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1. Building a more engaged scientist from the bottom up: The impact of public engagement training on undergraduate students

   https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302671  

   Patson, Nikole D; Wagner, Laura (April 2024, PLOS ONE)

   Vasconcelos, Sonia (Ed.)

   Engaging with the public is increasingly seen as an important role of scientists. Despite that, few opportunities exist for undergraduate students to receive training in engaging with the public about science. Thus, little is known about the impact of such training on students. The goal of the current study was to investigate the impact of public engagement training on participants in a summer program for undergraduates that provides training in both research and engagement activities. The results of our interviews suggest that providing opportunities for undergraduates to engage with the public (1) has many personal, academic, and career benefits for students; (2) increases participants’ interest in public engagement; and (3) may contribute to helping students develop and maintain an identity as scientists. Importantly, students from minoritized racial groups may be even more impacted by this experience. These data suggest that early experiences with public engagement may not only be an important way to increase the number of publicly engaged scientists but may also broaden participation in science. 

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2. The Language Science Station at Planet Word: a language research and engagement laboratory at a language museum

   https://doi.org/10.1515/lingvan-2024-0077  

   Vaughn, Charlotte; Mechtenberg, Hannah; Contreras, Jessica Orozco (September 2024, Linguistics Vanguard)

   The Language Science Station (LSS) is a research and engagement laboratory operating at the Planet Word museum in Washington, DC, representing a unique partnership between language researchers and a museum dedicated to language. The LSS invites Planet Word guests – ranging from local to international visitors – to participate in research studies and engage in educational activities with student language scientists from diverse academic backgrounds. In doing so, we broaden participation in the language sciences among both the researchers and the participant population. This paper outlines the goals, values, and structure of the LSS, highlighting our dual emphases on research and engagement. We focus on several aspects of the project. These include our novel multi-university researcher-museum partnership, the different considerations that we find are necessary for conducting research in a museum setting compared to the laboratory, and our training of researchers and student research assistants. The paper also provides reflections from students on their interactions with museum visitors. We share our experiences with the broader scholarly community in an effort to lower barriers for other behavioral scientists interested in combining research and engagement in public venues. 

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3. Reversing the Lens on Public Engagement with Science: Positive Benefits for Participating Scientists

   https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac003  

   Nadkarni, Nalini M.; Horns, Joshua; Chen, Jacqueline M.; Morris, Jeremy S.; Bush, Kelli; Scalice, Daniella; Trivett, Joslyn R.; Anholt, Allison (February 2022, BioScience)

   Abstract Scientists increasingly seek to respond to urgent calls for equity in science but may be unsure how to engage with underserved public groups. Prisons, jails, and detention centers are venues in which scientists may use their educational privilege to serve and empower diverse populations that are underserved by science education and underrepresented in science disciplines. We reversed the lens that traditionally focuses on the benefits of public engagement to the audience by documenting the impacts of delivering science lectures on the scientists who offered seminars to incarcerated people. The scientists who engaged in carceral settings gained professional benefits, shifted their preconceptions of incarcerated people, raised their perceived value of community engagement, and increased their interest in social justice. Some took direct actions for social change. This program could model effective engagement for other underserved groups in our society. We provide guidance to initiate such a program in other institutions. 

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4. The importance of science communication and public engagement to professional associations

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.70017  

   Dunnwald, Martine; DeLeon, Valerie B; Burrows, Anne M (March 2025, Anatomical Sciences Education)

   Abstract Scientific associations exist to serve their members and advance their science. They also provide a platform for scientists to communicate their science and engage with the public, such as hosting free resources on their web pages and organizing outreach activities with local communities. Historically, scientific associations were often internally focused. Despite the common stereotype of exclusive clubs of gentleman naturalists, there are numerous examples since the 17th century of scientific associations encouraging public engagement. This became increasingly common, and throughout the last several decades, scientific associations like the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) have been working to make changes in how science, scientists, and the public work together to produce the best scientific outcomes. This viewpoint defines different levels of relationships between the scientist and the public and how they affect outcomes related to the public's trust in science and scientists. It then provides a historical perspective on how associations have contributed to the communication of science. Lastly, it discusses the role of associations in science communication and public engagement and whether it is important for associations and why. It concludes with examples of the strategic programs of AAA that demonstrate how scientific associations can support public engagement, resulting in benefits to the public, scientists, and the anatomical sciences. 

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5. Beyond the Deficit Model: The Ambassador Approach to Public Engagement

   https://doi.org/doi:10.1093/biosci/biz018  

   Nadfkarni, N.; Weber, C.; Goldman, S.; Schatz, D.; Allen, S.; Menlove, R. (April 2019, BioScience)

   null (Ed.)

   Scientists are increasingly motivated to engage the public, particularly those who do not or cannot access traditional science education opportunities. Communication researchers have identified shortcomings of the deficit model approach, which assumes that skepticism toward science is based on a lack of information or scientific literacy, and encourage scientists to facilitate open-minded exchange with the public. We describe an ambassador approach, to develop a scientist’s impact identity, which integrates his or her research, personal interests and experiences to achieve societal impacts. The scientist identifies a community or focal group to engage, on the basis of his or her impact identity, learns about that group, and promotes inclusion of all group members by engaging in venues in which that group naturally gathers, rather than in traditional education settings. Focal group members stated that scientists communicated effectively and were responsive to participant questions and ideas. Scientists reported professional and personal benefits from this approach. 

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