• Project Leader: Professor Glendinning
• Staff: Professor Dawson, Dr Rob Wilson, Mr Glenis and Dr Walsh
• Sponsors: Royal Academy of Engineering

Royal Academy of Engineering Public Engagement Ingenious award (2013-14) Decision Theatre for creative engagement This project will develop a socio-informatics ‘toolkit’ (multi-screen interactive computer displays accompanied by narrative and the experience of collective decision-making). This toolkit will be developed through collaboration between practising and research engineers, and socio-informatics experts. It will be used to engage the public in consensus building and decision-making around adaption of the built environment to climate risks, principally flooding. The events will be designed to enable members of the public to discuss (e.g.) flooding and its impact on their daily lives, and to highlight how their personal choices also have a far-reaching impact on its consequences (societal, ethical and cultural aspects). The process will be beneficial to engineers’ ability to communicate and engage with the public, creating a legacy of skilled people. The toolkit will be rolled out more widely via a web interface so that it can be used by engineers in other public engagement activities such as Public Consultations.