ODU’s Science Pubs Bring Research to the Masses

 

What better way to make science accessible than by talking about it over a beer? Researchers from Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk have been giving informal talks at breweries across the region for 4 years now, covering everything from climate change to mental health.

“A curious mind is all you need,” said Amy Matzke-Fawcett, who originally helped start the program, called Science Pubs, in 2015. At that time, she was in the Office of Research and heard that other institutions were doing informal research talks for the public, and she thought it would be a great way to discuss research on sea level rise.

“We all see the flooding and we thought the community could really benefit,” said Matze-Fawcett. “We wanted to let people know that ODU is dealing with that problem.”

In a typical Science Pub, one researcher will talk for about 20 minutes without any visual aids. The audience is encouraged to ask questions throughout the talk, giving the event a conversational feel.

 

Opening the flood gates

 

The first year, ODU hosted 4 Science Pubs all about sea level rise, resiliency, and flooding. More topics and talks have been added every year, with 11 events happening in the 2018-2019 school year.

With each event, the audience has been growing. “It started as about 10 people, and now it’s standing room only sometimes,” said Matze-Fawcett. They consistently have an audience of over 40 people, and have even seen 60-70 people at their graduate student lightning talks. These short talks give grad students the chance to explain their research in 5 minutes.

The events have amassed a serious following, with some community members coming to every talk. “It’s not an ODU-focused event. It’s intended to make the community aware of different research at ODU,” explained Daniel Campbell, Research Development and Outreach Coordinator for the Office of Research.

This summer, WHRO partnered with ODU to host a series of 3 Science Pubs on sea level rise and resilience in coastal Virginia. The talks were given by Lindsay Usher on tourism, Mike Allen on extreme heat, and Dan Richards on science communication. These issues attracted large audiences and passionate listeners – many came ready with questions and concerns. “People have been very engaged and there have been really good conversations,” said Campbell.

 

Communicating science over a beer

 

It is unusual for scientists to give talks without any kind of visual aid, but the researchers who come to Science Pubs are ready for the challenge. “No powerpoint, no posters – we stress that it’s a conversation,” said Campbell. “That might not be the way they’re used to operating, but they enjoy the conversation and the two-way dialogue.”

Matze-Fawcett added, “There is a moment of panic, but they all manage to overcome it. When you see them talking about the thing they’re passionate about, they have no problem.”

Matze-Fawcett and Campbell have seen an equally passionate audience; oftentimes people will stay to ask questions until the brewery closes. “Sometimes the audience is as passionate as the researcher, and they will have that connection,” said Campbell.

“When we started this, we didn’t know if anyone would come,” said Matze-Fawcett. “We found out that people are really interested in what researchers are doing and how it impacts them. People see universities as these big complicated places, but it is usually to the benefit of everyone, and these talks reinforce that.”

 

Science Pubs will start again this fall. The first 20 visitors get a free drink ticket, and they take place at breweries around Hampton Roads. Check out the Science Pubs page to read about past talks.