Spanning the Spectrum with Public Science

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Spanning the Spectrum

Kimberly Kowal Arcand • September 28, 2012Chandra X-ray Center/Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Cambridge, MA USA

PUBLIC SCIENCE

with

PUBLIC SCIENCE

NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory

Orbits ~1/3 of the way to the moon.

Studies the high-energy regions of the

Universe including black holes,

exploding stars and colliding galaxies.

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Chandra has imaged the spectacular, glowing remains of exploded stars, and taken spectra showing the dispersal of elements. Chandra has observed the region around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way, and found black holes across the Universe. Chandra has traced the separation of dark matter from normal matter in the collision of galaxies in a cluster and is contributing to both dark matter and dark energy studies. As its mission continues, Chandra will continue to discover startling new science about our high-energy Universe.

PUBLIC SCIENCEElectromagnetic Spectrum & NASA’s Great Observatories

PUBLIC SCIENCETimeline

Chandra Digital & Online Projects

Kim Arcand

DiversifyingSocial media & mobile platforms: Blogs, Photo Blog, Podcasts (HD), Twitter, YouTube, FB; Space scoop for kids; Sign language; audio files for Braille projects.

Longevity6,000 public images fully tagged with metadata/AVM (GoogleSky, Microsoft WWT, Flickr, etc.)

EngagementTopic-based content portals (Learn About Black Holes, SNR-), Interactive web & 3D (Cas A), openFits, user ratings, etc.

MultimodalMulti-user multi-touch platforms (such as MS Surface)


Studying the public’s perception and understanding of astronomical imagery across multiple

traditional and non-traditional venues and platforms, including mobile and web platforms.

Research and Methodologies: Aesthetics & Astronomy

Kim Arcand

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Research questions: • How much do variations in presentation of color, explanation, and scale affect comprehension of astronomical images?

• What are the differences between various populations (experts, novices, students) in terms of what they learn from the images?

• What misconceptions do the non-experts have about astronomy and the images they are exposed to?

Does presentation have an effect – whether aesthetic or in terms of learning?

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Outcomes:• Providing context for the image is critical to comprehension.

• Experts prefer text that is shorter/to the point; novices prefer narrative expository style to accompany image.

• A sense of scale with the images is helpful for comprehension at all levels of expertise.

• Experts and novices view the images differently. Novices begin with a sense of awe/wonder, and focus first on the aesthetic qualities. Experts wonder how the image was produced, what information is being presented in the image, and what the creators of the image wanted to convey. • Experts are much more likely to view blue as hot than are novices; about 80% of novices see red as hot compared to 60% of experts.

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Applying the results in Chandra EPO products:


Latest data analysis includes evidence for

understanding the effectiveness of an astronomy

exhibition in terms of gauging how much visitors

have learned; what type of story format may be best

for engaging the visitor/participant learning; and

what type of platform may be best for

implementation.

To be submitted, Curator

Papers/articles at

http://astroart.cfa.harvard.edu/

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From Earth to the Universe (FETTU)

– www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org

– IYA 2009 cornerstone project

– Unique model for astronomy outreach:

• Distributed Curation

• Global to Local Methodology

• Non-traditional locations for astronomy outreach

PUBLIC SCIENCE

FETTU results were inspiring:

Over 1000 locations in ~70 countries

(translated into over 40 languages)

Still ongoing in 2012.

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Public art

“ artwork that has been planned and executed with the

specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical

public domain, usually outside and accessible to all.”

Below: The Gates by Christo and Jean-Claude; Big Yellow Rabbit by Florentijn Hofman; Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoo

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Equivalent for science? Public science =

“science outreach that has been conducted

outdoors or in another type of public or

accessible space such as a public park, metro

stop, library etc. with the intention of engaging

the public.”

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Past examples include:

• Science City (New York: 1994-1995)

• Science on the Buses (UK, Canada, others)

• Science Festivals:

– Long tradition of these in European & other countries.

– US catching on: USA Science & Engineering Festival, World Science Festival, etc.

PUBLIC SCIENCE

From Earth to the Universe (FETTU)

– www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org

– IYA 2009 cornerstone project

– Unique model for astronomy outreach:

• Distributed Curation

• Global to Local Methodology

PUBLIC SCIENCE

FETTU results were inspiring:

over 1000 locations in over 70 countries

(text translated into over 40 languages.)

Images courtesy of the From Earth to the Universe project

PUBLIC SCIENCE

From Earth to the Solar System (FETTSS)

– A collection of 90 images that cover astronomy, astrobiology, and planetary science

– ~100 FETTSS sites worldwide

– http://fettss.arc.nasa.gov/ for the locations map, event photos, free materials.

PUBLIC SCIENCE

PUBLIC SCIENCE

• Researching in FETTSS & beyond– Who are we attracting in these

“everyday situations”? • More incidental visitors than

intentional visitors with public science?

• Less-science-initiated audience than science centers/planetariums?

– Do participants follow up with local science center, library or other resources?

– Is there any reshaping of the participant’s identity (or non-identity) with science through public science?

PUBLIC SCIENCE

• Preliminary data analysis (4/7 sites so far)

– Corpus Christi, Texas: Mall (CC)

– National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC: Outside on the National Mall (NASM)

– Central Florida University: Campus Library (CFU)

– Kansas City, Missouri: Union Station train station (KC)

= Slightly younger audience than Chandra web site average, rated selves more novice in astronomy knowledge, more incidental visitors than those looking for astronomy, small learning gains, and increased interest.

PUBLIC SCIENCE


Researching projects to take a more holistic

view of astronomy, including and branching

out towards chemistry, environmental

science, earth science, art, etc.

Astronomy +

Kim Arcand

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Holistic Approach. Here, There, & Everywhere (HTE)

– Compares phenomena across scale (micro to macro)

– Capitalize on eye-catching visuals with the power of analogy in public spaces (libraries, malls, etc.)

– First exhibits launched in September 2012.

– http://hte.si.edu

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Light That Does Not Pass

You are relaxing with a book on a nice sunny day when a friend leans over your shoulder and the page goes dark. “Hey, you’re blocking my light!” It is a familiar experience. Any time an object blocks the light from another source, it forms a shadow.

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Where the Wind Blows

Winds can move particles from one place to another. On Earth, winds can blow briefly during a storm, and over long time scales, as in the jet stream. Winds have also been detected over long time scales, as in the jet stream. Winds have also been detected on other planets, in the space between stars, and in galaxies.

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ZAP!

You shuffle along a carpet, reach out to touch a doorknob and—zap!—a sudden flow of current, or electric discharge, gives you a mild shock. The cause? Friction between your feet and the carpet built up negative electric charge on your body. Electric discharges can occur wherever there is a large build-up of electric charge, and can create spectacular displays of sudden energy release on Earth and in space.

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Atomic Light Show

Atoms, the building blocks of matter, are constantly in motion, moving around at speeds that are thousands of miles per hour at room temperatures, and millions of miles per hour behind a supernova shock wave. In a collision of an atom with another atom, or with a free-roaming electron, energy can be transferred to the atom. This extra energy can then be released in the form of a light wave.

PUBLIC SCIENCE

Bent Light

What happens when light is bent? When light passes from one type of material to another, its path can be bent and the original image is distorted. Environments from eyeglasses to massive galaxies can cause lensing to take place.

Because what happens here, happens there, happens everywhere.http://hte.si.edu/light

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Spring 2013. FETTU & FETTSS in book form

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Public science on Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_science

Arcand, K.K., Watzke, M., “Creating Public Science with the From Earth to the Universe Project” Science Communication. Vol 33(3) 398–407, Sept. 2011.

[email protected]

Twitter: @kimberlykowal

http://yourtickettotheuniverse.com

Spanning the Spectrum with Public Science

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