureship in the Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow. Between 1976 and 1989, when she resigned to write and broadcast, she
  • ran a research group on insect immune mechanisms and their evasion by parasites that was funded by MRC, NERC, SERC, AFRC, and WHO, amongst others;
  • wrote research papers, reviews, book chapters, and edited Zoological Society of London Symposium volume 56;
  • organised sessions at national and international conferences, and convened the ZSL's Symposium on 'Immune Mechanisms in Invertebrate Vectors';
  • was Visiting Associate Professor at Oregon State University in 1983.
Since leaving academic life, Ann has written novels and short stories (published under her writer's name of 'Ann Lingard') and non-fiction articles, and co-edited a book about the history, geography and natural history of Otmoor, Oxfordshire. With regard to broadcasting, she devised and presented her own regular programme on Radio Oxford about 'the science of the countryside', and recently devised the BBC Radio 4 series, 'Nature's Magic'. Further details and links to webcasts, articles and BBC Radio, and much more, can be found on Ann's own website, www.annlingard.com

With a foot in each of the 'two cultures', she is uniquely placed to help bridge the gap between art, fiction and science; this is a particular enthusiasm, and she has organised events, written articles, given talks and run workshops for writers, with this aim. Another rôle to which Ann is strongly committed is to help non-scientists - and particularly those who have no further opportunity of education - understand the ideas, excitement and dilemmas of modern science, by giving easy-to-understand talks and workshops.

Projects and consultancies

Science talks, workshops and other events
  • 'Talking Science in Cumbria': Outreach Associate of PEALS Research Institute, Newcastle University; Wellcome Trust Engaging Science Award, July 2003-June 2005. Talks and workshops on eg. stem cells, Human Genome Project, genetic modification, cloning, to rural and community groups such as Young Farmers, WI, Rotary, Townswomen's Guild, Soroptomists, U3A, Humanists, Quilters' Guild, primary and secondary schools, and many others.
  • Café Scientifique. Cumbria's first Café Sci, in Cockermouth. It is currently sponsored by Jennings Brewery.
  • Creative Science. Workshops for Heads of Science from secondary schools, July 2005
  • Big Brother House: workshop/event about GM animals, for secondary schools; 2004, 2005
Science on radio
  • 1997-1998 Radio Oxford; choosing themes, interviewing, and presenting regular programme on science of the countryside
  • 2004 Nature's Magic: originator and Scientific Consultant for series of 5 Radio 4 programmes, mixing reports by 18th and 19th century naturalists about unusual animal phenomena with interviews with modern scientists about the use to which the phenomena have been put in contemporary science.
  • Leave nothing but footprints: a 15-minute radio play, short-listed and commended for BBC Radio’s Moving Stories competition, 2006.
  • Seaside Pleasures: a 45-minute play about Emily Gosse, under consideration for Radio 4.
Science and art
  • Games of chance: the parasite's roulette wheel. A joint project with the artist and sculptor Rebecca Nassauer; short-listed for the Sci-Art Consortium's year 2000 Awards.
  • Thread of Life: a workshop about images of science – genes, cells and tissues – with the Quilters’ Guild. 2005
  • A different point of view: a proposal for a video, music and writing project about achondroplasia: with Rebecca Mellor (artist) and Steve Marshall (composer).
Science in fiction

Four published novels that use some science, or scientists as characters: Figure in a Landscape and The Fiddler's Leg (both published by Headline); Floating Stones, an e-book published by Online Originals; and Seaside Pleasures, published by Littoralis Press. Seaside Pleasures was described by Matt Ridley as 'A very fine piece of writing that, uniquely among modern novels, makes real use of science rather than wearing science on its sleeve. Tremendously good plot, story and narrative style, fascinating history and even better science. A true two-culture achievement.' Wellcome Trust History of Medicine grant towards research expenses for next novel, The Embalmer's Book of Recipes.

Science, art and fiction: conferences, workshops and other events
  • Putting the science into fiction: illustrated talks and/or workshops. For example, University of Cambridge Discovery Series, 2004; NHM Darwin Centre Live, 2003; Linnean Society, 2004; Zoological Society of London, 2004; UEA Creative Writers' courses, 2006; Anglia Ruskin University writers, 2006; QMUL writers, 2006; Romantic Novelists' Association annual conference 2006; Authors North 2006; Edinburgh International Book Festival 2006
  • Ards Arts Collective Sci-Art conference Belfast, February 2006 — as invited participant; to give a talk (Starlight and seaweed — putting the science into art), run a workshop for scientists and artists (What do you see?) and take part in discussion panel.
  • Four scientists in search of an author: Adam Street Club, London, April 25th 2006: organised an event for PEN, with four scientists talking to fiction-writers about their lives in and out of the lab.
  • Dana Centre, Science Museum, London, May 10th 2006: The Subtle Science Short Story Challenge (see also 'events' on www.scitalk.org.uk); organised an event for 60 fiction-writers; the event included subsequent visits by writers to the scientists' labs, and the option of entering the short story competition, sponsored by Guardian Unlimited.
  • Words and Pictures: explaining science; Wolfson College, Oxford, 1998. Originated, organised, marketed and ran the one-day conference. Speakers included Susan Greenfield, Georgina Ferry, Tim Hunkin, John Carey, Ian Stewart.
  • Natural History Museum, London, 2001-2; Scientific Consultant for proposed major exhibition about parasites.
  • Words and Pictures: explaining science through art and writing: Cumbria Institute of the Arts, Carlisle, 2003. Suggested the idea, and then employed as Consultant to arrange the programme of speakers and exhibitors.
  • The Excitement of Science (Annual Dalton Commemoration Event): Cockermouth, 2003 — 
    Consultant and help with organising this event at which writers of 'popular science' give illustrated talks to the general public. Invited speakers have included Frances Ashcroft, Trevor Norton, Chris McManus, Matt Ridley, Richard Fortey, Jenny Uglow, Vivienne Parry and Quentin Cooper.
Recent and current projects
  • tEXtPERIMENT: 2005. Science Consultant, encouraging playwrights from NW England to include science and scientists in their plays; in collaboration with Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, and North-West Playwrights; part-funded by Arts Council NW.
  • Footsteps in the Sand: 2005. Creative Partnerships/CARA Award with Stephen Burrowes, Settlebeck High School, aimed at enthusing Year 9s (13-14 year-olds) about science: using ‘the science of the shore’ as stimulus, followed by instruction and support in creative writing (stories, poems, articles and posters), audio interviewing and the use of digital imagery. February 2006, both invited to facilitate the qualitative evaluation 'strand' at CARA's Digging for Diamonds conference, London.
  • SciTalk: 2005 —; with Peter Normington of ARDUS funded 2005/6 by NESTA and now partly supported by British Mycological Society and the Biosciences Federation. A website and database of scientists who would enjoy meeting and talking to fiction-writers about their work; publicising the project includes writing articles and giving talks about the project throughout the UK. See, for example, Science Fusion.
  • Wellcome Science: regular columnist on 'public perception' of science, Science from the Outside