Thomas Söderqvist The Science Communication Group at Imperial College, London invites to a conference on Science & the Public, May 19, 2007.
Science studies research tends to focus on “the lab”, being chiefly concerned with the internal workings of the scientific community. This conference aims to bring together the strands of academia that consider science as it intersects with non-scientific cultures. The conference title’s dichotomy between “science” and “the public” consciously references the approach often taken by the scientific community. We are aware of the variety of problems of referring to the “the public”; research problematising the term may form part of the conference programme. Other topics covered may include:
- Science and the arts (including science fiction)
- Innovation studies and science policy research
- Popular science
- NGOs, science and development
- The continuing application of the “deficit model”
- Public programmes aiming at “Engagement with Science”
- Boundary work
- Specific media: films, the internet, museums, radio and others
- Science and education: young vs. old, formal vs. informal
There is no especially contemporary focus and historical work on any of these areas would be most welcome. Neither do we limit submission to those within the science studies community, or only from the UK. We would particularly like to encourage those who take a critical approach to the topics described above to submit abstracts. Moreover we should stress this is an academic – rather than practitioner-focussed – conference.
The conference will focus on, but not be limited to, early-career researchers. E-mail abstracts (no longer than 300 words) for a 20-minute presentation to scienceandpublic@googlemail.com by 1 March 2007.
Enquires also to Sarah Davies, Science Communication Group, Imperial College London, sarah.davies@imperial.ac.uk, ph.+44 07968324655, www.imperial.ac.uk/people/sarah.davies
