Public science
Encyclopedia
Public science refers to a science outreach
project that has been conducted outdoors or in another type of public or accessible space such as a public park, metro stop, library, university campus, etc. Similar to public art
, there are typically aspects of collaboration, community support and involvement, and even site specificity involved in public science efforts. Public science initiatives attempt to reach new audiences (particularly, non-experts who might not actively seek out science) by hosting events in alternative informal learning
environments. By definition, these public science projects are outside the walls of the science center
or science museum
, where the main focus of that particular space is not typically science outreach.
"Science City" is an example of a public science initiative that ran from June 1994 through May 1995. Created by staff and consultants from the New York Hall of Science, "Science City" was an outdoor exhibition that utilized the street, fences, buildings and other public structures in New York City to attract the "non-museum-going" public to the science in everyday life. The exhibition asked questions such as "Why is it warmer in the city?", "What pulses under the street?" and "What's under the sidewalk?" to help increase public awareness about the science and technology that runs invisibly underneath modern urban life.
Recent examples of public science initiatives in astronomy include “From Earth to the Universe” (FETTU), a project of the International Year of Astronomy
2009 (IYA2009). FETTU displayed large-scale images of astronomical objects in non-traditional and mostly public locations such as parks, airports, art festivals, shopping malls, and others (see figures 1 and 2). By 2011, FETTU had been exhibited at about 1000 sites worldwide, with 50 sites in the United States. One result from FETTU was preliminary data and analysis on non-self-selective audiences for public science exhibitions. A follow-up to FETTU, "From Earth to the Solar System" began in 2011 and is providing further opportunity to analyze the outcomes of bringing content to casual visitors in alternative science outreach venues.
Another current public science initiative in astronomy is Music and Astronomy Under the Stars, a NASA
-funded program at public parks before, during or after music performances and at other outdoor family-friendly venues. Also, Voyage to the Solar System, a project from the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE), has installed scaled replicas of the major bodies of the Solar System outdoors in several U.S. cities (including Washington, D.C., and Houston, TX) with others planned (Des Moines, IA, Orlando, FL, and Baltimore, MD, for example). Voyage and other Solar System scale model projects represent a different way to place astronomy outreach in the public sphere.
Covering broader science topics, science festivals such as the USA Science and Engineering Festival
, the San Diego Science Festival, the World Science Festival
in New York City (see figure 2), and others present science in a public sphere through large outdoor programs with exhibits, discovery stations, talks and additional themed activities.
Other public science efforts include Science on the Buses, in which city buses in many major European Union cities were decorated with large informational science posters in November 2002. Likewise, a project by the CoolCosmos group placed “advertisements” with science facts on buses in Toronto during July 2009.
Science Cafes are another public science effort that initiates a discussion on a science topic in pubs or cafes, usually with a local scientist in attendance to answer questions and present information.
Public art
Science Centers
Science Museums
Science festivals
Science Cafes
Science outreach
Science outreach, also called Education and Public Outreach or simply Public outreach, is an umbrella term for a variety of activities by research institutes, universities, and institutions such as science museums, aimed at promoting public awareness of science and making informal contributions...
project that has been conducted outdoors or in another type of public or accessible space such as a public park, metro stop, library, university campus, etc. Similar to public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
, there are typically aspects of collaboration, community support and involvement, and even site specificity involved in public science efforts. Public science initiatives attempt to reach new audiences (particularly, non-experts who might not actively seek out science) by hosting events in alternative informal learning
Informal learning
Informal learning is one of three forms of learning defined by the OECD. The other two are formal and non-formal learning. Informal learning occurs in a variety of places, such as at home, work, and through daily interactions and shared relationships among members of society. For many learners this...
environments. By definition, these public science projects are outside the walls of the science center
Science center
A science center or science centre is a science museum that emphasizes a hands-on approach, featuring interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to experiment and explore....
or science museum
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
, where the main focus of that particular space is not typically science outreach.
"Science City" is an example of a public science initiative that ran from June 1994 through May 1995. Created by staff and consultants from the New York Hall of Science, "Science City" was an outdoor exhibition that utilized the street, fences, buildings and other public structures in New York City to attract the "non-museum-going" public to the science in everyday life. The exhibition asked questions such as "Why is it warmer in the city?", "What pulses under the street?" and "What's under the sidewalk?" to help increase public awareness about the science and technology that runs invisibly underneath modern urban life.
Recent examples of public science initiatives in astronomy include “From Earth to the Universe” (FETTU), a project of the International Year of Astronomy
International Year of Astronomy
The International Year of Astronomy was a year-long celebration of astronomy that took place in 2009 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo Galilei and the publication of Johannes Kepler's Astronomia nova in the 17th century...
2009 (IYA2009). FETTU displayed large-scale images of astronomical objects in non-traditional and mostly public locations such as parks, airports, art festivals, shopping malls, and others (see figures 1 and 2). By 2011, FETTU had been exhibited at about 1000 sites worldwide, with 50 sites in the United States. One result from FETTU was preliminary data and analysis on non-self-selective audiences for public science exhibitions. A follow-up to FETTU, "From Earth to the Solar System" began in 2011 and is providing further opportunity to analyze the outcomes of bringing content to casual visitors in alternative science outreach venues.
Another current public science initiative in astronomy is Music and Astronomy Under the Stars, a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
-funded program at public parks before, during or after music performances and at other outdoor family-friendly venues. Also, Voyage to the Solar System, a project from the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE), has installed scaled replicas of the major bodies of the Solar System outdoors in several U.S. cities (including Washington, D.C., and Houston, TX) with others planned (Des Moines, IA, Orlando, FL, and Baltimore, MD, for example). Voyage and other Solar System scale model projects represent a different way to place astronomy outreach in the public sphere.
Covering broader science topics, science festivals such as the USA Science and Engineering Festival
USA Science and Engineering Festival
USA Science and Engineering Festival was a science festival in Washington, D.C. that founder Larry Book deemed the country’s first national science festival. The inaugural event was held from October 10, 2010 through October 24, 2010 and was planned to be a yearly event. The two week festival...
, the San Diego Science Festival, the World Science Festival
World Science Festival
The World Science Festival is a science festival held in New York City that is held annually in the summer. The 2008 inaugural festival was held May 28 – June 1 and consisted mainly of panel discussions and on-stage conversations, accompanied by multimedia presentations.The festival was the...
in New York City (see figure 2), and others present science in a public sphere through large outdoor programs with exhibits, discovery stations, talks and additional themed activities.
Other public science efforts include Science on the Buses, in which city buses in many major European Union cities were decorated with large informational science posters in November 2002. Likewise, a project by the CoolCosmos group placed “advertisements” with science facts on buses in Toronto during July 2009.
Science Cafes are another public science effort that initiates a discussion on a science topic in pubs or cafes, usually with a local scientist in attendance to answer questions and present information.
See also
Science outreachScience outreach
Science outreach, also called Education and Public Outreach or simply Public outreach, is an umbrella term for a variety of activities by research institutes, universities, and institutions such as science museums, aimed at promoting public awareness of science and making informal contributions...
Public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
Science Centers
Science center
A science center or science centre is a science museum that emphasizes a hands-on approach, featuring interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to experiment and explore....
Science Museums
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
Science festivals
Science Cafes