NRS 543: Public Engagement with Science
Spring 2017
Welcome to Public Engagement with Science! This course focuses on theoretical and practical aspects of public engagement with scientific research, policy, and management, with an emphasis on science communication. During the semester, we’ll explore University of Rhode Island’s land grant mandate to share university research with the public and use university resources to explore public needs. We’ll build from readings in science communication and public participation in scientific research, and we’ll hear from experts in Rhode Island working on a variety of projects with public stakeholders. At the end of the class, you’ll use what you’ve learned this semester about the theory and practice of science communication and public engagement to design, execute, and assess an activity that engages a segment of the public in your own research. In other words, this class is about both learning and doing.
Full syllabus available here.
Spring 2017
Welcome to Public Engagement with Science! This course focuses on theoretical and practical aspects of public engagement with scientific research, policy, and management, with an emphasis on science communication. During the semester, we’ll explore University of Rhode Island’s land grant mandate to share university research with the public and use university resources to explore public needs. We’ll build from readings in science communication and public participation in scientific research, and we’ll hear from experts in Rhode Island working on a variety of projects with public stakeholders. At the end of the class, you’ll use what you’ve learned this semester about the theory and practice of science communication and public engagement to design, execute, and assess an activity that engages a segment of the public in your own research. In other words, this class is about both learning and doing.
Full syllabus available here.
Daily plans:
WEEK ONE (1/23-1/27)
Tuesday, January 24
Introductions and syllabus review
Homework for Thursday, January 26:
Thursday, January 26
Return to syllabus, create shared course goals, mini-presentations about Drs. Sheely and Druschke
Shared course goals:
WEEK TWO (1/30-1/3)
Tuesday, January 31
Introduction to rhetoric and communication
Homework for Thursday, February 2:
Thursday, February 2
Introduction to outreach, extension, and land grants
Homework for Tuesday, February 7:
WEEK THREE (2/6-2/10)
Tuesday, February 7
Project assessment
Homework for Thursday, February 9:
Thursday, February 9
CLASS CANCELED FOR SNOW DAY
Homework for Tuesday, February 12:
WEEK FOUR (2/13-2/17)
Tuesday, February 14
Review session for Exam #1
Homework for Thursday, February 16:
Thursday, February 16
Exam #1, introduction to final project and rubric
Homework for Tuesday, February 21:
WEEK FIVE (2/20-2/24)
Tuesday, February 21
Return to final project description, Danielle Perry presentation, sign up for Thursday conferences, review Gross (1994) and Rowe & Frewer (2005), review examples of public engagement
Homework for Thursday, February 23:
Thursday, February 23
INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES (in CI 109):
2pm / Emma / Erin
2:15pm / Dara / Colleen & Jane
2:30pm / Kaytee / J.
2:45pm / Lizz / Antonius
3pm / Heather / Elliot
3:15pm / Melissa / Christina
3:30pm / Azure / Justine & Jason
Homework for Tuesday, February 28:
WEEK SIX (2/27-3/3)
Tuesday, February 28
Follow-up about group projects, discussion of Collins and Evans
Homework for Thursday, March 3:
Thursday, March 2
Review for Exam #2
WEEK SEVEN (3/6-3/10)
Tuesday, March 7
Exam #2: Gross, Rowe and Frewer, Collins and Evans
Homework for Thursday, March 8:
Thursday, March 9
Review of citizen science readings
Homework for Tuesday, March 20:
WEEK EIGHT (3/13-3/17)
SPRING BREAK! No classes.
WEEK NINE (3/20-3/24)
Tuesday, March 21
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - Jaimie & Colleen, Melissa, Kaytee, Emma
Homework for Thursday, March 23:
Thursday, March 23
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - Dara, Drew, Lizz, Christina
Homework for Tuesday, March 28:
WEEK TEN (3/27-3/31)
Tuesday, March 28
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - J., Azure, Jason & Justine
Homework for Thursday, March 30:
Thursday, March 30
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - Elliot, Heather, Erin, Antonius
Homework for Tuesday, April 4:
WEEK ELEVEN (4/3-4/7)
Tuesday, April 4
Public participation discussion
Homework for Thursday, April 6:
Thursday, April 6
WEEK TWELVE (4/10-4/14)
Tuesday, April 11
Guest speaker: Dr. Marcella Thompson, Co-Leader of the Community Engagement Core of the Brown University Superfund Research Program
Homework for Thursday, April 13:
Thursday, April 13
Conflict and collaboration discussion
Homework for Tuesday, April 18:
WEEK THIRTEEN (4/17-4/21)
Tuesday, April 18
Review for Exam #3
Homework for Thursday, April 21:
Thursday, April 20
Exam #3
Homework for Tuesday, April 25:
WEEK FOURTEEN (4/24-4/28)
Tuesday, April 25
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Thursday, April 27
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS and course evals
WEEK FIFTEEN (5/1-5/5)
Thursday, May 4
Final paper due to both instructors via email by 5pm
WEEK ONE (1/23-1/27)
Tuesday, January 24
Introductions and syllabus review
Homework for Thursday, January 26:
- Review syllabus
- Write down three questions
- Write down your goals for the course
- Go buy the course text, Cox & Pezzullo, at the Union Bookstore
Thursday, January 26
Return to syllabus, create shared course goals, mini-presentations about Drs. Sheely and Druschke
Shared course goals:
- Learn to communicate about the relevant of our research to various public audiences
- Connect course work in public engagement to thesis work
- Improve public writing and public communication
- Build concrete strategies, tools, and methods for public engagement and science communication
- Learn how to offer simple descriptions of our work without undermining its value
- Learn the most effective ways to communicate with specific different audiences
- Assess the current field of science communication and public education
- Practice respect for diverse forms of expertise
- Druschke and McGreavy (2016), "Why rhetoric matters for ecology"
- Cox and Pezzullo (2016) ch. 1 "Studying/Practicing Environmental Communication" [GO BUY THIS BOOK!!!]
- Cox and Pezzullo, ch. 3 "Symbolic Constructions of Environment"
WEEK TWO (1/30-1/3)
Tuesday, January 31
Introduction to rhetoric and communication
Homework for Thursday, February 2:
- “The Land-Grant Tradition,” Association of Public and Land Grant Institutions
- Cooperative Extension Strategic Planning
- “The Centennial of the Smith-Lever Act and Aquaculture Extension,” Rice (2014)
- Rhode Island Sea Grant
Thursday, February 2
Introduction to outreach, extension, and land grants
Homework for Tuesday, February 7:
- Skrip, M. M. (2015), Crafting and Evaluating Broader Impact Activities: A Theory‐based Guide for Scientists
- W.W. Kellogg (2004), Logic Model Development Guide
- Hendrickson (2006), A Backwards Approach to Inquiry
WEEK THREE (2/6-2/10)
Tuesday, February 7
Project assessment
Homework for Thursday, February 9:
- Begin prepping for Exam #1
Thursday, February 9
CLASS CANCELED FOR SNOW DAY
Homework for Tuesday, February 12:
- Review readings on science communication, Cooperative Extension, and assessment for Tuesday's exam review session
WEEK FOUR (2/13-2/17)
Tuesday, February 14
Review session for Exam #1
Homework for Thursday, February 16:
- Study for exam #1
- Gather examples of public engagement
Thursday, February 16
Exam #1, introduction to final project and rubric
Homework for Tuesday, February 21:
- Read Gross (1994), "The roles of rhetoric in the public understanding of science"
- Read Rowe and Frewer (2005), "A typology of public engagement mechanisms"
WEEK FIVE (2/20-2/24)
Tuesday, February 21
Return to final project description, Danielle Perry presentation, sign up for Thursday conferences, review Gross (1994) and Rowe & Frewer (2005), review examples of public engagement
Homework for Thursday, February 23:
- Prepare a short, written statement of interest for the final project (to review during conferences)
Thursday, February 23
INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES (in CI 109):
2pm / Emma / Erin
2:15pm / Dara / Colleen & Jane
2:30pm / Kaytee / J.
2:45pm / Lizz / Antonius
3pm / Heather / Elliot
3:15pm / Melissa / Christina
3:30pm / Azure / Justine & Jason
Homework for Tuesday, February 28:
- Read Collins and Evans (2002), "The Third Wave of Science Studies: Studies of Expertise and Experience"
WEEK SIX (2/27-3/3)
Tuesday, February 28
Follow-up about group projects, discussion of Collins and Evans
Homework for Thursday, March 3:
- Begin preparing for Exam #2
Thursday, March 2
Review for Exam #2
WEEK SEVEN (3/6-3/10)
Tuesday, March 7
Exam #2: Gross, Rowe and Frewer, Collins and Evans
Homework for Thursday, March 8:
- Read Shirk et al. (2012) "Public participation in scientific research: a framework for deliberate design"
- Read Druschke and Seltzer (2012) "Failures of engagement: lessons learned from a citizen science pilot study"
- Read Bonney, et al. (2015) "Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science?"
Thursday, March 9
Review of citizen science readings
Homework for Tuesday, March 20:
- Prepare for 15 m. pitch presentations (5-7 m. of discussion, plus feedback)
WEEK EIGHT (3/13-3/17)
SPRING BREAK! No classes.
WEEK NINE (3/20-3/24)
Tuesday, March 21
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - Jaimie & Colleen, Melissa, Kaytee, Emma
Homework for Thursday, March 23:
- Continue prepping for pitch presentations
Thursday, March 23
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - Dara, Drew, Lizz, Christina
Homework for Tuesday, March 28:
- Continue prepping for pitch presentations
WEEK TEN (3/27-3/31)
Tuesday, March 28
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - J., Azure, Jason & Justine
Homework for Thursday, March 30:
- Continue prepping for pitch presentations
Thursday, March 30
PITCH PRESENTATIONS - Elliot, Heather, Erin, Antonius
Homework for Tuesday, April 4:
- Read Cox and Pezzullo (2016) ch. 12 "Public participation in environmental decisions"
WEEK ELEVEN (4/3-4/7)
Tuesday, April 4
Public participation discussion
Homework for Thursday, April 6:
- Read Cox & Pezzullo, ch. 10, "Environmental Justice and Climate Justice Movements"
Thursday, April 6
- Environmental justice discussion
- Read about the Brown University Superfund Research Program.
- Prepare three discussion questions for our speaker.
- Read Thompson et al.; Thompson et al., 2014; and Pennell et al. (2013)
WEEK TWELVE (4/10-4/14)
Tuesday, April 11
Guest speaker: Dr. Marcella Thompson, Co-Leader of the Community Engagement Core of the Brown University Superfund Research Program
Homework for Thursday, April 13:
- Read Cox and Pezzullo (2016) ch. 13 "Managing conflict: collaboration and environmental disputes"
Thursday, April 13
Conflict and collaboration discussion
Homework for Tuesday, April 18:
- Prepare for review for Exam #3
WEEK THIRTEEN (4/17-4/21)
Tuesday, April 18
Review for Exam #3
Homework for Thursday, April 21:
- Review for Exam #3
Thursday, April 20
Exam #3
Homework for Tuesday, April 25:
- Prepare a 5 minute maximum presentation about your final project. Update the class: how did it go? what worked? what didn't?
WEEK FOURTEEN (4/24-4/28)
Tuesday, April 25
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Thursday, April 27
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS and course evals
WEEK FIFTEEN (5/1-5/5)
Thursday, May 4
Final paper due to both instructors via email by 5pm