Anyone who has spent time in academia or attended a scientific conference has seen them — the big plastic-laminated posters that are an indispensable element of science communication. "Posters are a mass of good information," says Bruce Caron, a social anthropologist and the founder and executive director of the New Media Studio, a nonprofit that uses emerging multimedia technologies to explore the human environment. "They are an entire website, blog or Powerpoint put together on one page by people who are actively involved in research. They're a succinct representation of the most ... Read More
Making Science Girl-Friendly Pays Gender Dividends
July 14, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
If you want to interest girls in science, show how it will help them investigate stereotypically feminine concerns like caring for their skin and hair, says a just-published study in the British Journal of Educational Psychology. After examining a wide array of science textbooks, University of Luxembourg educational researcher Sylvie Kerger concluded that most present real-world examples are "embedded in masculine contexts." But wrapping scientific subjects — at least initially — around female-friendly topics could kindle interest in scientific fields under-populated by women, Kerger ... Read More
Scientists Take Charles Darwin on the Road
May 15, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
“I want to send our scientists to rural schools and communities around the U.S. to talk about evolution for Darwin Day 2011.” Jory Weintraub’s words hung undigested in the silent air of the management meeting at our North Carolina center last July. “You want to send our scientists where?” I jested. “On purpose?” In my two years overseeing the daily operations of the science group at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, or NESCent, I have come to expect inventive programs from Weintraub, my counterpart in our education and outreach group. Core to our mission is ... Read More
If Science Happens in Silence, Did It Happen?
May 9, 2009 • By • Leave a Comment
To increase diversity in the scientific workplace, scientists need to communicate with a diverse audience, two media executives told a conference of scientists today. "You need a public discourse, not just a discussion among scientists," said Scott Jaschik, founder of the online news service Inside Higher Education. "It's so important to engage as public intellectuals," added Frank Matthews, founder of Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine and a professor at George Mason University. An essential way to do that, they said, is through the news media. Potential scientists must ... Read More
