This international organisation showcases the work of women, non-binary and 2SLGBTQ+ scientists by having them engage with the public in busy spaces, such as malls, parks and beaches. Soapbox Science brings science to the streets and makes it possible for people to talk to and learn from their local researchers, including PhD students, professors, and those working outside of academia.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic preventing in-person gatherings, Soapbox Science continued its mission of engaging with the public and held its 2021 event virtually. Professor Adina Luican-Mayer was one of sixteen scientists who participated in this outreach event. She saw the online event as an opportunity to bring folks virtually into her lab at uOttawa. Thus, the condensed matter physicist was not only able to tell the audience about her work but could also show them how she does research in the lab. She recalls hearing many variations of, “Wow! What’s that?” from the enthusiastic audience as she presented the different equipment in her lab, such as a microscope that can see individual atoms in a material, and explained how they are used to develop quantum functionality in ultrathin 2D materials. Questions from younger students in the audience addressed issues around underrepresentation in STEM fields, emphasizing the important role that events like Soapbox Science play in encouraging and inspiring a diverse pipeline in the sciences.
Prof. Luican-Mayer stresses the importance of scientific literacy, of connecting communities to scientists and educating people on science topics with relevance for the environment, new technologies or health. Scientific outreach has a key role to play in raising public awareness of and support for science and can promote science-informed policy. She highlights that outreach events like Soapbox Science are a way to provide role models for the next generation, especially important in addressing the lack of diversity in STEM. She hopes that seeing scientists like themselves can empower youth from underrepresented groups to embark on similar paths.
Read more:
