Science Live: Surveying the landscape of live public science events

The field of informal science learning and communication is comprised of many sectors—after school programs, science center exhibitions and programs, television and film, print and new media, to name just a few. Each of these is understood to make unique contributions, present unique opportunities, and require unique support. Science Live began with the observation that it is time to similarly acknowledge the practice of live public science events.

Public science events are live, in-person programs designed to engage publics with science in a social context that is at least as meaningful as the content and messages delivered. The overall objective of Science Live is to support the development of a distinct professional sector based on live public science events so that the practitioners, researchers, and external supporters of this sector are able to maximize the beneficial impacts of events and widen participation in this activity.

The following survey of the live public science events landscape is the product of a one-year, Phase I grant from the Science Learning+ funding program. This funding program has enabled Science Live to take a transatlantic approach, with an initial focus on fostering connections between the US and UK, and between practitioners and researchers.