Imagine Carla at 60, she embraces active ageing through tools she discovered while joining a public engagement initiative empowering older adults to take part in scientific research. She checks how long she can stand on one leg with her eyes closed to assess her balance. To monitor her emotional wellbeing, she uses the Psychological Wellbeing Scale and a gratitude journal. She feels that these simple, home-friendly tools help her stay informed, independent, and engaged.

In recent years the public have become more involved in shaping and disseminating research and more often participants wish to be recognised. At the same time, scientists increasingly share methods and tools of scientific research with the public. This shift facilitates broader public access to scientific knowledge, enabling individuals outside the research community to evaluate various aspects of their life with scientific tools, as in Carla’s story. This engagement has been further propelled by the ease of access due to Artificial Intelligence. This symposium will explore the shift towards greater public engagement in research, including ageing; participants’ reappropriation of their identity instead of remaining anonymous; the implications of sharing scientific methods and tools as well as results.

Contributors

Rose Anne Kenny, Regius Professor of Physic (Medicine) Chair of Medical Gerontology in Trinity College Dublin, Consultant Geriatrician, Lead of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and best-selling author on healthy and successful ageing will deliver the keynote presentation. Prof. Kenny has led TILDA, Ireland's largest adult population study on the experience of ageing in Ireland - since its inception. She will talk about her experience of public involvement in shaping TILDA’s research and her choices in science dissemination which led to her book Age Proof.

Prof. Anna Borghi (University of Roma La Sapienza), Dr. Angela Veale (Applied Psychology, UCC), Prof. Samantha Dockray (Applied Psychology, UCC) and Dr Joel Walmsley (Dept. Philosophy, UCC) will contribute to a round table discussion on the new role of experts, AI, participants' identity and the public in shaping scientific impact on the individual and society.

We will also hear from researchers at different career stages who will speak about science dissemination, public and patient Involvement and working with the public.

Event Schedule

9:30 - 10:00      Tea/coffee

10:00 -10:30     Short contributions from UCC early career researchers

10:30 - 11:30     Regius Prof. Rose Anne Kenny keynote with Q&A

11:30 - 12:00     Round table discussion

12:00 – 12:05     Closing remarks

Registration

Please register for this event at https://forms.office.com/e/jL2L0sKaWH