The Importance of Communicating Science Effectively (focusing on chemistry)

Dr Michael EdmondsSchool of Applied Sciences and Allied Health

Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

Application of science seldom involves a single scientific discipline. Rather, it involves an interplay of two or more of the core “sciences” – Chemistry, Biology, Physics, as well as Mathematics and English.

Engineering and applied sciences such as psychology draw on the core sciences.

Science is stronger when scientists and science educators co-operate and work together.

Why is Understanding Science Important?

Better decision making on both a personal and a societal level.

Medicine, transport, communications, agricultural technology heavily involve science.

Popular culture does not encourage scientific/ rational thinking.

Predicted rise in irrational thinking.

New Scientist, 4th February 2009 regarding the “credit crunch”

“Take the comforts away, however, and the rationality often evaporates too. When human beings lose control over their lives, they become more prone to superstition, spiritual searchings and conspiracy theories.”

Why is Understanding Science Important?

Many important world issues involve science

Climate change/global warmingPollutionSustainable drinking water/food suppliesSustainable and clean energy sourcesObesity “epidemic”Genetically Modified OrganismsIrradiated foodEvolution vs intelligent designSafety of vaccines

“Science as a candle in the dark” Carl Sagan

Less than 25% of the population have formally studied science beyond year 10.

Less than 5% of the population have degree level qualifications in science or related subjects.

Why Communicating Science is Important

Who Do We Need to Communicate Science to?

Who Do We Need to Communicate Science to?

EVERYONE

How Do We Best Communicate Science?

• Gently• Positively• Assertively• Often

Need to challenge anti-scientific thinking and sentiments

Present positive stories about science

How Do We Best Communicate Science?

• The WOW Factor

• Me, Me, Me, Me, Me

• Interactive

• Good Analogies

• Sense of Humour

• Deep Thinking

• Learning Techniques (e.g. Mnemonics)

How Do We Best Communicate Science? The WOW Factor

• Practical/unusual demonstrations• WOW online (Youtube) Space – aurora borealis, water in space• WOW facts Bacterium that have evolved to digest nylon. Light from distance stars tells us what they are made of. Drugs from marine organisms and rainforest plants.

Rapamycin – immunosuppressant drug

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Me, Me, Me, Me, Me or how is science relevant to me

• Would I be alive without chemistry?

• What would life be like without ……….?

• How might science/chemistry change your life in 10 years?

• What things that you use each day involve chemistry?

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Interactive

• Experiments

• Stimulates visual and kinesthetic learners

• Flash cards/games

• Interactive computer animations

• Youtube

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Good Analogies

Analogies work by linking the unfamiliar with the familiar.

Good analogies• can be visualised• familiar to students• limitations are clear

Richard K. Coll – Chem Ed NZ February 2009

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Sense of Humour

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Sense of Humour

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Deep Thinking

Activities that require more than “regurgitating” information• applying (to “real life”)• analysing• synthesising• evaluating

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Learning Techniques

• Visualisation

• Synesthesia

• Mnemonics

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Learning Techniques

• Visualisation

• Synesthesia

• Mnemonics

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Learning Techniques - Mnemonics

MethaneEthanePropaneButanePentaneHexane

How Do We Best Communicate Science? Learning Techniques - Mnemonics

MEPBPH

Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge(Jay Land and Jan H. F. Meyer)

In any subject there are core concepts that often prove challenging for the student.

Transform thinking, challenging, deep learning

In chemistry, what are these concepts?

Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge(Jay Land and Jan H. F. Meyer)

In any subject there are core concepts that often prove challenging for the student.

Transform thinking, challenging, deep learning

In chemistry, what are these concepts?

Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledgein Chemistry?

• Scientific Method

• Scale

• The Dynamic Molecule

• Equilibrium

The Scientific Method

Make Observation

Form a hypothesis to explain the observation

Test the hypothesis(by experiment/observation)

Hypothesispassestest

Hypothesisfails test

Scale

Mole = 6.023 x 1023

Size of atom relative to proton and electron

Have students work out their own analogies

Moles, Molecules & Homeopathic Dilutions

1X dilution = 1/102X dilution = 1/10 x 1/103X dilution = 1/10 x 1/10 x 1/10

Assuming you start with a 1 mole solution at what point will the solution no longer contain any active component?

Concentrations & Homeopathic Dilutions

Assuming you start with a 1 mole solution at what point will the solution no longer contain any active component?

1 mole = 6.023 x 1023

A 24X solution has a ~60% chance of containing one molecule

30X dilutions are commonly used in homeopathy

Concentrations & Drugs

If a tablet of panadol contains 500 mg of paracetamol, how many moles of paracetamol is in a typical dose? How many paracetamol molecules in a typical dose?

The Dynamic Molecule

http://www.ged.chem.ed.ac.uk/

Equilibrium

Engaging with Media

• Newspaper articles

• Letters to the Editor

• Online/Blogs

• Radio and Television

Challenging the Unscientific

“Homeopathy was an effective treatment during the 1918 influenza epidemic”

Challenging the Unscientific

“Homeopathy was an effective treatment during the 1918 influenza epidemic”

There are no rigorous scientific studies that show homeopathy has more than a placebo effect.

There is no scientific mechanism to explain how ultra-dilute solutions could have any effect of the body

Challenging the Unscientific

Products that are “chemical free”

Natural is best

Challenging the Unscientific

Products that are “chemical free”

Nothing is chemical free

Natural is best

The deadliest poisons are those produced by nature e.g. botulinum, anthrax, ricin, tetradotoxin

Supporting the Scientific

• Highlight new breakthroughs in science (newspaper, New Scientist, Science, Nature)

• Join scientific organisations

• Attend scientific talks

• Foster secondary/tertiary links

• Encourage Science Fair entries

• Write articles/give talks

“We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.”

Carl Sagan

“A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. ”

Author Unknown