The Science Communication Collaborative (SCC) was created by Dr. Amy Vashlishan Murray at Emerson College to connect scientific researchers with communications and arts students. The SCC works to assess public engagement with science, evaluate media representation of science, provide opportunities for public interaction with local scientists, and improve science communication through collaborations between scientists and designers/artists. The SCC aims to build bridges between science and non-scientists and educate the public about the scientific process and lack of certainty in some fields through tools like the Ask for Evidence campaign.

1. The Science Communication Collaborative (SCC): From Emerson College to Boston and Beyond
Science Communication at Emerson College
Dr. Amy Vashlishan Murray at Emerson College and
her team has created a network of early career,
scientific researchers (graduate students, postdocs,
and early principal investigators), and integrated them
into Science in Translation and other Emerson courses.
We work with communications and arts focused
undergraduates to:
-Assess the needs and challenges of science
engagement amongst the public
-Evaluate the limitations of scientific representation by
the popular press and media
-Engender informal opportunities for the public to
connect with local scientists to engage in scientific
understanding
- Improve communication of science to the public by
connecting graphic designers, artists, and multimedia
specialists with scientists
Tenants of the SCC
•Build bridges between science & non-scientists
•Improve scientific communication to the general
audience
•Educate about the scientific process, consensus, and
lack thereof in a field/discipline: the literature
•hypothesis development: what is the question
•accumulation of evidence: uncertainty versus certainty
•statistics and significance: p-value, sample size,
validation
Tools: The Ask for Evidence Campaign
Or visit us at:
www.senseaboutscienceusa.org
www.askforevidence.org
Public Outreach: Science and Art Interconnection
Design by Julian Ranauro, Emerson 2014
Connecting artists and designers with science is a great
way to generate engagement!
Science based art installations at big public events like
First Night Boston
Public transit ads and other mass media are a great way
to market the campaign and direct online engagement
Resources to learn more and get involved!
As a scientist what can you gain from the SCC
Media literacy training related to writing press releases
to participating in public discourse of science
Access to lectures and workshops related to visual
visual representation of science
Connect with a group of scientists engaged in scientific
outreach both locally and internationally
Interactivity
Nothing draws attention like interactivity. Aside from
ads – and posters – installation art is a powerful tool to
bring in an audience
New media artist Heather Panic on a light
throne designed to respond to brainwaves
from an EEG “crown”
-To learn more about the SCC or Ask for Evidence
contact:
-Amy Vashlishan Murray:
-A_Vashlishan_Murray@emerson.edu
-Lauren Robertson:
-ltr349@mail.harvard.edu
-Mihai Dinulescu:
-mihaidinulescu@post.har