#SciComm (articles)

Recently, the public interest in science communication has increased, and it has become an urgent necessity to understand what is going on around us. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of science communication became apparent to raise public awareness about health information and preventive measures to protect against the disease. Through science communicators, people became able to learn about how the virus spreads, the differences between the various vaccines, and the mechanisms of action of new vaccines.

When scientists and researchers communicate, they use a highly technical language; each field has its specialized terminologies and theories. If a researcher in a certain speciality needed to understand what a colleague in another field is saying, they need to use simple language and clarify various terms and theories. In case the researcher addresses a non-specialized audience, they need a special talent and skill to deliver this information. In this article, we tackle the basic principles of science communication.

As an event organizer or science exhibition curator, there are chances that you may shy away from working on a media plan for your upcoming science exhibition. Usually, professionals decide to focus only on what they do best—in your case, that would be event planning and execution—whereas stepping out of your comfort zone and breaking into the glossy, yet tricky, media world can be a daunting task. However, it does not have to be this way. Through a systemic approach made up of simple steps that you or your team can follow, you can guarantee a boost in the media coverage of your event.

As an event organizer or a science exhibition curator, getting a considerable amount of attendance at your event/show is a key indicator of your event’s success. You have to get the buzz going for your event, or in today’s lingo, you have to be on the trend radar to ensure that your hard work does not go astray, but rather gets appreciated and seen by the right and considerable audience. This is where “promoting” your event plays a crucial role in your activity’s success; not just that, promotion would put it on the map for potential sponsorships and endorsements.

If you are reading this article, there is a huge probability that you operate in the science engagement event management business. It is no secret that, with the decline of the global economy due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Russian-Ukrainian war, along with other inflation-inducing misfortunes, most businesses and institutions cut down their marketing costs. Of course, if your job is all about planning science engagement exhibitions and events, you might be in a bigger dilemma, since your activities do not necessarily generate profits.

Did you know that, currently, there are more than 2,500 online museums that you can visit? The number of virtual museums, exhibitions, and events has been on the rise since the COVID-19 breakout in 2020. Back then, the world was struck by an imposed lockdown forcing all sectors across every nation around the globe to halt their activities.

It is undeniable that preserving our natural resources has become an urgent issue to which each one of us can actively contribute, starting with wasting less food and water, avoiding non-eco-friendly products, and choosing energy-efficient appliances over others. On a larger scale, science centers and museums can have more noticeable sustainability efforts. To meet this goal, several science centers and museums have been raising public awareness of sustainability through their design and structure, as well as immersive experiences and interactive games.

Child development is a long journey during which caregivers and educators work together to support a child's healthy development. During this process, the child changes over time to reach full independence after being fully dependent on adults. This process incorporates four main, separate yet intertwined, aspects: physical, intellectual, social, and emotional growth, as well as communication. Each aspect influences the other as the growth in one leads to progress in another.

Evaluation highlights the results of any activity; as such, exhibition evaluation is key to figuring out how successful the exhibition is/was and what should be further implemented or eliminated. While there are several categories to be evaluated in an exhibition, such as the setting, messages delivered, and so on, evaluating different behavioral categories should not be overlooked during this process.

Science center or museum exhibits are an amazing means of demonstrating scientific ideas while providing visitors with a unique experience. Paying attention to every detail about them is crucial; from the design, through prototyping, to execution, and then maintenance.