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What is Bright Club about? We’re glad you asked…

Our mission is to empower researchers, inform and engage the public, and contribute to cultural and societal change. We will do this by:

  • Building capacity for Irish-based researchers in communication and engagement, toward creating a community of practice
  • Empowering publics to be engaged and enthusiastic about science, research and its role in society
  • Contributing to an inclusive society where education and knowledge are accessible to all

Ethos:

We aim to build capacity in public engagement by providing researchers with skills they can use to teach, present their research, connect to the wider community, and enhance their own identity as researchers. Bright Club is a platform to bring together researchers from different fields and institutions, for training and shared experiences. By doing this, we are building a community of practice spanning disciplines among researchers in higher education in Ireland.

Breaking barriers between higher education institutions and the public is a core goal of the Higher Education Authority and Science Foundation Ireland. By promoting accessibility and inclusion, Bright Club contributes to these core values of education and public engagement. By building connections between academia and wider society, Bright Club will raise awareness of academic research and its role in culture and society, creating a more informed public.

Bright Club recognises that knowledge cannot exist without the input of society. Therefore it creates a platform for knowledge to be shared, discussed, and debated, enabling two-way communication between researchers and the public. This democratisation of knowledge helps the public to see themselves in research, promoting social inclusion as well as diversity of people engaging with higher education and research.

Currently, Bright Club is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, the Community Knowledge Initiative, CÚRAM, AMBER, and the VP for Research at NUI Galway. To get in touch, please email us.