informal science education – UC Center for Public Engagement with Science

Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course

Genomics Partnership with Cincinnati Children’s, NHGRI, and the Smithsonian

Graduate students from the Public Engagement with Science Course 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 is 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/.

Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course

Discover Fossils of Ohio: A Guided Activity Kit

A team of students in the Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course this past semester 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.

Center Events, Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course

Virtual Discussion About the Science of Psychedelics

What do you know about psychedelics? A group from the Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course has partnered with the Mercantile Library to host a discussion of Michael Pollan’s book, How To Change Your Mind. The virtual discussion will take place on May 18th, focusing 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 will assess 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 will focus 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”?

Please join for this fascinating discussion intertwining science, good writing, and psychadelics. The discussion will be virtual via the Zoom platform. This event is free and open to the public (members and non-members of the Mercantile Library alike).

To register click here or email reservations@mercantilelibrary.com. The link to Zoom discussion will be sent via email prior to May 18th.

Public Engagement with Science Graduate Course

Sharing Science Workshop at the Cincinnati Museum Center

On Monday the Cincinnati Museum Center welcomed the Public Engagement with Science class. Students learned about the most effective practices in informal science education. In addition, they got to try out their new knowledge by doing science demonstrations with actual museum visitors.

Brian Pollock, of the Cincinnati Museum center, explains that it is important to have a “wow” moment when connecting with children and other museum visitors. A good science communicator knows her audience and meets them where they are.

Thank you to the Cincinnati Museum Center for the opportunity to learn more about science engagement and try out some of your awesome science kits!