I am lucky enough to work with some amazing people in an enrichment program for teens who love science. The leaders create activities to help students explore science in different ways. These exercises are usually more than the usual outreach or classroom activity – but they could be adapted to work within classrooms or for […]
Chemical-free cleaners don’t exist, so why am I still reading about them?
by Susan Vickers Chemophobia is major problem, and it is time scientists to do more to stop the press intensifying it. I welcome all discussion on ways to inform journalists and petition news agencies to report in a conscientious and scientifically correct manner. As a chemist, misuse of the term chemical frustrates me. The use […]
Connecting is important: local workshop
We get so busy but it is important to take a break, connect with others, and see how your work fits in the greater picture. I had the opportunity to do this at a local outreach workshop on March 7th. It was an inspiring day and I loved the chance to see what others are […]
Finkbeiner posts: round 2
More students writing about scientists! Not only do they get to learn about some cool science, they get to think about how communication can impact the take away message. Over half the students in our program are girls and yet our ‘wall of scientists photos are predominantly men. The students could write about either gender […]
Curling and Science Literacy
I like curling and I like science. In 2012, I saw the chance to talk about both of them in a ScienceOnline session with fellow Canadian Marie-Claire Shanahan. How did these two disparate things fit together? Both science and curling can seem boring or confusing if you don’t know the language or the process.
Earthing: Science or Marketing?
I love that people want scientific explanations for how to improve their health. But in the realm of alternative health, the science is often cherry-picked and applied incorrectly – despite sounding impressive, the explanations are often misinterpretations of the scientific principles and collapse when subjected to scrutiny. On a positive note, the attempts to use […]
Take a Closer Look
Guest post: Jenny McQueen 1 I like to look. I like to take a real, good, close-up look. As a child, I examined the fleas pulled from my dogs. I hunted through their fur for the fleas that were fat with blood and placed them under my childs microscope. This unseen world was exciting and […]