Talking about Science

Science communication is a very important but if nobody is interested in the ideas then what is the point? In the article by Sarah Davies called Learning to engage; engaging to learn: the purposes of informal science—public dialogue, Davies talks about engaging the public and thus make science more interesting. Davies refers to this idea as, public engagement with science and technology, better known as PEST which is a fantastic acronym if you ask me. Anyways in this article Davies focuses on informal communication of science. This can include museums, discussion groups, dinners, etc. These venues of communication have a way of making the outcome of the ideas impact the individual. (An example of one in Colorado is Cafe Sientifique)


This informal communication relates to Disney and how they share their information with the public. Both Davies and Disney believe in keeping people involved and interested. For Disney, they add whimsical entertainment to their rides and attractions. For example, in The Circle of Life movie at EPCOT, there are well known characters from the Lion King conveying the need for environmental preservation.

Another ride in which Disney uses a different type of communication is in The Living with the Land Boat Ride. On this journey, a person will have 13 min of information dumped into their lap. However, this ride is showcasing the different ways that scientists plan to help the farmers worldwide to produce the foods they need.

These different forms of information make people more engaged into scientific information and can allow for a more valued way of communicating science.