Science centres and inclusion

Yeah, I think

that, echoing both of your points, I think that especially as a novice science communicator or someone who's trying to break into the space, I think it can be quite daunting.

And that idea of imposter syndrome, like, do I belong? Is this even a space for me? And it's all very gatekept, right, behind those, like, glass walls of a lab.

So it's hard to feel like you totally belong in this space when you don't maybe have all the badges that you're wearing.

But, yeah, entirely right.

Like, the last...

however many years of my life, I have been picking up skills along the way, which make me a better science communicator, quote unquote, maybe a better scientist, who knows.

But yeah, those are all tools that I have in my tool belt that now make me feel more equipped to handle these kinds of discussions.

No, and that's really interesting because I feel like as science communicators coming into this space where it's kind of like a safe space where if you have imposter syndrome or you don't feel like you belong here, you have people around you that will remind you like, oh, no, you've done this, you've done that.

Of course you can do it.

And I think that community, how we like to call it, is really, really nice to have here.

So Shani, now that we've talked a little bit about science capital and how you approach it now in your career, in your journey, how do other science communicators could apply science capital in their journeys or careers?

For me, science capital is not only a really important way of recognizing the assets that your audience has, but also understanding your audience better and where they're coming from.

So a couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to team up with Dr. Heather Bray and Taryn Bazin from the University of Western Australia to look at the societal value and impact of SciTech in the Western Australian community.

And we use Science Capital as a lens to try and understand how SciTech fits into people's science journeys.

And we found that people with all different levels or amounts of science capital were visiting SciTech.

So that's a win.

We're not just preaching to the converted, which is really wonderful, but also the way that people with different amounts of science capital engage with SciTech as a science center and their motivations for doing so.

usually bringing their kids was really different.

So we found that people who were really high science capital, had a very strong science identity, went to SciTech to nerd out.

They loved going there.

A lot of them had been when they were children, so they were able to show the next generation or their kids or their favorite old exhibits, engage with the new ones.

And it was a really beautiful multi-generational learning experience and opportunity.

was those with lower science capital were less likely to kind of see the science in the world around them, but they recognized that learning science and engaging with STEM was really important for their children.

I interviewed a lady who said, Basically, you know, I wasn't very curious when I was a child, but I want my kids to be curious.