Leading figure on public engagement with science appointed as CEO of Science Gallery International

The board of Science Gallery International have today announced the appointment of Andrea Bandelli, an international thought-leader on public engagement with science, as the new CEO of Science Gallery International (SGI).  Bandelli, who will take up the post on 1 May 2016, is a practiced leader in science communication and education who has led major collaborative projects alongside prominent institutions worldwide.

The news comes just two months after King’s College London was granted planning permission to establish a Science Gallery in London Bridge. Science Gallery London connects art, science and health to drive innovation in the heart of the city and will be the first new gallery to open since the global Science Gallery initiative was established by Trinity College Dublin in 2008. It is due to open in 2017 and will be followed closely by galleries in Melbourne and Bengaluru (Bangalore) by 2018.

Deborah Bull, Assistant Principal (Culture & Engagement), King’s College London and board member, SGI said about the new CEO appointment, ‘I'm delighted that an extensive, worldwide search has identified an outstanding candidate in Andrea Bandelli to continue the pioneering work of Dr Michael John Gorman and lead Science Gallery International into its next chapter. We look forward to working with Andrea as King's develops Science Gallery London on our Guy's Campus in London Bridge.’

Dr Daniel Glaser, Director, Science Gallery London commented, ‘The Global Science Gallery Network provides a huge benefit as we build our programme in London, sharing expertise and exhibitions and generating surprising cultural collisions. It’s great to have Andrea at the helm as the network expands and we move towards our own opening in 2017.’

Commenting on the appointment, Chris Horn, Chair of SGI said ‘We are delighted to announce Andrea Bandelli as CEO of Science Gallery International at this exciting point in the development of the Global Science Gallery Network. Andrea has a deep appreciation of the interplay of science and the arts and is respected internationally for his work directing collaborative projects that aim to provoke public engagement, creativity and discovery.’

Andrea Bandelli said ‘I am thrilled to be taking on the role of CEO at Science Gallery International. It combines my two professional passions - innovation in public engagement with science, and building partnerships and collaborations. Through my own work I have seen the Science Gallery approach first developed at Trinity College Dublin grow to become a leading model for public engagement with science and art. Now, I want to bring this approach to all five continents, and ensure that the Global Science Gallery Network continues as a model of collaboration and innovation in public engagement. It will be a great honour to lead the team taking this approach worldwide - I’m excited at the potential to empower millions of people worldwide with transformative Science Gallery experiences.’

Having championed the use of internet as a collaborative educational platform in schools and museums in Italy in the early 1990s, Bandelli worked on the development of both the science center NEMO in Amsterdam and the Miami Museum of Science, and became a partner of NISE, the Nanoscale Informal Science Education network, working with the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He has led, managed and evaluated several international projects linked with science, art, democracy and public participation — many in collaboration with Ecsite, the European network of science centers and museums. Bandelli has written widely on public engagement with science and he is conducting doctoral research on scientific citizenship and the role of public participation in science centers.

Dr Michael John Gorman, commenting on the appointment, said ‘I can’t think of anyone better qualified than Andrea Bandelli, a key figure in our field, to lead SGI through its next exciting chapter. I look forward to working with Andrea and the Global Science Gallery Network in my new role as Chair of the Executive Council.’

Bandelli, who is currently based in the Netherlands, will be relocating to Dublin to take up the appointment as CEO full-time on May 1st.

February 26, 2016