Right now, Malta is a buzzing hive of science communication with public engagement events cropping up all over the island. These include science film and informal cafe events targeted at adults, fun science workshops for kids and puzzle escape rooms for teenagers. What you may not know is that the organisers of these events all have something in common: they are alumni of the STEAM Summer School.

Engaging the public with scientific concepts can be a daunting task, and these are just some examples of how it can be approached in new and innovative ways. The University of Malta has been leading an effort to organise such events while also educating a new generation of science communicators. Bringing together several academic institutions across Europe, a journalism union and a science communication company, the aptly named STEAM project (adding the Arts to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) has already made quite a significant impact.

One key element of STEAM is an annual 10-day summer school that allows participants to explore ways to engage various public groups with research. After two successful editions in Germany and Greece, STEAM is now coming home to Malta and will bring with it not only an international team of science communication experts, but also exciting public events such as science theatre and stand-up comedy. The course goes beyond creating expert speakers and writers by delving into policy, management, journalism and social media, alongside the  arts and performance components.

Rather than just learning about the art of science communication, the summer school is an opportunity to build an expanded network of contacts around the world – after all, this field is about people! Previous schools have boasted participants from over 20 countries as far-flung as Nigeria or Costa Rica, contributing to a unique mix of backgrounds and cultures.

This is an exciting opportunity for locals interested in learning science communication to hone their skills and meet international sci comm enthusiasts right here in Malta. Grant applications for 2018 are open until 27th November, so now is a good time to get involved and find out more about innovative ways to merge science with the arts, as well as getting involved with public science initiatives in Malta. More information can be found on http://www.steamsummerschool.eu

Funded by the Erasmus+ programme, STEAM is led by the University of Malta, with the following partners: European Union of Science Journalists’ Associations (EUSJA, France), Haaga-Helia University (Finland), Science View (Greece), University of Edinburgh (UK) and Rhine-Waal University (Germany).

Did you know?

• Communication in the animal kingdom takes many forms: ants use pheromones, a particular hormonal chemical, to lay out trails that others can follow.

• As a way of establishing dominance, or merely to defend themselves, horses will sometimes kick each other.

• Visual cues are often used in courting rituals, with the elaborate tails of peacocks being a classic example.

• The waggle dance is a sophisticated set of movements used by the honey bee to communicate information about nearby sources of nectar or water.

• Jackdaws are birds that defend their territory by staring down rivals, in a unique display of eye contact being used outside of humans and closely related species such as monkeys.

For more trivia see: www.um.edu.mt/think

Sound bites

• In an impressive display of scientific consensus, more than 15,000 scientists have signed an article intended to warn humanity about worrying global environmental trends. This includes not only climate change, but also the loss of access to freshwater, deforestation and species extinction, among others. The authors emphasise that change is still possible, pointing at the concerted international effort to cut out ozone depleting chemicals as an example. However, public pressure and improved communication is needed to bring about further changes.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171113111127.htm

• A study in the US has found that relationships between doctors and patients are improving, with shared decision-making up by 14 per cent compared to 2002. Better communication can be critical in ensuring that patients understand their options, truly agree with the decisions being taken, and ultimately adhere with the treatment strategy, thus improving clinical outcomes.

www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-11/wkh-mcf111417.php

For more science news, listen to Radio Mocha on Radju Malta every Saturday at 11.05am.

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