Understanding Engagement with Science Festivals: Who Are the Engaged?

Abstract

In 2015, the British Science Association (BSA) began developing a model to describe various publics based on how they engage with science. Currently, the model includes four groups along a continuum: Not interested, Inactive, Engaged, and Professionals. This article focuses on the Engaged, defined as those who are interested in science and who actively search for information about science and science-related activities and events. In 2018, a survey was administered to members of five science festival listservs in order to learn more about their interest in and engagement with science. Because listserv membership is voluntary, all nonprofessional respondents were considered members of the Engaged group. Through a series of cluster analyses, three distinct clusters were identified within this group. We describe the three clusters and how they are both different from and similar to one another. The clusters are then used to explore how Engaged publics participated in their local science festival. Findings are discussed in relation to our growing understanding of the BSA model, as well as practical applications for recruiting and programing for Engaged publics.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Todd Boyette, Katherine Nielsen, and Denise Young for their contributions in helping to lead this project. We would also like to thank our EvalFest partners for the time and energy they devoted to helping document our efforts.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [1423004].

Notes on contributors

Jane Robertson Evia

Jane Robertson Evia is a Collegiate Associate Professor in the Department of Statistics at Virginia Tech. Her research interests include statistics and statistics education, science communication, and public engagement with science. Address correspondence to Jane Robertson Evia, 413B Hutcheson Hall, Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Karen Peterman

Karen Peterman has more than a decade’s experience evaluating and researching STEM programs. Originally trained as an experimental psychologist at Duke University, she is the President of Karen Peterman Consulting, Co. in Durham, NC.