"Data Detective" at Glasgow Science Festival

Published: 15 May 2018

Four researchers and support staff from MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit took part in Glasgow Science Festival’s Science Sunday on 10th June.

Photo of Gillian Bell and Anna Pearce, SPHSU, attending Science Sunday, June 2018Four researchers and support staff from MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit took part in Glasgow Science Festival’s Science Sunday on 10 June 2018.

A new activity – Data Detective - was developed especially for the festival and although it had been successfully piloted in a primary school and church group setting, the festival was far busier and noisier! The game involves two teams - a health team and an environment team - who have to share data to help stop the spread of a mystery disease which has been reported among teenagers in Edinburgh. This collaborative, problem-solving game is designed to help young people understand how data can be linked together to answer important research questions, and explain how data sharing is carried out in a safe and secure way.

During a really busy afternoon, around 70 children took part in the game, along with parents and other family members. Feedback was very positive and the activity prompted some interesting discussions with parents about data linkage and other health issues.

For more information about the Data Detective activity, please contact Dr Anna Pearce: Anna.Pearce@glasgow.ac.uk


First published: 15 May 2018