Training scientists in a science center improves science communication to the public

摘要

IlluminationsTraining scientists in a science center improves science communication to the publicAlexis B. Webb, Christopher R. Fetsch, Elisa Israel, Christine M. Roman, Cindy H. Encarnación, Jeffrey M. Zacks, Kurt A. Thoroughman, and Erik D. HerzogAlexis B. WebbCognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience Program, Washington University, St. Louis; and , Christopher R. FetschCognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience Program, Washington University, St. Louis; and , Elisa IsraelSt. Louis Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Christine M. RomanSt. Louis Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Cindy H. EncarnaciónSt. Louis Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Jeffrey M. ZacksCognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience Program, Washington University, St. Louis; and , Kurt A. ThoroughmanCognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience Program, Washington University, St. Louis; and , and Erik D. HerzogCognitive, Computational, and Systems Neuroscience Program, Washington University, St. Louis; and Published Online:01 Mar 2012https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00088.2010MoreSectionsPDF (162 KB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations the language of science is inherently academic and often inefficient in its delivery of key concepts to nonscientists (10a). When President Obama spoke at the National Academy of Sciences in April 2009 (15b), he issued the following call to think of new ways to engage young people in science, mathematics, and technology: "I want to persuade you to spend time in the classroom, talking and showing young people what it is that your work can mean, and what it means to you . . . think about new and creative ways to engage young people in science and engineering . . . to be makers of things, not just consumers of things." To reach the next generation of innovators, scientists must become better communicators, clearly informing and inspiring the public about their research (14). The training of scientists to participate in outreach has been primarily focused on formal education settings and working with K–12 teachers (12, 18). For example, in response to government agencies encouraging and, in some cases, requiring the integration of research, education, and outreach, the Space Science Institute (Boulder, CO) developed an annual 4-day workshop for scientists, which included 27 presentations on teaching science in schools and 1 panel discussion on engaging scientists in education through public outreach (15).Many programs place volunteers in classrooms and impact science literacy in the community (5). However, learning outside of the classroom in informal settings such as science centers often marks the beginning of curiosity in, and can significantly enhance the public understanding of, science (10a). These types of informal education opportunities outside the K–12 classroom, with audiences that can include adults, are less frequent, likely because scientists are unaware of the existence of such opportunities (1). Additionally, because of their informality, science centers provide an excellent opportunity for researchers to discuss their work in everyday, nontechnical language, which has been shown to improve the understanding of science concepts (7, 8). To date, most studies have examined the motivation of and challenges facing scientists participating in such outreach (1, 10, 13, 16). One study (13) of informal outreach conducted at public science fairs in Madrid, Spain, noted that the scientists involved were often encouraged by their senior colleagues to participate, while those senior scientists often felt a sense of duty to do such outreach. However, any lasting effect of participation in outreach on those scientists' attitudes, as well as their effectiveness in science communication to the public, has not been thoroughly examined.To address the challenges of recruiting, training, impacting, and retaining scientists in informal outreach and to capitaliz