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Collecting Covid

The Ethics of Contemporary Collecting

7 April 2022 by Andrea Ruddock Leave a Comment

Balancing the Many Voices
of the Pandemic

Tina Eyre — Curator for Collecting COVID at the History of Science Museum — shares her thoughts on the ethics of Contemporary Collecting


As Collecting COVID curator, I have been thinking not just what we should collect, but also how: the ethics of collecting.

Our project is all about gathering Oxford University’s extensive — and highly regarded — response to the pandemic.

That includes vaccine development, drug trials and policy-influencing research.

But unlike traditional museum work, we are collecting material from the present day and speaking directly to the people involved.

We are collecting living history

And as I write this in spring 2022, cases are again on the rise.

Which means the pandemic is still very much with us.

So how do we approach this most contemporary of projects in a responsible way?

What is Contemporary Collecting?

Contemporary Collecting is all about gathering material from the present or recent past for display — and preserving it for future generations.

Until recently, Contemporary Collecting has generally been low on the priority list for museums.

Why waste time and money collecting items that are commonplace and used in everyday life?

Collecting living history

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a sea change.

We are all living through a unique time, and are aware we should record, understand and remember it.

Collecting COVID is about finding objects — and the personal stories associated with them — by talking directly with first-hand witnesses.

That means Contemporary Collecting has the benefit of rich contextual information.

If we collect, say, an antique piece of furniture, we rely documents and archives to find out who made it and used it.


Collecting COVID - Safety Cabinet
Collecting COVID – Safety Cabinet

For Collecting COVID, we talk face-to-face with the scientist who designed the vaccine, or developed the ventilator.

With great access comes great responsibility

But the events we are capturing are also traumatic.

That means our enthusiasm to record this living history must be guided by thoughtful, ethical practices.

And we are learning every day the best way to achieve that.

I am going to discuss this further in future Collecting COVID posts.

For this first article, I’m thinking about how to represent the different — and often conflicting — experiences of the pandemic.

Cheers and jeers

How do we celebrate successes while acknowledging the disappointed — or even angry — voices?

Here at the History of Science Museum, it is part of our mission to celebrate scientific achievement in Oxford.

It is our role to showcase Oxford University’s vital work on COVID-19 — including vaccine development and therapeutics.

We are justifiably proud of our city’s recent contributions to the pandemic.


'Thank you' poster sent to the Jenner Institute for their work on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
‘Thank you’ poster sent to the Jenner Institute for their work on the Oxford-AstraZeneca SARS-CoV-1 Vaccine

And we celebrate the teams and individuals involved.

However, this ‘rose-tinted’ — for some, congratulatory — view is challenged by those who had a different experience.

Pandemic counterpoints

Many people felt isolated or marginalised during the pandemic.

Others — often young, active members of the Oxford community — were classified as ‘vulnerable’ and had to stay at home.

And health worries, loss of routine or social isolation risked intensifying their anxiety, potentially triggering further mental health problems.

Many simply feel unfairly treated

Some experienced trauma working on the front line, and found it hard to continue.

Others were working from home, connected only by video calls and text messages.

Are some voices more equal than others?

All this means the experience of living through the pandemic was very varied — and often very difficult.

Even among Oxford academics, opinions vary on which measures are effective and what path we should take.

And it is fair to say that we are not hearing all voices equally

The media portrays images of industrious ‘hero’ scientists triumphantly saving the world with a vaccine.

And for some that can be hard to swallow.

Hearing the quiet voices

They say history is written by the winners.

But it can also be dominated by the loudest voices, simplifying the story by drowning out the quiet ones.

That’s why the Collecting Covid project wants to capture this rich variety of views and stories.

Our collection should illustrate the variety — and complexity — of the pandemic experience.

And you can hear those still, small voices in some of the objects we have collected so far.

Healthcare during a pandemic

One person told us about their experience as a cancer patient during the pandemic. They had to rely on medical consultations online and living away from their family.


Box of essential medication donated by an Oxford University Staff member which was not available during the pandemic
Box of essential medication donated by an Oxford University Staff member which was not available during the pandemic: fake news reports that it may protect against COVID-19 led to panic buying

A disabled member of staff has donated a box of her essential medication, which wasn’t available during the pandemic: fake news reports that it may protect against COVID-19 led to panic buying.

Vaccines: for and against

We have collected material promoting anti-vaccination view points from around the museum.


Anti-vaccination poster posted outside the History of Science Museum in November 2021
Anti-vaccination poster posted outside the History of Science Museum in November 2021

And we are collecting material from scientists involved at all levels in developing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, including hundreds of thank-you letters received from members of the public around the world.


Thank-you letter to the COVID-19 Vaccine team at the University of Oxford
Thank-you letter to the COVID-19 Vaccine team at the University of Oxford

Striking a fair balance

Can we allow dissenting voices a say, without distressing those who gave so much to the fight against COVID-19?

Should we encourage anti-vaxxers to contribute openly to a project which celebrates the vaccine?

How much space should we give to a minority viewpoint?

And how do we encourage people to share stories of failures and difficulties?

If we show scientists as fallible human beings, does that help the public to engage with them and their work?

Or would it promote distrust and uncertainty in science?

The truth is out there

Our goal is to present a rounded, balanced picture.

That means celebrating successes and acknowledging the nay-sayers.

So how do we achieve that?

The truth is — we are still finding out.

But we will not stop searching for the answer.

And we hope you will contribute your views, too.

As we catalogue the items collected, you can begin to see them in our Collections Online database.

You can visit our Museum in person to share your experiences.


COVID Vaccine sculpture - visitor input board
COVID Vaccine sculpture – visitor input board

Or post your views online about what we should tell future museum visitors about the pandemic.


Read more articles in the Collecting COVID series

Making Science the Hero

Find out about Collecting COVID at the Bodleian Libraries

An Introduction to Collecting COVID at the Bodleian Libraries

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Posted in: Collecting Covid, Oxford Science Stories, Uncategorized Tagged: collecting, covid, covid-19, covid19, history of medicine, history of science, History of Science Museum, vaccine

Making science the hero

10 February 2022 by Andrea Ruddock Leave a Comment

Celebrating International Women and Girls in Science

Tina Eyre, Curator of the Collecting Covid Project at the History of Science Museum, shares contributions from women and girls to the Covid-19 pandemic response


Every year on 11 February we celebrate International Women and Girls in Science Day.

The United Nations (UN) launched it in 2015 because — despite progress — women and girls are significantly underrepresented in science.

The UN sees full participation in science as an important step towards complete gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. 

Meeting successful women in science

I’m proud to be the Curator on a project which every day reveals that empowerment in action.

I started work as Curator of the Collecting Covid Project in November 2021.

Since then, I’ve met many strong successful women with ambitions in the field of science.

They include internationally recognised names like Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert — and young girls sending thank you letters to the vaccine team. 

One of a huge number of thank you letters and cards received by the Jenner Institute from members of the public, congratulating them on the Oxford Astrazeneca SARS-CoV-1 Vaccine
One of a huge number of thank-you letters and cards received by the Jenner Institute from members of the public, congratulating them on the Oxford AstraZeneca SARS-CoV-1 Vaccine

What is Collecting Covid?

Collecting Covid is a joint project between the History of Science Museum and the Bodleian Libraries to capture Oxford University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both institutions also have long-standing collections featuring notable women scientists, including Dorothy Hodgkin and Louise Johnson.  

Professor Sarah Gilbert & the Covid-19 vaccine team

Professor Sarah Gilbert recently donated the first part of her archives to the project.

Made a Dame for services to medicine and public health, Sarah is the leader of the Oxford ChadOx1 Covid-19 vaccine team at the Jenner Institute.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert has kindly donated the first part of her archive to the project. The files are currently being processed by Project Archivist, Michaela Garland, at the Bodleian Library
Project Archivist Michaela Garland is working on Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert’s archive at the Bodleian Library

Professor Gilbert has said:


[I’m] passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into STEM careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realise how vital careers in science are to help the world around us.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert

She’s received many honours. Maybe the most unusual was from toy company Mattel, who produced a Barbie doll in her likeness.

Making science the hero

This is all brilliant coverage. It has inspired many girls from around the world to write to Sarah and thank her.

'Thank you' poster sent to the Jenner Institute for their work on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
‘Thank you’ poster sent to the Jenner Institute for their work on the Oxford-AstraZeneca SARS-CoV-1 Vaccine

But some might ask whether it gets the right message across to girls from and from all backgrounds across the globe.

By making a hero of a single, brilliant (white) scientist, don’t we make the career seem elitist? Is science out of reach for the average girl?

Professor Gilbert herself has always acknowledged and thanked her team.

She sees the science — and not herself — as the role model.


We did not have time to think about how dangerous this virus was, we just did our job.

I could see how hard and devotedly our scientists worked, doing day and night shifts.

The atmosphere was nice and friendly.

I think, we all were getting closer, like one big family.

Mariya Mykhaylyk, Lab Assistant at the Jenner Institute

So this singling out of the team’s leader is a media invention.

A ‘hero genius’ makes for a good story: a long hard slog by a team of hardworking scientists doesn’t.

Shouldn’t we instead celebrate the role of the whole vaccine team with its many women? Wouldn’t that better showcase the range of opportunities and variety of people involved?  

Knitting the stories together

At the Collecting Covid Project, we see a surprisingly wide range of pandemic-related work.

So far, we’ve tracked down equipment, stories, beer bottles — even virus-themed knitting!

And that means celebrating the very many staff involved at all levels.

Here’s just one example from Marion Watson, Head of Operations at CCVTM where the clinical aspects of the Covid-19 vaccine trials took place.

This knitted scientist and virus particles were made by Marion Watson, Head of Operations at CCVTM, where the clinical parts of the COVID-19 vaccine trial work took place.
This knitted scientist and virus particles were made by Marion Watson, Head of Operations at CCVTM, where the clinical parts of the Covid-19 vaccine trial work took place

Marion told us:


I did my degree and PhD at Imperial College London when there were only 8% women there (1976-1982).

Sometimes the men treated us as a commodity rather than peers.

The UK is so much better than it was (but still not equitable), let alone the wider world.

Marion Watson, Head of Operations at CCVTM

More on Collecting Covid

Keep an eye out for more news as the Collecting Covid project develops.

These are the first contributions from strong, ambitious, capable women.

I’m confident they won’t be the last.


Tina Eyre is Curator of the Collecting Covid Project at the History of Science Museum.

More to explore

More blogs about Women and Science

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Posted in: Collecting Covid, Oxford Science Stories, Uncategorized, Women and Science Tagged: covid, covid-19, covid19, curate, curation, history of medicine, history of science, History of Science Museum, vaccination, vaccine, vaccine trials, vaccines, women and science, women and sciences, women in STEM

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