Stand up for Science: Practical Approaches to Discussing Science that Matters

Information about Irene Park

What is your name, title, and role at the University of Michigan?

My name is So Hae (Irene) Park, and I’m a fifth-year Human Genetics PhD student at the University of Michigan Medical School. I am currently the editor-in-chief at MiSciWriters and an outreach assistant at the Sweetland Center for Writing. I was formerly a news reporter and a senior news editor at The Michigan Daily. 

Why are your public engagement efforts in education and/or outreach important (to you and/or to the cause you’re working to promote)?

My public engagement efforts, which mostly center on science writing, are important because clear and accurate science writing is crucial in raising the public awareness about science and educate voters so they can make the best decision for themselves and the society. In the long-term, I believe the raised awareness and education will increase the appreciation of science, research, and evidence-based truths.

Irene Park on Audience

Who do you interact with when working in education and/or outreach? What makes this audience different from other groups that you might interact with?

As a science writer, I interact with both the scientists (the “experts”) and the non-experts (although this division is often extremely blurry – one scientist’s expertise is foreign to another scientist in a different field). I honestly believe the only major differences between experts and non-experts are how much they know (or don’t know) and how much they are interested in (or not interested in) about a certain subject. The different amount of knowledge and interest translates into different priorities and values in the two groups, which is extremely important to keep in mind as a science communicator. 

What suggestions do you have for making interactions with educators, learners, and/or lay-audiences as effective as possible?

When I am writing about science for the general public, I try to find a common ground between me (a scientist) and an imaginary reader (when I write, I rarely know who exactly will read my piece). For example, when I was writing about coffee for one of my blog posts, I opened the post with confessing my love for coffee and how I’m not the only one who drinks coffee every day. Finding that sort of common ground is important because it makes what you’re about to say more relevant to the reader, and the reader will more likely keep reading your post. It is also important to use simple, welcoming languages whenever possible to sound accessible – you do not want to sound like an elitist, condescending academic who is trapped in the ivory tower. 

What is the biggest challenge you face when trying to work with educators, learners, and/or lay-audiences? What is the biggest reward?

A big challenge for me as a science communicator is simplifying a scientific concept without compromising accuracy. If I do not simplify enough, the readers might not understand the piece, and if I over-simplify, I might be misleading the readers to think, say, that we are close to finding the cure for cancer. It is extremely rewarding though, when I do finish a piece and get positive feedback from both scientists and the readers since I feel like I have done my job bridging the scientific community and the public. 

What are you trying to accomplish when you write to or speak with educators, learners, and/or lay-audiences?

When I write my blog posts or news articles about science, I am usually trying to achieve one or both of the following: 1. Educate the readers about a specific research finding or a concept that might interest them and 2. Educate the readers about the science behind certain policies so they can make informed choices.

Irene Park on Messaging

When you’re planning to interact with educators, learners, and/or lay-audiences, how do you decide what you want to focus on? If a scientist wanted a single idea to “stick” in the mind of an educator, learner, or lay-audience member, what advice would you give them as to how best to shape/pitch that idea? 

My focus will shift depending on who my intended audience is. For example, if I am planning to talk about climate change, my focus will differ if I am speaking to laymen who advocate science versus policymakers. For science advocates, I might focus more on the science behind climate change (e.g. how does carbon dioxide raise the Earth’s temperature?) and how urgent it is to address this problem. For policymakers, in addition to the scientific facts, I will focus on why their constituents will want policies that reduce carbon emission.

Irene Park on Narrative

Do you use stories or narratives as a tool to communicate with educators, learners, and/or lay-audiences? If so, what kinds of narratives?

Personal stories and anecdotes are good at building a common ground with your readers. I also think a well-organized, thematic narrative also helps the readers to remember the contents better (as opposed to reading a dense list of facts!).

What kinds of documents or presentations are most effective at capturing and maintaining a educators’, learners’, and/or lay-audiences’ attention? Would you mind providing a few examples (both “good” and “bad”) of the same kind of document or presentation?

Examples and analogies are great at capturing and maintaining a non-scientist’s attention, especially when explaining abstract concepts. For one of the writing Sweetland workshops I assisted, we used a specific article as an example to discuss what information belongs in the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections—this way the students were able to see a real-life example of what works and what does not.

Analogies are great for abstract concepts too, such as comparing the unzipping of the DNA for DNA replication to unzipping a zipper or explaining DNA torsional stress using a super-coiled rubber band. Of course, the analogies have to be as accurate as possible so we minimize misleading the readers (https://courses.washington.edu/engageuw/analogies-and-metaphors-in-science-communication-the-good-and-the-bad/).