NU Ideas Season 3 | No.7
Events List
Thursday 20th March | 6pm
Creating Equitable and Inclusive Public Spaces through Community Collaboration
Anna Carter
Anna R L Carter, Innovation Fellow (Postdoc)
Department of Computer and Information Sciences
Digital Civics – a cross-disciplinary field that posits the use of technology to empower citizens and non-state actors to co-create, take an active role in shaping agendas, make decisions about service provision, and make such provisions sustainable and resilient.
Public spaces often highlight the disparities in access, safety, and usability for communities and in particular marginalised communities. Whilst governing bodies often will attempt to reduce these inequities, the communities themselves are often not provided with a voice in the possible changes. These inequities are closely linked to the identity and history of a place and by recognising and incorporating this knowledge into future designs, we can create public spaces that are more inclusive and accommodating.
The future of accessible and interactive public spaces relies on integrated collaboration between local communities and authorities, using a shared understanding of the heritage and context of the communities and spaces as a foundation for these conversations. Engaging community members through participatory design ensures that diverse voices can be heard and that resulting spaces reflect the collective vision. Local authorities play a crucial role in facilitating these collaborations, providing the necessary resources and support to implement community-driven ideas whilst honouring the identity and history of the place.
By bridging the gap between these groups, we aim to create public spaces that are equitable, inclusive, and culturally resonant. This collaborative approach not only addresses current inequalities but also fosters a sense of ownership and belonging among community members, paving the way for sustainable and vibrant public spaces in the future.
Anna Carter has led talks and workshops in South Wales (12 sessions overall) – focussing on STEM engagement, design and speculative futuring design, as well as Newcastle School for Girls: Science Festival for engaging more girls in STEM
When I grow up…? Exploring young children’s career aspirations
Dr Carol Davenport CSciTeach CPhys FHEA FInstP
Associate Professor and Director, NUSTEM
Department: Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Research area: Children’s career aspirations and STEM
Think back to when you were little. Can you remember what job you wanted to do? And did you end up doing that job?
In my research team we’ve spent a lot of time asking children between the ages of 7 and 11 what they would like to do when they grow up. We’ve found that even at this young age most children can say what they would like to do, and that their choices are quite traditional. In this talk we’ll look at the range of jobs that children say they would like and why it matters.
I do a lot of speaking to a range of adult audiences. This ranges from presentations at teacher conferences, key note speeches and training courses.
A LIVE Lit & Phil Event | FREE
(If you would prefer to book directly over the phone, please call the Library Desk team on 0191 232 0192 and they will be happy to help.)
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