tos launches new journal club!
Dear tastees,
As with everyone else who plans events during this pandemic, we have been trying to find ways to keep you interested. So, we are happy to introduce you to Peers’n’Pubs journal club!
What is it?
Scientific literature is difficult to comprehend even for experts due to highly technical language. Peers’n’Pubs is a new program from taste of science designed to make scientific literature more accessible through intentional science communication. Just as scientists use journal clubs to critically evaluate literature among colleagues, we are using Peers’n’Pubs to encourage audiences to evaluate a piece of scientific literature with our scientist presenter and their guest.
How are we doing this?
Kristina, our first host, shows us the jargon alerts!
We are offering scicomm training to any interested scientist with a focus in plain language and engagement activities.
Each scientist will present with a friend or family member who can challenge them to explain their science in an easy-to-understand way.
Our host and guest will provide ‘Jargon Alerts’ if the science gets too complicated! This is to make sure we are providing accessible information.
We want to highlight scientific publications in an accurate, inclusive and accessible way. And so, Peers’n’Pubs came to be. We will tackle everything from the publication process to impact factors in the context of fun research and science. We also want to help our audience critically evaluate science while providing good, evidence-based materials to assist with that evaluation.
Why should you care?
Historically, the ability to read and write was restricted only to those with the most resources. As time passed and things changed, people gained access to information that was previously not available including science. Even though availability increased, it was not accessible due to the jargony language. You had to be a specialist to understand it.
Scientific publications are how knowledge is shared among scientists. It is also important that everyone has access to the information in these publications. Science is one major way we, as humans, change and improve our lives. We want to empower and challenge you to take part in these endeavors while holding ourselves accountable to providing this knowledge.
WELCOME!
Our inaugural event kicks off toward the end of shark week!
Who: Anabela Maia, shark scientist & Ren Whitaker, artist extraordinaire
What: How do dorsal fins keep sharks steady when they swim?
When: August 15, 2020 7 ET | 6 CT | 4 PT
→ Click on this link to register. ←
We’d like to also give a shout out to our friends at RockEDU Science Outreach for their inspiration and openness in allowing us to learn from their journal club model. Check them out here!