When children are asked to draw a scientist, they tend to draw a white man in a white lab coat. When Americans were asked to name a living scientist in a recent study, 47 percent named Albert Einstein. In another study, only 4 percent could name a living scientist. It's clear that researchers are largely absent from public life, and that science has a PR problem. If we are to change the overwhelming stereotype about scientists, or gain the trust of the public, then we need to aim for greater transparency. This session will explore two sides of this issue- changing the face of science for both kids and adults. For kids, it is important to shed the geeky stereotype so that science careers are more appealing. For adults, it is important to foster a more scientifically literate population that can make informed decisions when it comes to public policy. Let's discuss the best ways to address each of these issues. Session hashtag to use: #sciface
Questions: - What do you think of when you think of a scientist? - Does your institution have a science communication person? - How can scientists help public understanding of science? - How can scientists make STEM careers more attractive to kids? - How can scientists improve adult understanding of science for politics?
