| Summary: | Master's Project (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2017 For over 25 years, Alaskans have been attending Science for Alaska Lecture Series, held during the coldest part of an Alaskan winter. The hour-long evening lectures would see from around 100 to almost 300 people attend each event. The scientific literature is quiet in regard to audience preferences in regard to the recieving end of science communication. This qualitative study looked at the audience of a science lecture series: who are they, why do they come and what do they do with the information. In nine taped audio interviews, the research participants described themselves as smart, curious lifelong learners who felt a sense of place to the Arctic for its practical and esoteric values. Attending the events constructed their social identity that they felt important to share with children. The findings suggest that addressing the audience's sense of place and mirroring their view as smart, curious people would be an effective avenue to communicate science.
|
|---|