Handbook: Organise a Project for Public Understanding of Science

"Science and technology understanding: exclusively for research scientists, engineers and technicians? Not at all! It's an issue for everybody!"

This handbook caters to all those who have little or no experience of science outreach activities management and wish to set up a project. It was originally created to assist project initiators and their partners in the developing countries of Africa taking part in the programme Promotion de la Culture scientifique et technique, which was run by the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) at the request of the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

According to the handbook, a project for public understanding of science means:

Initiating: building awareness

• Create tools to enable people to discover science.
• Make scientists' methods more familiar.
• Arouse people's interest and give them a keen appetite for knowledge.
• Train people how to raise questions and observe.
• Help people discover scientific professions.

Federating: mobilising

• Encourage the public to watch science as it progresses.
• Attract scientists to come out from their laboratories.
• Organise meetings and other events with scientists.

Communicating: promoting in the media

• Enable people to get to know about the advances of science.
• Foster the general public's access to scientific information.
• Bring science into public debate.

Contents include:

Public Understanding of Science

• Science and technology understanding
• Science and technology - a crucial part of our daily lives
• What is it for?
• Science as culture

Tools for Public Understanding of Science

• Exhibitions
• Workshops and clubs - Sample tips: Offer activities - in the form of a "science club" - that are inexpensive and highly suited for young people and that also provide the opportunity to adopt the experimental approach of a research scientist. Another idea proposed here is "science chests", which include supporting materials and science information designed to spark a series of activities around a given subject. These chests are designed to be easy to transport and so worthwhile for a public difficult to reach (in rural areas, or those who would not go regularly to cultural centres).
• Publications
• Audiovisual productions - Audiovisuals offer various opportunities in both developed and developing countries, for example: a possibility of presenting to those with low literacy; a means to reach more diverse population groups in multilingual societies; and the chance to making mobile presentations to audiences who have fewer technological resources and less connectivity.
• Pictures - For example, comics - highly illustrated, low-vocabulary publications - might appeal in certain settings (e.g., developing countries).
• Meeting scientists
• Public events
• Performance events
• The media

Design a Project for Public Understanding of Science

• Who can organise a science outreach project?
• 1001 ways to organise an outreach project
• The feasibility study
• Drawing up a provisional budget
• Fund raising
• The project presentation file

Implement a Project for Public Understanding of Science

• Organize
• Manage
• Carry out the plan
• Communicate
• Wind up the project