Join the Live Public Science Events Party: Social Experience, Content, and Policy

Friday, February 17, 2017: 1:45 PM-2:00 PM
Room 308 (Hynes Convention Center)
Part of helping the public make informed decisions related to science policy relies on our ability, as scientists and science communicators, to meet them where they are. Luckily, live events can be staged wherever it is best to reach audiences. Millions of people in the US and UK are attending a science related event every year, and more than 10,000 scientists, engineers, and other STEM practitioners get involved in these events annually. A hallmark of such events is that the social experience is at least as important as the delivery of any specific educational content. A team based at MIT, the University of Cambridge, and the University of the West of England set out to gain a better understanding of the public science events landscape, including the unique opportunities and needs of this growing sector of informal science learning. This Flash Talk will provide a quick overview of our findings to date, and suggest a path for advancing the practice of public science events in the future.
Organizer:
Ben Wiehe, MIT Museum
Moderator:
Brian Lin, AAAS, Office of Public Programs
Speakers: