In October and November 2020, University of Bath and NHC collaborated on FUTURES x Instagram as part of FUTURES2020. The project was designed to experiment with social media platform Instagram as a tool to engage people with environmental science and brought together environmental science researchers with UK-based Influencers to co-create original content for Instagram.
The mixed cohort of 15 researchers and 10 Instagrammers were tasked with creating content to engage users of this platform with research, build capacity for digital engagement for researchers and experiment with the Instagram platform to convene digital discussions to increase dialogue around environmental science with an often-overlooked pubic group.
From penguins to plastics and crocodiles to camera traps the team came together to create a wealth of exciting, engaging content showcase over the days surround European Researchers Night – the annual celebration of research across the continent – no to mention having great fun aloing the way!
Feedback and analytics are still being gathered, but the initial responses from participants was emphatically positive with researchers and Instagrammers both highlighting the value of the informal learning drawn through this collaborative process, delivered and facilitated entirely remotely by Zoom, Whatsapp and GoogleDocs.
We’re looking forward to bui;lding up this exciting new online community to bring more research to life on Instagram!
Huge thanks to all our participants! Check out the hashtag #FUTURES2020 to see what was produced and give these amazing folks a follow:
- Adam Cook (@adam_talkswild)
- Beth Newark (@beths_nature)
- James Hanson (@awildjameshanson)
- Natalie Thompson (@gardenbirdgeek)
- Phoebe Griffith (@crocodiledunphd)
- Katie Grant (@show.me.nature)
- Joshua Powell (@joshuapowell_official)
- Alice Chamberlain (@OneLessBTL)
- Lucy Colclough (@quest.for.nectar)
- Emily Cooper (@ohdeeremily)
- Steven Allain (@stevoallain)
- Katie O’Brien (@_katieob_)
- Lucy Hodson (@Lucy_Lapwing)
- Sophie Pavelle (@sophiepavs)
- Dani Rabaiotti (@DaniRabaiotti)
- Ellie Bladon (@ellie_bladon)
- Niamh Leaman (@niamh.rebecca)
- Leif Bersweden (@LeifBersweden)
- Matt Postles (@thewildlifegeek)
