Stand-up comedy to rise scientific vocations

Author: Helena González-Burón – Big Van Science, Spain

Co-author: Oriol Marimon Garrido – Big Van Science

Young people often have a narrow concept of science and this can limit their future engagement with the subject. Many also struggle to identify, on a cultural level, with science and hence do not aspire to scientific careers. This lack of aspiration is particularly seen among girls and those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Young people do have interest in science, particularly when listening to stories that include phenomena related to everyday life, and in the way that science helps to make sense of the world.

The PERFORM H2020 project aims to develop young people’s conceptions and awareness of science, scientists and scientific research. But it looks to move beyond merely increasing scientific and technological knowledge to developing a reflective knowing of science in which young people can consider its purposes, values, and how it becomes reality. After series of exploratory workshops developed in secondary schools at Barcelona, Paris, and Bristol, Big Van Science developed a useful guideline to include in science shows perceptions, constraints, and ideas that teenagers have about science and its related values. The performance presented here incorporates some of these guidelines in a Stand-Up Comedy show that has been delivered in front of more than 20.000 students with very positive results in its capacity to change perceptions about science and scientists’ stereotypes.

http://www.perform-research.eu/

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Perfomance
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice