Peer-reviewed articles, publications and citations are the currency of the scientific realm. While they are a professional necessity for the scientific community, jargon and technicalities don’t get you far when trying to engage the general public – that is, getting the average person to ‘get’ science, much less care about it.

In order to unlock that magical moment where scientific possibility truly resonates with people, we need to connect the precision of science with the flawed human world in which it exists.

This session is a to-the-point, earnest look at the importance of showing the human side of science, and the benefits of bringing creativity and compassion in to a world that prizes rule and order.

Examples will include the multi-million-dollar informal settlement upgrading research program, RISE. RISE is working to improve the lives of more than 7,000 informal settlement residents in Fiji and Indonesia, by strengthening access to essential water and sanitation services. We will explore the humanity behind this research trial that operates in a world of UN agencies, scientists and researchers, ministries of foreign affairs, international non-profits, and informal settlement communities.

How will your session be structured?
20-minute presentation with 10 minutes for questions.

What type of session will this be?
Practice insights: speakers describe, demonstrate and/or evaluate specific science communication practices.

What will participants gain from attending your session?
With so many intelligent minds in the room, this presentation is not aimed at being earth shattering or offer solutions people haven’t heard before. It’s meant to spark creative, empathetic thinking, start discussions among colleagues and friends, and inspire people in their own work. RISE as a case study is quite unique and will spark interest.

Presenter

Candice Lever, RISE Communications Officer, Monash Sustainable Development Institute

When: TBC
Where: TBC
Hashtag: TBC