Darlene Cavalier's keynote presentation, More Can Be Done, at Quebec STEM conference

S.T.E.M. Symposium 2012Québec Secondary Science-Technology and Math Educators Conference

Innovation: New perspectives in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education

June 27th - June 28th 2012

Montreal, Canada

Darlene CavalierDarlene[at]scistarter[dot]com

www.scistarter.comwww.sciencecheerleader.com

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More can be done.

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1. Raise interest in/understanding of science. 2. Grow the ranks of citizen scientists.3. Encourage citizen involvement in research

projects and policy discussions.

Goals

“Public is dumb.” Scientists are weary.

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International comparison:

American adults rank 2nd

in civic science literacy.

Professor Jon Miller (U of MI).

CIVIC SCIENTIFIC LITERACY IN THE US, 1988 – 2005 [MILLER, J.D., 2007]

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Percent CSL

In 2005 U.S. Ranked Second only to Sweden in Civic Scientific Literacy

Civic Scientific Literacy in the U.S. , while still low, has tripled between 1988 and 2005.

More can be done.

The Science Cheerleader, Dr. James Trefil and the 76ers Cheerleaders are here to help!

Brain Makeover: Become Science Literate.

Brain Makeover. Trefil’s 18 Science Concepts.

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Brought to you by the 76ers Cheerleaders!

Who knew?

• Trefil campaign caught media’s eye and uncovered new marketing/messaging vehicle: The Science Cheerleaders.

• There are more than 200 current and former NFL and NBA cheerleaders pursuing STEM careers.

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Sparked Science of NFL Football Series

Projectile Motions, Vectors, Velocity and Acceleration, Geometric Shapes, Newton’s Laws of Motion, Torque and Center of Mass…

We found our audience.

• Estimated 3 million CHEERLEADERS in U.S.– Strong athletes, leaders in their schools

and communities, trendsetters.

• Untapped source of future, female STEM leaders.

Science Cheerleaders set Guinness World Record with Pop Warner Cheerleaders.

2, 4, 6, 8….

Equals 20!!!!

COMMUNICATION AS ENGAGEMENT Little evidence exposure to information per se

leads to either deeper understanding or an ability to incorporate scientific knowledge into better decision making.

Important to think about communication as a process of mutual interaction and a seeking of understanding, rather than simply as a means to transmit knowledge accurately to the public.

When science is not emotionally satisfying, it will fail to address deeper questions of identity and personal experience and will be rejected in favor of less reliable sources of information and advice.

-- Judith Ramaley, Science Literacy for the 21st Century

More can be done.

270million

people visit science centers

each year, worldwide

50 million involved in citizen science

To find projects, citizen scientists have to search and search

About 137,000 results

Darlene Cavalierwww.scistarter.com

We are a website that connects regular people

toreal science they can do.

Millions of people enjoy

science & nature.

Thousands of scientists need

volunteers.

But they can’t find each other.

Weconnect

them

Scientist image and cit scientist images tk to illustrate “we connect them”

Weconnect

them

Someone you know is a CITIZEN SCIENTIST

eBird 1.5 million

reports

Water testing500,000monitors

SETI@ home5 million

volunteers

We’re NOT talking home chemistry kits

Recording colors of backyard snail shells to help determine if they’re changed with our warming climate.

Building affordable satellites for missions in atmospheric physics to microgravity experiments.

Analyzing wild algae species for their potential to produce biofuels.

Citizen science yields SERIOUS SCIENCE

Co authored dozens of peer-reviewed papers

Discovered cocaine & hormones in Puget Sound drinking water

Showed that birds migrate closer to poles due to global warming

Searchable database of projects.

To make it easier for people to learn about and get involved in projects.To make it easier for people to learn about and get involved in projects.

National media partnerships:

University of Waterloo’s Snow Tweets

goal Help researchers calibrate accuracy of snow measurement toolstask Measure snow where you are, tweet or upload your geotagged data

Big Cheer for Science!Monitor earthquakes for

United States Geological Survey

Citizen Science in Space!ArduSat, Nanosatisfi

Put YOUR citizen science experiment in space.

What motivatesmotivates participants to act?

To advance fields of research.

To connect/protect nature.To connect/protect nature.

Personal enrichment, satisfy curiosity.Personal enrichment, satisfy curiosity.

To shape emerging fields.To shape emerging fields.

Money.Money.

Community/civic concerns.Community/civic concerns.

Community/civic concerns.Community/civic concerns.

“Citizen science has helped democratize science and helped people to understand they can have an influence on science by being a part of it.”

Rick Bonney, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

More can be done!

Citizen Scientists

PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT SCIENTIFIC ISSUES Science literacy only accounts for a small

fraction of variance in how lay public form opinion about controversial issues of science.

Accurate communication and understanding of science cannot separate policy decisions from values, political contexts and necessary trade-offs between costs, benefits and risks.

[ Nisbet and Scheufele, 2009]

Report emphasizes the need to incorporate citizen-participation methods to complement expert analysis.

Decentralized expertise (tapping the knowledge of scientists across the nation) and citizen engagement

Redefines technology assessment model

New model provides opportunities to generate input from diverse public audience, while promoting societal discussions and public education.

ECAST = EXPERT & CITIZEN ASSESSMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY NETWORK

Science CheerleaderWoodrow Wilson Center for ScholarsArizona State UniversityBoston Museum of ScienceLoka Institute.

AN INSTITUTIONAL NETWORK MODEL

Direct public interfaceTrusted public educatorsInnovation in citizen-friendly pedagogy

Innovation in TA concepts/methodsResearch, analysis and evaluationTraining of researchers/practitioners

Policy relevanceInterface with policy-makersBroad dissemination

Science Museums

Nonpartisan PolicyResearch Organizations

Universities

Launched pilot project, June 5, 2012 Koshland Science Center, Washington, D.C.

World Wide Views on Biodiversity.

“Policy formation without citizen participation is like faith and love without hope and charity.” Senator Edward Kennedy

1. Raise interest in/understanding of science. 2. Grow the ranks of citizen scientists.3. Encourage citizen involvement in research

projects and policy discussions.

Goals

By helping people rediscover, do, and shape STEM, we can mobilize one of the our greatest resources.

It’s never too late.