HUM - part 1 Flashcards
for the January 2021 exam
Describe the main characteristics of space education and space outreach
Education: the means/process by which a group of people seek to change the worldview of another group. Can be formal (i.e. focusing
primarily on knowledge and skills) or informal (i.e. extending to ideas and values).
Space Education: education related to or about space. Subdivided into 1) education of the general public as to the purpose, nature and benefits or space activities, 2) education of students (usually primary or secondary level) using space as a tool for engagement and motivation, 3) education of students at all levels with space as a topic, 4) education of a workforce in space-related subject for the space sector.
Space Outreach: connecting with people who would not normally come into contact with the space community. Carried out mainly by space agencies and “passionate groups and individuals”. Generally performed to 1) provide informal education, 2) raise awareness, and 3) make contact/network with others.
Detail some international space education and outreach entities
1) International Space Education Board (ISEB). Aims: 1) increase STEM literacy in connection with space, 2) support the future workforce needs of space programs
2) International Astronautical Federation (IAF): A worldwide federation of nearly 400 organizations including major space agencies, companies and societies with the aim of building a “space faring world cooperating for the benefit of humanity”. Important annual conference: International Astronautical Congress. Important Sub-Committee: Space Education and Outreach Committee (SEOC): primary, secondary, undergrad and postgrad education + public and institutional outreach
3) World Space Week. Est. by United Nations to celebrate contributions of space science and tech for the betterment of human condition at an international level. Largest annual public space event.
4) Yuri’s Night. Global celebration on the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight.
5) SpaceUp. Space “unconference”. Participants decide topics, structure and schedule. All attendees encouraged to give a talk or start a discussion.
Outline some non-traditional approaches to space education and outreach
Non-traditional approaches: used to connect with people who might normally avoid space by using a “non-science” or “non-technical” approach.
Examples: 1) Media, 2) Drama, 3) Comedy, 4) Art.
Film a popular medium. Successful examples: “First Orbit” (2011) - filmed on the ISS and created for the 50th anniversary of Gagarin’s spaceflight. “Ambition” (2014) - short film by ESA to support Rosetta mission outreach. “Wanderers” - short film depicting humanity’s future expansion into the solar system
Describe the target audiences of most space agencies in their communication efforts
1) General Public: multitude of science festivals and fairs provide content that caters to both adult and younger audiences
2) Younger Generations: fascination of space used to teach concepts in maths, physics, chemistry, biology, geology, geography, technology, planetary sciences, and more
3) Policy & Decision Makers: deciders on resources that governments and space agencies invest in space programs
4) Industry Decision Makers: key players in the space sector, incl. entrepreneurs
Explain some of the messages used by space agencies in their communication
Commonly Used Messages:
1) Space is an investment in the future, not an expenditure
2) Space creates high-value jobs and benefits the economy
3) Space can help solve humanity’s greatest challenges (cf. UN Sustainable Development Goals)
4) Space is a source of inspiration for younger generations towards STEM studies
5) Space programs foster international cooperation and understanding
6) Space is a matter of national prestige and sovereignty
Note: Messages MUST be translated into stories that are relevant to the target audience.
Recall the importance of ‘story-telling’ and give examples of media and ‘messengers’ used for communication
Story-telling - proven way to develop identity and increase awareness. Stories focus on experiences and emotion - central tenets that appeal to general audiences. Narrative story-telling conveys information, hard facts and dry data in an easily digestible way.
Examples of Messengers and Media: 1) Journalists and Opinion Formers, 2) Social Media Experts, 3) Astronauts, 4) Non-space organizations, 5) Politicians.
Give an example of a project that uses sound and/or music to communicate science and identify its audience
1) The Sound of Light in Trees: David Dunn
- Developed new microphones for soundscapes. Forests being destroyed by Bark Beetles. Scientists collaborated on experiments to use the sounds to drive the beetles away. Influenced a new research field through sound.
Target Audience: Scientists/Researchers
2) Protein structures “sonified” through use of xylophones
- Translated Amino Acids to fit a musical range. Data sets are translated into sequences and pitches. Anticipation - melodic patterns of sound may be
developed into tools to assist researchers in pattern
recognition.
Target Audience: Scientists/Researcher + Public
3) Move to Learn – look at how young children experience science at museums
- Movement-based interaction to offer creation of novel environments. Embodied science learning / Interactive technologies to learn via senses concepts such as pitch and volume.
Target Audience: Children/Young Adults + Public
4) “The Planets” by Gustav Holst
- One of the most popular pieces of classical music with seven movements, each dedicated to a planet in the solar system. Directs attention to the planets and astronomy. Primarily influenced by astrology rather than astronomy given the mythological influences to the names of the planets rather than the composition of the planets themselves (i.e. Mars is dry but is the “bringer of war” and Venus is soft and elegant while the planet is harsh and unforgiving).
Target Audience: General Public
5) Sun Rings (2002) - Multimedia Collaborative Work. 85-minutes musical composition symbolizing the journey of Voyager 1. Used recordings from the plasma wave receivers on board spacecrafts merged together with a musical composition for a string quartet.
Target Audience: General Public
Have a sense about how producers of science communication may encode meaning to their
messages using sound and music, and what this means to accessibility of a science
message.
Data can be made audible through:
1) Sonification: the use of non-speech audio to convey information or perceptualize data.
2) Audification: the direct translation of a data waveform to an auditory domain.
3) Music: Can strongly affect emotion and mood. Perceiving emotions through music a cross-cultural phenomenon. Emotional sensitivity to “joyful” music and dissonant music.
No boundaries when it comes to communicating sensory messages (e.g. no language barrier). Can be used in different ways to reach your on specific audience.
Advantages: easy access to technical equipment, emergence of Big Data
Disadvantages: access to tools for high quality data analysis, representation for producers/audiences, time
In projects where scientists and artists work together, describe the organisation of the collaborative work (who does what and why) and evaluate the project’s overall aims.
The Sound of Light in Trees: Entomologist Richard Hostetter noted that “most scientists look for previously tested methods and struggle if such methods are not previously published. However, science can move forward with new novel ways of looking at questions and testing them. Artists do this all the time.”
Scientists research data. Artists take the data and convert it into mediums that are easily accessible to their intended target audience (i.e. museum exhibitions, music, auditory experiences). Collaborative work can be independently done (e.g. “The Sound of Light in Trees”) or commissioned (e.g. “Sun Rings” - NASA). Aims of collaborative work include expanding scientific practices with new innovation, better understanding through interdisciplinary approaches, and creating easily accessible and engaging works targeted at broad audiences.
