Outreach: the gift that keeps on giving

Rebecca Allen tells us about her positive experience with public outreach and why scientists should dedicate their precious free time to educate the public…

The academic world is full of knowledge and the pursuit of wisdom. We are the people who have chosen to dedicate our careers, and lives really, to understanding and explaining how and why everything is the way it is. However, to be a full time researcher for any of the hard sciences can be a gruelling and unforgiving profession, with the daunting law of publish or perish always looming in the background. In addition, at most universities, there are the responsibilities of teaching and the public opinion that we, as scientists, owe everyone an explanation of our work because we are largely funded by the government. So why, on top of all of the other stresses and pressures of a career in science, would a person want to dedicate their precious free time to educating the public? For me the answer is simple, you get what you give and the more people we can reach out to and inspire, the better it will be for the future of science.

First, I must say that public outreach is about more than educating the public on current research. It is about using your own passion to inspire others to follow their passions or ignite ones they didn't even know they had. It is about sharing a sense of wonder and excitement. It is also about creating a sense of community.

As a PhD student in Astronomy, I know that mine is a special case because there has always been a strong public interest in my field. Even at the earliest stages of education, space has made a place for itself. Ask any primary student what their favourite planet is and not only will they have answer for you, but they can usually round off more facts than most astrophysicists. But it is because we are introduced to astronomy at an early age and in a positive way, that we form a real attachment to it. Take Pluto for example, I know so many people who were genuinely upset that Pluto had been demoted to a dwarf planet because it was something they grew up with, something they cared about.

This is why children are a crucial audience; they are the most enthusiastic and curious. The world to them is still an open book waiting to be explored. I know that as a child I could not learn enough. If you were to take the time to explain something to me, not only did that concept become engraved in my mind, but the special feeling that someone was giving me attention made him or her an idol to me. And now, I feel that it is my turn.

I have pursued public outreach in all forms and fashions. From star-parties to radio interviews to writing articles about recent discoveries and results, I love sharing my knowledge about the cosmos. However, obtaining this knowledge is a long and arduous road, and without support and inspiration I would not have made it very far.

First and foremost, I have to give credit to the late Dr Carl Sagan, whose show COSMOS was integral in both teaching me and filling me with awe about the Universe. His ability to have a philosophical conversation with you through a television screen while wearing a classic 1970’s outfit made him both respectable and approachable. Here was a scientist that cared whether or not you knew the wonders of the Universe and wanted to share them with you.

Today, there are others who have assumed prominent roles as science popularisers. Bill Nye has earned the love of my generation through his fun and quirky television show, Bill Nye the Science Guy, which is centred on basic laboratory experiments. Bill Nye is also very vocal about the importance of science to our wellbeing; I have personally witnessed him tell a room full of corporate and military leaders that they should be doing more to fund crucial climate research. Another key figure is Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson, who has recently starred in a reboot of COSMOS. Dr Tyson has not only reached out to the public but is active in encouraging young scientists like myself to continue the pursuit of higher education and research.

It is people like this who are making a global impact and bringing the beauty and importance of science to all audiences. But these are only a handful of people and it is too much for them alone. We need every day scientists reaching out and sharing their amazing research with their community because you never know what impact you may have, you just might inspire the next Einstein.

The author: 

Rebecca Allen is a PhD candidate at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia studying the growth of young galaxies.