Public Engagement with Science Course

“Guilty Pleasures: Art, Science, and Philosophy” is a project in Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) that was executed in collaboration with the Mercantile Library in Cincinnati, thus resulting in an event titled “Guilty Pleasures: The Sonic Session.” This event took place at Knox Joseph Distillery at the OTR Stillhouse.

Before the event, their team distributed survey forms, which asked the participants to name a song, the enjoyment of which raises feelings of guilt, and to rate the intensity of this feeling on a scale of 1-5, which was presented as follows:

1. Very low guilt
2. Below-average guilt
3. Average guilt
4. Above-average guilt
5. Very high guilt

With the same form, they also asked them why they think they might be feeling guilty about enjoying this song and which keywords or phrases come to their mind when they think about “doing science.”

During the event, they invited the audience to react on several questions concerning the phenomenon of experiencing guilt for enjoying a certain piece of music. For example, they asked: “What does it mean to feel guilty about enjoying a piece of music?” and “Is this really guilt, or could it be another emotion, such as shame or embarrassment?” Furthermore, they listened to a guilty pleasure song by a member of their team and initiated a discussion in aesthetics, on why this subject might be feeling guilty for enjoying it. More analytically, they wondered whether it is due to a property inherent in the music piece or if it has to do either with the guilty subject or the context in which they are listening to this song.

Thereafter, they shifted the conversation to questions about science by collectively wondering whether this activity that they are all engaging in can qualify as scientific. To assist in developing this discussion, they introduced two models of the scientific method, namely a traditional, linear, and an alternative, dynamic one. Upon this discussion, they asked the participants to return to the answers originally submitted in the pre-event survey form and to compare their current beliefs about science and the intensity of guilt relative to enjoying their reported guilty pleasure song. Finally, they conversed with the participants on whether their philosophical discussions can inform sciences, such as geology, paleontology, and physics.

This PEWS team interacted with the public about oak tree conservation during a Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens Tunes ‘n Bloom evening. Their approach to in this outreach event was to adheres to the practices of public engagement with science. Rather than just providing information, they wanted to build a connection with interested participants, where they learn about their own knowledge and experience with oak trees or conservation broadly. Their duty was primarily to spark interest in the topic and provide them with additional resources to better facilitate their own investigations.

They designed a guide for attendees to view about oak tree conservation. They also had artifacts from oak trees (e.g., acorns, bark, leaves) to help them better identify the trees. They also collected data about participants for the zoo. Primarily, the information that was collected concerned how many members of the public stopped by our booth and how many seemed genuinely interested in the topic. They did so by creating a short survey. The survey focused on conservation, identification of oak trees, and the motivation for participants to get involved or start conversations about conservation and oak trees.

This PEWS team worked with the Island Systems Integration Consortium (ISIC) to identify and collate the work done by different Galapagos scientists in conducting outreach about Galapagos Science. The intent for this information is to be presented on the ISIC website (https://galapagosnetwork.org/). For this, they developed a survey to be distributed to a variety of scientists, researchers, community leaders, and educators to gauge not only their experience with outreach work, but also their needs and willingness to engage in collaborative outreach in future.  

The initial phase of the survey included obtaining demographic information that may classify the respondent in future searches. This information can inform the profile developed of the individual on the ISIC website. Here, they use information related to the location of the individual’s institution (Galapagos/non-Galapagos), and the type of institution (University, Research Institute, Community organization, etc.) as the main filters. Following this, the survey branches in a way to get meaningful information about the state and needs of the individual field for outreach work. These branches will then provide questions based on the respondent’s field, which, upon completion, will convert back to the same point.

The final section of the survey is intended to get qualitative information about the Outreach Work each individual respondent has conducted. This information can be used to populate a profile about the respondent and their work. In this way, anyone searching this database on the ISIC website may be able to view existing work, skills, and projects that they may want to contact the respondent about. The survey concludes with a space for the respondent to consent to the use of their information on the website.  

The survey is to be deployed to a pilot sample of ISIC related researchers (primarily academic). Following this, a list of contacts involved in institutional research and outreach programming has been developed to expand the capacity for the surveys reach. It is expected that by collaborating with these organizations, a larger mailing list of community partners, formal and informal educators, researchers, and academics can be accessed. 

“Science on Tap” is an innovative initiative that brings together the curious minds of both scientists and the general public in a relaxed and informal setting. Through engaging presentations, interactive discussions, and hands-on demonstrations, Science on Tap aims to demystify complex scientific concepts and foster a deeper appreciation for the wonders of the natural world. Whether exploring the latest breakthroughs in physics, biology, chemistry, or beyond, each event offers a unique opportunity for audiences to connect with experts, ask questions, and explore the frontiers of scientific knowledge—all while enjoying their favorite beverages in a casual social atmosphere. With a mission to make science accessible, entertaining, and thought-provoking for all, Science on Tap is where curiosity meets community, inspiring a lifelong love of learning and discovery.

This PEWS team’s Science on Tap project is a comprehensive exploration of the intersection between philosophy and allergy immunology. Through a thought-provoking presentation, they delve into how philosophical concepts such as identity, boundaries, and existentialism intersect with the world of allergy immunology. From unraveling the complexities of self and non-self-recognition within the immune system to examining the ethical considerations surrounding allergy treatment and public health policies, this project offers a multidisciplinary perspective that bridges the gap between philosophy and science. By inviting audiences to ponder fundamental questions about existence and well-being, this project aims to foster a deeper understanding of the philosophical dimensions of allergy immunology and its implications for individuals and societies alike.

In the 2020 spring semester, students in the Public Engagement in Science graduate course partnered with the Cincinnati Nature Center to inspire the community to learn about species of plants and animals originally from our region and inspire people to plant these species on their own properties. When COVID-19 led to stay-at-home orders, this took the form of hosting a contest akin to a virtual science fair for K-12 students. They were challenged to create informative materials for anyone interested in growing and attracting native species in their own yards. 

Local K-12 students submitted a variety of posters related to any native plant, animal, or community of interest to them. While there were many creative submissions, winners were selected based on their creativity, the research they did, and how well they communicated their information to the audience of their choice. Both the graduate students and Cincinnati Nature Center were impressed by what was accomplished by the competitors. 

CNC’s announcement of your accomplishment can be found here.

Graduate students partnered with Cincinnati Children’s Center for Pediatric Genomics and the National Human Genomic Research Institute (NHGRI) to produce informational panels (posters) for a local exhibit on the human genome. The project is based on the Smithsonian Genome Exhibition, which has recently developed the option of DIY exhibitions. Groups from around the country can access the Smithsonian panels and create their own accompanying panels for displays in their local communities.

The student group created two panels: the first panel talks about the differences between race, ethnicity, and ancestry and the second talks about the relation between environmental epigenomics and discrimination. The group collaborated with Dr. Tesfaye Mersha, a professor at Cincinnati Children’s and UC, on both panels.

This was part of an effort to educate and engage the public about genetics and the human genome, an aim shared by Cincinnati Children’s Center for Pediatric Genomics and the UC Center for Public Engagement with Science. The students who developed this project plan to work with Children’s to make these educational panels available to Cincinnati schools and to display them here at UC.

The panels, as well as instructions on how to create your own Smithsonian Genome DIY exhibit, are available at this website: https://cincinnatigenomicspanels.wordpress.com/.

What do you know about psychedelics? A group from the Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course partnered with the Mercantile Library to host a discussion of Michael Pollan’s book, How To Change Your Mind. The virtual discussion, that took place on May 18th, 2020, focused on the science and history of psychedelics and other mind-altering practices, as told by Michael Pollan in the book.

The first part of the discussion assessed the historical and scientific claims Pollan makes with reference to two scientific papers: one from 1966 detailing an experiment done on the effects of psychedelics on spiritual experiences, the other a 2014 study on the effects of psilocybin on brain states. Which claims are most interesting and why? How can scientific laypeople leverage other scientific sources to fact-check information? And how much responsibility should we feel to do so?

The second part of the discussion focused on participants’ reactions to the book. Are we convinced by Pollan’s arguments? Do we disagree with anything? Has he motivated us to “change our minds”?

A team of students partnered with the UC Field Station to create a science kit focused on local fossils. The Discover Fossils of Ohio kit contains materials and activities for introducing students to some of Ohio’s major fossil groups, as well as techniques and classification systems that scientists use to study fossils. These activities can be adapted for use with late elementary school to high school students and are aligned with several of Ohio’s learning goals for science education.

The kit includes a presenter’s guide, activity pages, fact pages, a collection of fossils to use for the activities, and a presenter’s survey. For example, in one activity, students use a dichotomous key to classify the fossils that come with their kit, identifying key features of the fossilized organisms in the process.

The team’s partner, the UC Field Station includes a 17.6 acre renovated farm roughly 20 miles northwest of the University of Cincinnati Main Campus. The Field Station blends high-level science with deep-woods know-how through a timeless connection to the great outdoors.

The kit can be found here.