That’s a very ambitious title for a talk and it’s carried through in the description. From a November 12, 2019 Café Scientifque announcement (received via email),
Our next café will happen on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH 2019 at 7:30PM in the back room at YAGGER’S DOWNTOWN (433 W PENDER). Our speaker for the evening will be science journalist Koby Michaels who teaches science communication to scientists and students.
BUILDING A BETTER WORLD THROUGH SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Science communication is in the spotlight in recent years as science realizes the power of well-communicated science. As science-focused issues like climate change become more central to everyday life, science communication is an increasingly important field of practice and study.
But science communication is still finding its footing in the modern world and has big questions to answer. What is the best way of communicating science? What’s the role of science communication in solving pressing global issues? Can science stories change attitudes and correct misconceptions?
Join Koby as he screens recent work. Learn the basic principles of science communication, explore a case study of science communication done right (and wrong), and try your hand at communicating science.
Koby Michaels is a science communicator, educator, and filmmaker. Despite his best efforts to become a scientist, The Ubyssey {student newspaper at UBC] hooked Koby on storytelling, where he founded its science section. Koby has travelled across Canada and the Arctic, filming and editing stories about science, education, and Indigeneity for Canada’s leading STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] outreach organization, Actua. Koby teaches science communication to scientists and students through SciCATS, a Vancouver-based science communication collective. Koby has worked with WBUR, NPR [US National Public Radio], UBC [University of British Columbia], and the University of Alberta.
Science communication is probably as close as anything I have to an area of expertise so I’m fascinated by Michaels’s approach to the topic. A little grandiose for my taste, I would have gone the cranky route with ‘Science communication: What the Hell?!?’
As for science communication being in the spotlight: huh? I wish Michaels had built his case for that statement. I do believe there is more interest but it’s difficult to know how far that extends past the usual suspects.
In checking out his bonafides, I see he founded Koby Michaels Communication in September 2019 according to his LinkedIn profile. He also has a website featuring his work, which is strongly focused on video while some writing is also featured.
There’s a strong whiff of self-promotion in the description for the talk. Hopefully he buttress that with some good content and, if nothing else, you can get a beer while you’re listening and watching. Who knows? Maybe you’ll witness the beginning of a new and exciting talent in science communication.
For anyone curious about Actua, their website is here. BTW, it seems to me that Let’s Talk Science has an overlapping mandate with Actua. That said, choices are good when you’re looking for programs. Finally, I can’t access the SciCATS website at this time.