A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Group revealed a stark disconnect between the opinions of scientists and the general public. The topics that the general public and scientists disagreed on included the use of animals in research studies, safety of genetically modified foods, human evolution, and the causes of climate change. However, a consensus was found on the poor state of STEM education in elementary and secondary schools.
STEM education and outreach requires active communication between scientists and educators, as well as scientists and the general public. Both of which are lacking. How do we get past this communication dilemma?! A bunch of students at UGA, are striving to break down barriers and improve communication, by creating student-led initiatives and avenues for engagement and dialogue between scientists and the public. These events are spread out throughout the year and interested students can sign up as participants or volunteers to partake in this most excellent debauchery of science outreach. 1.Through football and science, with StemZoneUGA StemZoneUGA, an interactive science tailgating event, has now become a football tradition. UGA’s Science Dawgs have been hosting interactive science booths with hands-on games and activities before a home game for the last three years. There are opportunities to engage people; young and old on research conducted in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines. The public get a chance to extract DNA from strawberries, handle harmless snakes, learn about palm oil and it’s impacts on rainforests, watch fluttering live butterflies (not just specimens) and operate underwater robots. Tailgating has never been more woke! If you missed joining them this Fall, keep a look out for their Spring G-day comeback. Find out more about StemZoneUGA and how to be a part of this informative and fun event at https://ose.uga.edu/stemzone/ 2. In cheery and high spirits, with the Athens Science Café If you are looking for a more comfortable and relaxed setting to listen to passionate scientists, please attend the fabulous talks organised by the Athens Science café. These lively and free events are organised throughout the year at different places in town. The goal is to encourage dialogue between scientists and the public in informal settings. The talks provide a great opportunity to engage people in conversation, debate and dialogue with experts from a variety of disciplines. Past events have been hosted at local breweries and pub houses like Creature Comforts and the Little Kings, coffee-bars like Hendershots, as well as at Sandy Creek Park for some outdoor-science fun. Learn more about Athens Science Café at https://athenssciencecafe.wordpress.com 3. Explore and learn with EcoReach Did you know that pet waste can alter water quality and result in fish kills or that we do have a serious pet waste problem right here in Athens? EcoReach volunteers developed a water mystery series to demonstrate this complex issue at Athens Public library. They had multiple water stations, where children could measure water quality parameters to decipher the mystery of fish kills and understand the underlying methods (pH, conductivity and so on) used by freshwater and marine scientists. If you’re an educator and are looking for such innovative ways to teach your class science and develop interactive lesson plans, get in touch with EcoReach. They frequent the State Botanical gardens at their annual Insectival, as well as the Sandy Creek Nature Centre and the Public library to offer some interactive ecology lessons to children of all ages. Learn more about their mission, how to get involved and their upcoming events at http://ecoreach.ecology.uga.edu/ 4. Create and connect, with SciREN Georgia The Scientific Research and Education Network, also a student-led initiative, similar in mandate to EcoReach, connects educators with researchers. Their unique focus on connecting graduate students to educators, and developing meaningful collaborations, sets them apart from other initiatives in the quest for science outreach and public engagement. At their STEM Lesson Planning Workshop, students have the chance to enhance their lesson plans with inputs from eductors. Researchers and educators can register for their annual lesson planning and networking event, happening early next year on Jan 6 and Jan 25, 2020 respectively. Some of their pre-made classroom-kits are also available for free to educators on their website at http://sciren.org. Although, social media engagement has its benefits, it cannot beat the one-on-one interactions that these opportunities offer. If you’re looking to do Scicomm, it’s basically an arms-length away. Reach out to these student-scientist-led organisations to connect and spread some science cheer this holiday season!
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Dina Rasquinha
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