Public Engagement at the ICR
Our world-class research is dedicated to improving the lives of people with cancer. We know how important it is to share our work and scientific knowledge with the wider public, who support our work and whose lives will often be touched by it.
By engaging with the public, we can connect with our local community and others who are interested in our work, help inform the decisions people make about science and their health, and inspire the next generation to pursue careers in science and cancer research. We gain a huge amount from engagement too – learning about what aspects of our work matter most to people, and gaining added motivation to do research that benefits patients and the public.
We rely on the enthusiasm and dedication of our staff and students for our public engagement work, and are committed to supporting them to engage meaningfully with the public by offering them training, one-to-one advice and written guidance.
Last year, some 191 staff members and students took part in engagement activities, giving more than 950 hours of their time, and reaching 7,700 members of the public. We now carry out more than 60 public engagement activities each year – a doubling over five years.
Public engagement strategy
Our three-year plan to embed public engagement across the ICR, create lasting relationships with local community groups and inspire young people to pursue careers in science.
Resources for schools
We are passionate about inspiring the cancer researchers of the future. We have produced a range of resources for schools and young people, which help students develop their scientific skills and knowledge.Public events
The ICR takes part in a range of public events, including local science festivals, events at museums and community events where we share knowledge and ideas about our research with the public.
We also create and host public engagement events ourselves, both on site at the ICR and in our local communities in Sutton and Chelsea.
Learn more about some of the events we are involved in below:
As part of our work with the local community, ICR staff and students engage with local members of the University of the Third Age, a network of learning groups aimed at encouraging older people to develop their interests in a friendly and informal environment.
Each year ICR researchers and staff deliver talks in Sutton to the local science branch of the University of the Third Age. Most recently, Varun Ramaswamy, PhD Student in the Division of Structural Biology, spoke about his research in the field of biophysics, and Debbie Gardner, Trial Manager in the Division of Clinical Studies, shared her work in clinical trials.
ICR staff and students share our research with the public at the annual Great Exhibition Road Festival, which takes place in our local borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Last year, we entertained visitors with an activity demonstrating how we are using microchips to detect cervical cancer. Visitors to our ‘detecting cancer’ stand took part in a hands-on demonstration of how microchips can be used to measure key information about cancer – showcasing an exciting collaborative project with Imperial College London.
The Great Exhibition Road Festival draws a large and varied local crowd of families, students and alumni of Imperial, and over the course of the weekend the ICR team engaged more than 500 visitors at the stand.
ICR staff and students engage with the local community at the Sutton Big Bang Fair, where we showcase our world-leading research with a range of hands-on activities.
The ICR partners with the London Borough of Sutton, Sutton Grammar School and STEM Learning to deliver an exciting engagement programme that lets local people share in the great research happening on their door-step.
Last year, more than 2,000 local primary and secondary school students attended the fair at Sutton Grammar School. Visitors to the ICR stand had the chance to try out their pipetting skills, find out how we screen for new drugs in our lock and key activity, and learn about how we discover and develop new drugs to treat cancer.
In the autumn term each year, we open our doors to local sixth-form students in Chelsea or Sutton for an interactive open evening showcasing careers in research.
Over the course of the evening, students get the chance to step into the shoes of a cancer researcher, visiting working research labs and trying their hand at practical scientific techniques. They can discuss the broad range of careers available in cancer research with our scientific, clinical and corporate staff, and students.
Last year, 84% of the students we asked students felt more inspired about pursuing a career in science after attending the event, and 88% had a better understanding of the skills needed.
Annual report
Read about our public engagement highlights and successes of 2022-23, the progress we've made against our strategy, and our main objectives for the upcoming year.
Public engagement annual report