Using LEGO® to discuss data science with the Polish community

Engaging a diverse range of people from different communities is an essential part of public involvement and engagement. People from ethnic minority groups make up a significant part of the Scottish population, however they are often overlooked in conversations around data science.

Researchers from the University of Stirling are seeking to address this imbalance by leading workshops with Polish people living in Aberdeen, exploring their perspectives on data science and developing new relationships for future projects.

The team will deliver three workshops in partnership with the Polish Association Aberdeen and the Ice Candy School – a Polish Saturday school.

Each workshop will begin with a 20-minute presentation on data science, focusing on its importance and its impact on society, especially the Polish community, followed by a discussion using LEGO. The project team hope that using LEGO will break down language barriers, empowering participants to express themselves freely and openly. The participants will be encouraged to use LEGO to build constructions that express their feelings or perspectives towards data science, followed by a discussion to explore how their creations represent their views.

The presentation will be shared with other Polish partner organisations in Scotland, and the learnings will be shared with researchers and public involvement professionals to encourage creative methods for involving the public in future data science projects.