Pippa Goldschmidt, Residency Review 2009 - 2010

Pippa Goldschmidt reviews her period as Writer in Residence 2009 - 2010 

Being a writer in residence with Ken has been a fanastic experience - and its not over yet.

In 2009, I ran a Poetry Competition which attracted a huge range of different types of stories, inspired by different aspects of genetics. I also ran workshops for social scientists and medical practitioners to encourage them to use fiction to provide a new way of seeing their work. These two aspects of my activities summarise what I’m trying to do as a writer in residence - encourage academics who are used to writing in more formal ways to exercise their creative muscles, and encourage fiction writers to explore new subject matter.

As I hoped when I started work as a writer in residence here, I’ve found the subject of genetics inspirational for my own writing; some of my flash fictions can be found on the Human Genre Project.

In 2010, Ken and I gave a talk at the Science Communication Conference (organised by the BSA) about our work, based on the briefings we’ve written:

Using Creative Writing to Promote Discussion about Genomics

We launched a successful Poetry competition on the subject of ‘improving the human’ which attracted global interest, and organised an event at the Holyrood Festival of Politics (in August) on the governments’ use of immigrants’ and asylum seekers’ DNA to confirm their nationalities and familial relations.

Although no longer an a 'paid' writer in residence I am delighted that I am able to continung working alongside Forum colleagues.