Slides - Agenda INFN

Communicating current research
Museums and science centres in the dialogue between
science and society
Paola Rodari, SISSA Medialab, Erice, 9° of May 2010
Ciutad de la Ciencia Valencia, Spain
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris, France
CosmoCaixa, Barcelona, Spain
CosmoCaica, Barcelona, Spain
Natural History Museum, London, UK
Natural History Museum, London, UK
Museo del Balì, Saltara, Italy
Museo del Balì, Saltara, Italy
research
education
conservation
social
responsability
“As science becomes more ubiquitous,
it becomes a victim of its own success,
placed under greater external pressure to
reflect consciously on its political, economic,
and cultural contexts”.
Global Governance of Science, Report, DG Research, 2009
Romania – “My drawing
shows how people pollute
the environment because of
the nuclear research”
“The scientific images that populate our head do not only take the
shape of more or less approximate concepts, facts, notions, data.
They also – and previously – exist in the ambiguous, contradictory
and very interesting form of stratified metaphors, symbols, dreams,
fears that interact through osmosis and several exchanges. (…)
Before reading a textbook or a popular science magazine, the
common individual builds his/her representation of science and
scientist by sniffing it, more or less consciously, in soap operas, in
films, in figurative arts, in music. Therefore, studying the scientific
culture also means to study those semi-invisible paths and those
contradictions, which are embarrassing and very interesting.”
Yuri Castelfranchi, For a paleonthology of scientific
imaginery,
Jcom 02 03, 2003
France – “A person who works
in science and makes
experiments with toxic liquids”
France – The enthomologist
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm
The necessity of dialogue
People have not only scientific knowledge,
but also
• Opinions
• Expectations
• Fears
• Needs
• Emotions
• Images
The necessity of dialogue
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•
•
•
Trust and support
Governance
Recruitement
Informing, communicating
Presenting current research
New kind of exhibits
New kind of exhibitions
Research and researchers live
New kind of events
Art and science
Finished science
Unfinished science
Challenge for Museums
Story complete
Story incomplete
How identify the story?
Unchanging
Changing
How to track the story?
Significance clear
Significance unclear
How to tell the story?
Characterized by
knowledge
Characterized by ignorance
How to deal with the partiality
Characterized by certainty
Characterized by uncertainty
How to handle doubt?
Scientists mostly agree
Scientists often disagree
How to handle controversy?
Attention focused on payoff – “so what?”
Attention focused on process –
“What’s up?”
How to handle human &
cultural dimension?
Finished and unfinished science and the challenge for museums.
From John Durant, The challenge and the Opportunity of presenting “Unfinished Science”, in:
Chittenden David, Farmelo Graham, Lewenstein Bruce (eds), Creating Connection – Museums and the
Public Understanding of current research, Altamira Press, Walnut Creek, California 2004
Discussion/dialogue exhibits – Exhibits that
allow visitors to express their own opinion (for
example through computers), and/or exhibits that
invite to the dialogue among visitors (for example
through multitouch screens)
Wellcome Galleries, London
@Bristol, Bristol, UK
@Bristol, Bristol, UK
Wellcome wing, Science Museum, London
La CitŽs des Sciences et de lÕIndustrie ha attivato fin dalla propria nascita uno spazio
denominato Science actualitŽ, dapprima esterno alle aree espositive, oggi co llocato al
loro centro. L'obiettivo, secondo il direttore Alain Labouze , di Òinfo rmare
sullÕessenziale dei temi di attualitˆ scientifica e tecnologica, privile giando i tempi
lungh i dellÕattualit ˆ (i temi di fondo) e facilitare la comprensione delle sfide legate
allÕevoluzione della scienza e della tecnicaÓ,ma anche Òdecodifi care i meccanism i di
fabbricazione dellÕinformazione scientifica, contribuendo cos“ allÕapprendimento di
una lettura critica dellÕattualit ˆ v eicolata dai diversi mediaÓ(Labouze , 2004).i
New kind of exhibitions
i
LÕintervento pubblicato in un interessante numero speciale della Lettre de lÕOCIM (Office
de CoopŽration et dÕInformation MusŽographiques) dedicato allÕattualitˆ scientifica nei mus ei,
intitolato ÇÊFaut-il traiter de lÕactualit Ž scientif ique et commentÊ?Ê
È (Bisogna trattare lÕattualitˆ
scientifica e comeÊ?).
Current science exhibitions – Temporary, small
exhibitions, easily updated, that are focused on new
trends and/or ongoing problems: genetic testing,
privacy and IT technology, OGM and pests control,
etc. For example the dedicated areas Science
Actualité (La cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie,
Paris) and Antenna (Science Museum, London).
La CitŽs des Sciences et de lÕIndustrie ha attivato fin dalla propria nascita uno spazio
denominato Science actualitŽ, dapprima esterno alle aree espositive, oggi co llocato al
loro centro. L'obiettivo, secondo il direttore Alain Labouze , di Òinfo rmare
sullÕessenziale dei temi di attualitˆ scientifica e tecnologica, privile giando i tempi
lungh i dellÕattualit ˆ (i temi di fondo) e facilitare la comprensione delle sfide legate
allÕevoluzione della scienza e della tecnicaÓ,ma anche Òdecodifi care i meccanism i di
fabbricazione dellÕinformazione scientifica, contribuendo cos“ allÕapprendimento di
una lettura critica dellÕattualit ˆ v eicolata dai diversi mediaÓ(Labouze , 2004).i
New kind of exhibitions
i
LÕintervento pubblicato in un interessante numero speciale della Lettre de lÕOCIM (Office
de CoopŽration et dÕInformation MusŽographiques) dedicato allÕattualitˆ scientifica nei mus ei,
intitolato ÇÊFaut-il traiter de lÕactualit Ž scientif ique et commentÊ?Ê
È (Bisogna trattare lÕattualitˆ
scientifica e comeÊ?).
Science Actualitè, La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris
Antenna, Science Museum, London
“Antenna is a world first - a
constantly updated series of
exhibitions devoted to science
news, including breaking stories
provided by the BBC. Visit to see
the objects behind the headlines
and meet scientists in regular live
events”.
Antenna, Science Museum, London
Antenna, Science Museum, London
Antenna, Science Museum, London
What is a controversial issue?
• Scientific controversies
• Ethical issues (economical, social, …)
regarding scientific applications
• Problems of the contemporary society
that require science and technology to
be solved, but science and technology
are not the only variables to be taken in
account
science
science
science
ethics
interests
science
technology
ethics
environmental
compatibility
Research and researcher live –
The organization of spaces where
scientists can meet regularly the
public with the help or professional
mediators (for example: Nature live
programme at the Attenborough
Studium, Natural History Museum,
London), or visitors can observe
directly (with obvious limits and
expedients) scientists at work (for
example: the Darwin Centre,
Natural History Museum, London).
Natural History Museum, London
Darwin Centre 2, Natural History Museum, London
Darwin Centre, Natural History Museum, London
Darwin Centre, Natural
History Museum, London
Darwin Centre,
Natural History
Museum, London
Darwin Centre,
Natural History
Museum, London
Darwin Centre, Natural History Museum, London
Darwin Centre, Natural History Museum, London
Darwin Centre, Natural History Museum, London
MeSci, Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Tokio
MeSci, Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Tokio
The Production of Proteins from
DNA
“You will learn the process of selfreplication of DNA, which is the
substance of the genome, and the
process of transition of DNA
information to proteins as genes.
Using the display device created
based on research data, the
distribution and the higher-order
structure of protein can be viewed
freely. Try getting a sense of the
latest genome drug discovery
research and network research”.
Current Science & Technology Centre, Museum of Science, Boston
Current Science & Technology Centre, Museum of Science, Boston
Consensus
conference
Citizens jury
Debates
Science café
Focus group
Role play
New kind of activities
Participatory events - New kind
of methodologies have been
tested in order to offer the better
context suitable for a deep and
open dialogue on science and
technology. A new kind of events
have been offered to visitors, as
discussion games, science cafés,
citizens juries, role plays etc. (see
for example: www.playdecide.eu).
Consensus
conference
Citizens jury
Debates
Science café
Focus group
Role play
New kind of activities
www.playdecide.eu
La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris
Dana centre, London
Frank Burnet, “The gene machine” at the Dana Centre
Science and art – The involvement of artists in science
exhibitions – The artists are asked to interpret the
emotional, social, poetic but also philosophical
dimensions of scientific knowledge and its impacts on
everyday life. Moreover, some programmes include the
involvement of artists and scientists that together
produce a new kind of hybrid objects and events, in
between science and art (for example: the Science
Gallery of the Trinity College, Dublin).
Science Gallery, Dublin
WHAT IF…
Science Gallery, Dublin
WHAT IF...insects could diagnose illness? WHAT
IF...clouds were modified to snow ice cream? WHAT IF...
we lived in a society where our every thought was
public? These are just some of the questions asked in
the current exhibition at Science Gallery which probes
the space between reality and the impossible and where
designers meet scientists to explore the future.
WHAT IF... has been curated by leading London based
design duo Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby and
features a range of works by designers who have
explored everything from using animals as life support
machines, through to what happens in a society where
machines can read your every emotion.
WHAT IF... Domestic
ecosystems produced our
food?
Mathieu Lehanneur
WHAT IF...Domestic
robots could be selfsufficient?
James Auger/Jimmy
Loizeau Engineered by
Alex Zivanovic
Oron Catts/Symbiotica
Victimless Leather
Discussion games: goals
• Giving scientific information
• Presenting the interconnections
between science and society
• Helping people to formulate their
own opinion
• Presenting a model of a structured,
democratic discussion
Discussion games: principles
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•
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•
•
Everybody is a carrier of knowledge
Everybody has the right to express his/her
points of view
A discussion game is never conceived as a
way to persuade people of something
A discussion game aims to stimulate further
learning, not to close a problem
There are not people who are wrong and
people who have the truth – there are only
differences of opinions (and in case facts to
be confirmed or knowledge to be further
explored)