Fulcrum Arts and Research
Science Tips for Non-Scientists Project: Call for Scientists
Fulcrum is a Newcastle-based organisation whose aim is to help scientists communicate their ideas and findings to the public, and to inform and enthuse the public about science, through artistic means. There is further information about Fulcrum at the end of this document, and for more see http://www.fulcrumartsandresearch.org.uk.
This note outlines our Science Tips project for scientists who might like to get involved. Its starting point was a Comment article in Nature in November 2013, ‘Twenty tips for interpreting scientific claims’ by William Sutherland, David Spiegelhalter and Mark Burgman. The article, aimed particularly at scientific advisers and policy makers, explains briefly a number of the basic tenets of scientific method and analysis in order to help the non-scientist evaluate the evidence for scientific claims.
Fulcrum has selected ten of these tips and is holding workshops with the public to explore them. Each tip will be covered by a pair of workshops; in the first a scientist will illustrate the tip from their own area of research (perhaps using audience members as ‘subjects’ in some way) and in the second attendees will develop creative outputs (in writing, visual art or performance) to explain what they have learned about the tip in a form intended to enlighten and engage other non-scientists. These outputs may be taken further, in other forums, with the particular goal that they might ultimately be addressed to policy makers and advisers. This is therefore a kind of citizen science project, in which scientists, artists and members of the public collaborate with the serious aim of advancing scientific understanding at the sharp end, where it matters. It should also be fun!
Fulcrum has selected the following ten tips from the original twenty and is looking for scientists to work with:
The last four tips, all statistical, might be treated together.
If interested in this project please contact Ann Fitchett ([log in to unmask]).
About Fulcrum
Working with practitioners from a range of disciplines we collaborate to create performances, events and workshops, introducing new audiences to research and generating understanding, debate and participation. The audiences for our events take an active role in learning about science and may provide data themselves by replicating scientific studies as subjects. They also work to transmit an understanding of science to others through artistic outputs in the form of writing, performance or visual art.
Our Director of research Dr John Lazarus is at the Centre for Behaviour and Evolution in the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University. Other members of the group have skills in science, theatre, fine art, teaching, writing and project management.
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