Your choice is deciding if you want to let those who disagree with you
an inside joke—like Chemistry Cat, a meme featuring puns related
to the elements of the periodic table (I’d tell you a chemistry joke,
but all the good ones Argon). Consider the tone you want to achieve.
If you’re talking about a serious subject like safety, humor may not
be the best approach.
Q&A
Using a question-and-answer format can be useful for sharing
technical information with non-experts. Allowing users to help
steer the conversation ensures higher engagement and also
prevents specialists from assuming what the audience knows or
doesn’t know. Examples of this type of science communication include
Twitter chats or Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions.
Visit reddit.com/r/science to learn more.
Pics (or it didn’t happen)
Several studies of posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have
shown that posts with images are more likely draw engagement.
A tweet with an image is three times more likely to be retweeted
than one with no image, according to research conducted by Buffer,
a social media management application. Ask yourself if there’s
a compelling image that can accompany your posts.
Video Killed the Radio Star
Did you know that more video content is uploaded in 30 days
than the major U.S. television networks created in 30 years? This
ranges from expensive, professionally made films to short, homemade
clips. In between are a lot of opportunities for science communication.
In addition to recording videos to share on social
media, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all offer opportunities
to livestream video with a low barrier for participation. You could
perform science experiments and demonstrations, host a Q&A
on a topic or talk about your research in a more public forum. A
mobile phone or tablet with a good internet connection is all you
need.
Being a better science communicator
When you engage with the public about science, it’s important
to remember that you have a lot of advanced knowledge
they may not have. Many adults haven’t taken a science
class since high school. Avoid jargon. Explain the potential
impact of the science. Often analogies are useful to explain
technical concepts in a way that is approachable to a wider
audience.
Looking for more resources to become a better science
communicator? Check out these websites:
• Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science (www.
aldakavlilearningcenter.org)
• American Chemical Society’s Chemistry Ambassadors
(www.acs.org/chemistryambassadors)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
Center for Public Engagement with Science & Technology
(www.aaas.org/pes)
Be an “Actual Living Scientist”
In February of 2017, wildlife ecologist David Steen shared
his disappointment on social media upon discovering a 2013
survey of 1,000 U.S. adults that found 70% of them were
unable to name a living scientist. Responding to that tweet,
one of his followers, Mary Roblyer, suggested that he and
other scientists introduce themselves to the world with the
hashtag #ActualLivingScientist. That exchange sparked thousands
of scientists to share photos of themselves with the
hashtag. By identifying themselves, these scientists opened
the door for more conversations about science and technology
with their networks. The photos also challenged stereotypes
about what a scientist looks like and where science happens.
On Jan. 20, 2017, an article with the headline “All References
to Climate Change Have Been Deleted From the White House
Website” was published on Motherboard, a Vice website focused
on science and technology. Later that day, someone shared the
article on Reddit’s r/politics where a user named “beaverteeth92”
commented: “There needs to be a Scientists’ March on Washington.”
Soon after that, a “March for Science” group popped up on
Facebook. It grew from 200 members to 300,000 in less than a
week. In the space of three months, what started as a comment
on social media grew into a physical, global event with hundreds
of thousands of participants.
May 2018 SPRAY 45
or who are misinformed dominate online discussions…
Chemical & Engineering News hosts a photo blog on Tumblr called
Chemistry in Pictures that highlights the visual aspect of the central
science. The content is also shared regularly via the American Chemical
Society Instagram account (@AmerChemSociety). More stunning chemistry
images can be found searching for the hashtag #CENChemPics.