b'RESEARCH IN FOCUSCONTACT OUR PUBLIC BLOG SERIESENGAGEMENT OFFICERPublic EngagementRAISING AWARENESS OF BIOFILMS IN THE UK AND BEYONDLeading world-class biofilm research has limited impact if the public and wider society are not given opportunities to engage with it. Thats why public engagement is a core element of NBICs mission. Our activities involve engaging in dialogue with the public about our research and inspiring children to develop an interest in science. We believe these efforts help to maximise NBICs impact by fostering a broader understanding of biofilms and their relevance to everyday life. In particular, we aim to connect with members of the public who have a specific interest in topics related to biofilms, such as hygiene, healthcare, and the home. Our Public Engagement Officer, Dr Jean-Christophe Denis, supports NBIC network members in delivering engagement activities and regularly develops tailored resources to lead and inspire new projects.These resources can be accessed via our website and our physical engagement tools, such as our giant interactive LEGO biofilm model or virtual reality headsets, are available to our partners for hire. We are also currently developing an escape room experience housed in a van. All of our activities are designed to appeal to a wide audience, offering high versatility, strong interactivity, and a focus on dialogue-driven engagement. We believe that meaningful dialogue and personal connections are the most effective ways to engage the public. If you would like to hire our activities or receive support for your own engagement initiatives, please contact our NBIC Public Engagement Officer.Our ongoing #BiofilmAware campaign is all about helping people to understand what biofilms are and why biofilm research is so important. We want to be pioneers in educating the UK on biofilms and how they can be harnessed to tackle a number of global challenges. Our annual #BiofilmWeek takes place in line with World AMR Awareness Week each year from 18-24 November across social media to further promote the impact that biofilms have on our world, as well as highlight research taking place to prevent, detect, manage and engineer biofilms. Throughout the week, we highlight interesting and exciting biofilm research being undertaken across our partner research institutions and our biofilm network, in the form of Research in Focus blogs, video interviews, and case studies. #Biofilmweek49'