This year, The Science in the City Festival - coordinated by the University of Malta - is turning ten! What started off as a fleeting thought in the mind of conceptualist and science communicator Dr Edward Duca back in 2012, has now turned into a grand scale event that spans two days and reaches tens of thousands of people on a yearly basis. The concept of communicating science through the arts, has been construed to break down the multitude of misconceptions that shroud science and research. This mission has become the focus of a small team of passionate individuals who strive to highlight the importance of engaging with scientific knowledge and creativity for the wellbeing of our society.
Every year, the team launches a summer internship programme, and this year the internship is being extended to span across a period of around eight months. Selected candidates will have access to the innermost workings of the team, and will be trained in science communication with tasks as varied as marketing analytics, event organisation, photography, videography, and the setting up and management of social media campaigns.
Organising a festival is a difficult task and interns can expect an intense intellectually stimulating experience. With never a dull moment and a pandemic to contend with, the team has focused on strategic, last-minute decisions and tight deadlines. However, each intern is mentored and is provided with a comprehensive support system throughout the entire process. Social activities are also planned to allow the team to decompress and form lasting relations between themselves and the festival team members. Many of the past interns have immediately moved on to more rewarding endeavours, both locally as well as overseas.
In fact, Ian Farrugia, one of the past interns, has said: “I found myself in a bubble of creative and driven people. It helped me realise the value of working with and around fun and clever people every day.” Fellow intern Carolina de la Cruz has also shared her positive experience: “Being an intern for Science in the City allowed me to meet people from all over the world. I learned how to really engage citizens through science communication shows and, most importantly, I learned that making just one kid laugh while they learned about science brought me so much joy”.
More information can be accessed through the following link. Interested candidates are invited to fill in the online form, where they will also be asked to attached a copy of their CV. The deadline for prospective applicants is the 7 February 2022. This internship is supported by the Malta Chamber of Scientists and the Ministry for Equality, Research and Innovation.
