Science
Communication in the Context of Scientific Literacy:
A Case Study of Bangalore Science Forum, Bangalore
A Case Study of Bangalore Science Forum, Bangalore
Dr. M.G. Narasimhan
Associate Professor
National Institute of Advanced Studies,
Indian Institute of Science Campus
Bangalore-560012
Dr.Y.C.Kamala
Assistant Professor
The National
Degree College
(Autonomous)
Basavanagudi,
Bangalore-560004
Abstract.
The
present day society and human life is interwoven with Scientific and
Technological advancements. We are in the age of Car, TV, Internet, Wi-Fi, 3G,
MRI, IVF, Robotics, Nanotechnology, MEMS, and many more. All these gadgets and
concepts have entered into our every day life and in order to live in such a
society and to lead a meaningful life, this requires that we acquire a basic
minimum of information on and knowledge of nature of Science and Technology in
terms of what is called as Scientific Literacy. Now one of the most important
means of acquiring such literacy is Science Communication. It is well
recognised that Communication is the essence of Science in all aspects, be it
technical or non-technical. In addition it is important to recognise the fact
that Science is a public enterprise. There fore institutional dimensions of
Science Communication are of great importance. Communication understood this
way is a process which enables practioners of science at different levels of
research to engage in a constant and creative dialogue with society at large.
Keyword
Bangalore Science Forum. Popularisation of science, scientific attitude Science
communication, scientific literacy.
Science Communication is defined as use of appropriate
skills, media, activities and dialogue to produce one or more of following
personal responses to Science i.e. Awareness, Enjoyment, Interest, Opinion
forming, and Understanding ( A E I O
U ).
– T. W. Burns et al. 20031
Scientific Literacy stands for what the general public
ought to know about Science.
–Rudiger C. Laugksch, 19992
Introduction
According to the Wikipedia, “Science Communication generally refers to
media aiming to talk about science with non-scientists. It includes science
exhibition, science journalism and science policy and science media
production”. Burns et al3 in their paper on “Science Communication:
A Contemporary Definition” define Science Communication thus, “It is the use of
appropriate skills, media, activities and dialogues to produce one or more of
the following personal responses to science, such as Awareness, Enjoyment,
Interest, Opinion, Forming and Understanding”. As can be seen from these
definitions Science Communication is a comprehensive process which involves
skilful deployment of various means of conveying ideas about scientific
concepts, methods of science and their functional relevance in terms of
application. Apart from this important role played by Science Communication, we
need to note its crucial relationship with the concept of Scientific Literacy.
This latter concept while being complimentary to overall concept of literacy
enables us to appreciate the vital link that connects Science, Technology and
Society.
In the light of this emphasis on Communication, its links with
Scientific Literacy and its role in providing proper understanding of the
relationship between science, technology and society, we intend to provide an
account of Science Communication in the context of scientific literacy. Further
we would like to point out that this relationship between communication and
literacy acquires special significance in the context of an institutional frame
work, such as Bangalore Science Forum. Science Communication is, to begin with,
a process of communication where professional scientists engaged in research
are expected to share the results of their research with their peers in the
scientific community. This fundamental function of Science Communication needs
to be emphasised in view of the fact that,
scientific knowledge is considered objective knowledge
par excellence by the philosopher of science Karl Popper4. Once we
have properly understood and appreciated the role of Science Communication in
establishing Science as objective knowledge, we can proceed towards an enlarged
view of Scientific Communication where
Communication is used to transfer the fruits of this objective knowledge from the
restricted milieu of research community to the much larger public sphere where
issues related to Scientific literacy \ Public understanding of science acquire
deep significance. This last point brings us to the topic of Scientific
Literacy and its intimate relationship between communication and literacy.
From Science Communication to Scientific
Literacy:
As indicated above Scientific Literacy is defined interms of possessing
the basic knowledge, understanding and appreciation of certain fundamental
concepts of Science, such as Solar System and Evolution. Scientific Literacy
includes, apart from the conceptual content, broader aspects of scientific enquiry,
that is those aspects of scientific method which distinguish science from other
domains of enquiry and knowledge. Scientific method consists of the ability to
ask right questions, formulate proper hypothesis, subject such hypothesis to
valid experimentation processes. While this description of scientific method is
a conventional description, Karl Popper, a well known philosopher of science has
argued that the true merit of a scientific hypothesis consists in its being
accessible to “the principle of falsifiability”. In the light of this
explication of its scientific method the concept of scientific literacy
acquires a methodological dimension which is as important as the content of the
term.
Thirdly it is well known in the contemporary context, that science is
closely linked to technology. The relationship between science and technology
in the back drop of the twentieth century developments has been such that, it
is difficult to separate the two and treat one in isolation from the other.
This intimate relationship between science and technology has given rise to the
new concept of “technoscience”. Such
being the case, one’s acquisition of scientific literacy has to be inclusive.
The concept of technoscience enables one to go beyond the limits of theoretical
understanding of science. It leads to a critical analysis of science. One of
the best examples of this linkage between science and technology and its societal
dimensions is biotechnology. The story of the biotechnological revolution
interms of the introduction of genetically modified food is instructive in this
regard.
The genetically modified foods were introduced with out any regard for educating the common and lay public about the positive and negative aspects of such foods. As a consequence genetically modified food has been rejected in large measure in Europe and other places. To sum up the description so far, Scientific Literacy in our understanding is composed of basic knowledge concerning scientific concepts, method of science and the intimate link between science and technology. In order to pursue this study of scientific literacy we now need to examine the close relationship between science and human values.
The genetically modified foods were introduced with out any regard for educating the common and lay public about the positive and negative aspects of such foods. As a consequence genetically modified food has been rejected in large measure in Europe and other places. To sum up the description so far, Scientific Literacy in our understanding is composed of basic knowledge concerning scientific concepts, method of science and the intimate link between science and technology. In order to pursue this study of scientific literacy we now need to examine the close relationship between science and human values.
Ever since man began to enquire
into the nature of the universe and his place in a scientific enquiry has
developed in the context of ensuring the well being of all phenomena, organic
as well inorganic. This point can be very clearly seen in the Aristotelian
concept of Telos. For Aristotle the
notion of teleology or teleological cause was very important. He believed that
there was a definite purpose in nature which provided a valid ground for the
existence of all living beings. This, however does not mean that science has
always been pursued either in a positive context or as was later argued, in
value neutral context. History of science is replete with instances where
science has been used to inflict damage or destruction on nature or humanity or
both. This is particularly evident in the context of the two world wars, which
took place in the first half of the twentieth century. As is well known while
the First World War was described as chemists war, the Second World War was
described as phycists war. The latter war with its final act of destruction of
humanity in Japan
has clearly indicated the relationship between science and human values is very
complex and precarious. In view of this any understanding of scientific
knowledge through communication and literacy should include a critical
appraisal of the dual and double edged character of science and its value
system.
Bangalore Science Forum: An institutional
frame work for Communication and Literacy:
Having so far examined different aspects of
Science Communication and Scientific Literacy we now wish to present a short
account of the activities of the Bangalore Science Forum. In presenting this
account we would like to draw attention to the institutional dimension of
Science Communication. This we deem it necessary because of the fact that the
scientific knowledge is first and fore most public knowledge. In other words
although science is initiated interms of individual curiosity and pursued it
cannot be considered as a personal enterprise. Science is from its inception to
final contribution to our understanding is social as well as public enterprise.
The Bangalore Science Forum came into existence
on 11th November 1962 in a meeting convened by Dr.H.Narasimhaiah the
then Principal of The National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore. He was a follower of Gandhiji
having met him at very young age and been inspired by the ideas and ideals of
Gandhiji. Dr.Narasimhaiah was a Physcist by training and was a deeply committed
student not only of science as knowledge but also of science as instrument of
social transformation. He believed that science in terms of its spirit of enquiry
was a critical instrument for questioning traditional beliefs as well as
authoritarian attitudes with respect to social life. It was this belief and
conviction which inspired him to choose the question mark as a symbol of
Science Forum. Dr.Narasimhaiah had thought about these issues when he was in USA as a
research student. He records this in his autobiography. He observes that this
is the age of science and technology, the science is growing at rapid rate. I
thought of establishing a science association like this when I was in USA. He
observes further, “this cannot be part of the college. Therefore in November
1962 a public association was started. The Association was named as Bangalore
Science Forum”5. Narasimhaiah’s words that it can’t be the part of
the college, stresses on the fact that the science communication has to be on a
regular basis and further, to a larger part of society than to students alone.
Here it can be seen that science communication and literacy needs an
institutional dimension to cater to society at large.
The main objectives of the forum were unanimously resolved in the first
meeting of the forum held on 11th November 1962 as (1) to popularise
science (2) to create scientific out look (3) to organise lectures and seminars
on science and technology (4) and finally to keep those interested in science
informed of the latest advances in the different branches6.The Forum
even today adheres to these objectives.
It is easy to establish an organization but it is difficult to sustain
the same in long run. And it is even more difficult to see qualitative and
quantitative progress together. How ever the Forum is heading towards its
Golden Jubilee in 2012 over coming the all the obstacles in its way. The
current office bearers who are actively engaged in the activities of The
Bangalore Science Forum are Dr.A.H.Rama Rao President, Dr.S.V.Subramanyam
Vice-President, Dr.Y.Thulajappa Secretary, Dr.Y.C.Kamal Joint-Secretary (one of
the authors) and Prof.H.R.Ramakrishna Rao the Treasurer. They are supported by
twenty members of the executive committee of Bangalore Science Forum. In the back drop of this we now look at its
evolution in three phases.
The first phase being from 1962-1978 - Origin and formative years.
The Bangalore Science Forum’s ledger and Silver jubilee Souvenir
provides a fair account of programmes of the Forum. The first programme of the
Forum was a lecture by Dr.M.N.Mahadevan on the topic ‘Diseases of Civilization’.
This was delivered on 23rd November 19627. Initially it
was thought of having one lecture per month. But very next year in 1963 it was
increased to two lectures per month. In the years to come this was increased to
one lecture on every Wednesday and a film show in a month, On an average there
will be 3-4(three to four) lectures and a film show on science subject. This
depends on number of Wednesday in a month. Even today this programme scheduled
is followed. Looking at the spread of programmes it is very interesting. The
topics included a verity of subjects in science. Some of the titles are
fascinating. To name a few Chemistry and Heredity, Mechanics of flights, The
Science of sleep, Computers, Giant Molecules, The story of Galileo, cancer, The
Universe, Calendar Reform, Is there life on other planets, Social behaviour of
monkeys, Problems of Adolescence, Some aspects of Philosophy of Science and
such other. These programmes clearly indicates that the Forum has covered
topics on pure science, applied science, psychology, Philosophy and also the
new subject at that time i.e. Computers.
Majority of these topics were handled by such eminent scientists as
Nobel laureates C.V.Raman, Dorothy, Hodgkings, Khorana, C.N.Rao, P.Balaram,
Kasturirangan and others. On the occasion of such lectures public attendance
used to be much higher than the usual. Given the popularity of these speakers
it is quite understandable that made it possible to invite them often.
When the lecture programmes were running steadily the Forum felt that
there is a need to communicate science among young children at a tender age of
12th or 15th year itself. As these children are school
going children they find it difficult to attend regular programmes of the
Forum. Therefore the Forum started summer schools, wherein students were
introduced to world of science by eminent practising scientists and also from
science educators. This being a three weeks programme, and was very popular
among young ones. Forum has completed Forty five summer schools.
Along with summer school another important programme it started was the
“Inter collegiate contest in speaking on science subjects”. This was aimed at
culvating young science communicators. In this programmes students of
intermediate and undergraduate classes of various colleges will participate.
This is a speaking contest in physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology i.e.
fundamental science subjects. But later it was extended to Electronics,
Biotechnology and Computer science as these subjects gained importance. This
shows openness of the Forum when it comes to accept changes. In the competition
a student can speak on a topic of his choice in any category above said. The
topics chosen by students will be no less than any science communicator, to
name a few they are Dark Matter - Dark Energy, Neutrino hypothesis, and Lasers.
The student communicators are very well trained and their presentations will
also be very interesting. After the presentation he/she has to face the hectic
question and answer session which is again in spirit of enquiry. This is an
important component of all the Science Forum programmes. This programme of the
Forum has completed Forty five annual contests and it is growing strong. Many
of the established science communicators woe their gratitude to these
competition.
As the years passed
The Bangalore Science Forum through its various activities of lectures, film
shows, competition involved itself in the process of Science Communication in a
subtle way contributing to growth of scientific literacy among different
section of society on a regular basis. At this juncture Dr.Narasimhaiah felt
and thought a very special and innovative programme of science communication
i.e. Science Festival. It has a very small story in its beginning. Near National College,
in Fort High School grounds a month long Music
Festival called “Ramostava” will be conducted. This is a musical seva for Lord Rama
during Ramanavami Festival. Musicians of repute from different part of country
come here to render their seva for Rama. Dr.Narasimhaiah a cannosier of music
was regular to these programmes. On one day he thought if there is music
festival for “Rama” why not an Utsava or Festival for Science? This thought
resulted in Annual Science Festival8. The first Festival began on
01-07-1978 (First July 1978) with an inaugural address by Dr.U.R.Rao the then
Director of ISRO. He delivered a lecture on the topic Scientific Spirit.
This programme initiated a new era in Bangalore Science Forum and Science
Communication as well. Having seen the origin and formative period of Forum we
now present the second phase of the Forum from 1978-1987.
In the first phase
of the Forum we see the sustained growth of the Forum through its variety of
programs. In second phase the Forum heads altogether in a new direction with
the Festival. The Festival has its own sailent features. A few of them are as;
it is conducted as a month long festival in July every year. It will have about
twenty five to twenty six lectures and about four to five film shows. Most of
the lectures will be delivered by the practicing scientists of repute drawn
from different organizations across the country. The topics will have its own
variety. However every year if there is any significance attached to it, it
will also be considered. For E.g. 1985 was celebrated as Diamond Jubilee year
of Quantum Mechanics. In that year a few lectures were specially enmarked for
the same. The year 1986 as 300th Anniversary of Newton’s Principia,
1988 as C.V.Raman Birth Centenary year, 1989 as Pundit Jawahar Lal Nehru’s,
1992 as that of JBS Haldane’s and 1993 as Meghanand Saha’s Birth Centenary. The
year 1999 was celebrated as Fifteenth Centenary year of Aryabhata. In recent
year of Astronomy and Astrophysics 2010 as 50th year of Discovery of
Laser and recent Birth centenary of Subramanya Chandrashekar.
The above mentioned are special programmes
within the programme. In all the programmes of the Forum there will be a
presentation on a topic followed by discussions. These programmes gave general
public student, teachers and all science enthusiasts an opportunity to directly
interact with scientists of repute and get their doubts cleared. These
programmes depict in true sense the spirit of Science Communication
contributing to scientific literacy.
The topics in the
festival range from Cellular Engineering(1984), The apple and the Cosmos(1986),
The elementary particles(1986), and Universe, Test tube baby(1986), Super
conductivity(1987), Nehru and Scientific developments(1989), Nuclear Power and
future(1988), Wealth of Andaman and Nicobar(1988),
Gender and Science(1998), Data ware housing and Mining(2000), Paper technology the
beauty of fractals (2002), why scientific temper regresses while science and
technology advances at ever increasing pace? (2002), Space and Environment (2003),
Dark Energy Einstein’s mistake dominates (2005), Can India become Competitive in
Scientific Research (2005) (- Two thousandth lecture of the Forum). Man Media
and Scientific temper(2007), Nano scale
biology(2007), The first Scientific Revolutions and its contemporary
implications(2007), Brest cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis(2007), Brain mapping
Computational Aspects(2007), Viruses and Cancer(2008), Genetic Network(2009),
and Three models of Software Production(2010), Discoveries at the Energy
Frontier: The Tevetron and the LHC(Large Hadron Collider).
This is just a
bird’s eye view of the topics discussed in Forum. A scan of these clearly
indicates, in the programs of the Forum a growth of science and technology can
be traced. Starting from Newton’s
principia, Einstein’s theory, particle physics, Discoveries at the Energy
Frontier: The Tevetron and the LHC (Large Hadron Collider), Dark Matter and
Dark Energy is one line that can be traced. A detailed and careful observation
of all the lectures included in the festival leads to fact that the Forum is
involved in\of dissemination scientific knowledge along with its growth in all
its branches. This is an important observation we can make. How ever now and
then there are discussions on issues in science and technology also. Gender
issues in science is also taken into consideration, with this it can be said
that in second phase the Forum has further strengthened its roots in
communicating science in the context of scientific literacy through Science
Festival and other programmes. The year 1987 saw the silver jubilee of the
Bangalore Science Forum. Having seen the Forum’s growth by consolidating its
activities in second phase we shall now see the third phase from 1987-till
date.
We have seen the
Forum steadily growing from its inception and celebrating its silver jubilee in
1987. The Forum continues with its activities later also. Bur at later stages
the Forum felt the necessity of communicating science to larger sphere and in
this process it felt the necessity of associating and net working with other
organizations at different levels. As part of this it organized a state level
science model making competition in association with Karnataka Rajya Vignana Parishat
(KRVP) in the year 2005. This activity has covered about 20,000 students across
the state and conducted in three stages. The final programme being organized in
Mysore on 5th
January 2005. In the same year Dr.A.H.Rama Rao succeeded Prof.Narasimhaiah on
the latter’s demise. This was but a natural choice because Dr.Rao is also
trained in Physics. He holds a degree in Physics from Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore.
On his return to teaching Dr.Rao served the Forum successively as treasurer,
secretary and vice president for more than three decades. In a sense his
elevation for the post of President of the Forum is a natural followup of his
contributions. Through this programme first time the Forum
started to move out of its premises. The very next year in association with
KRVP and B.V.Jagadeesh Science Centre it conducted a state level science
speaking contest in Kannada (vernacular). This was held at the premises of
B.V.Jagadeesh Science Centre at Bangalore.
This programme is continued with KRVP. In 2009 we hosted district level
competition at the premises of S J R College for Women in Bangalore. This year (2010) however the Forum
associated it self with Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) to
celebrate a Laser Fest, to commemorate 50th year of discovery of
Laser. A National Conference on Laser and its application was conducted in
October 2010 as part of the above programme9. With this the Forum
has grown to cater to academia also. In all, the third phase clearly indicates
its courage and ability to grow beyond imaginary boundary and strengthening the
institutional dimension of Science Communication. However The Forum still needs
to grow in various directions.
Having seen all the
three phases of growth of Bangalore Science Forum, I would like to draw
attention towards the impact made by the Forum. This is discussed by
considering two representations from Dr.Raghottama Rao a Retired Material
Scientist from DRDO and Smt. Lakshmi Shashidhar a lecturer in Physics at a
local college. Rao has acquaintance of Forum from past four decades. He has
attended more than hundred programmes. In his words he says “. . . . It
provides an opportunity to listen and interact in the evening hours to
scientists of repute and accomplishments who could be chosen as models to
emulate in our pursuits of scientific attitude, approach and temperment”10.
He further says “Thus it is a Forum which enables young minds to define their
goals and pursuits and supports to seek role models too”11. He
continues to say “The Forum is becoming a model to other locals and regions to
emulate, imitate to make evenings to knowledge sessions a pleasant sourjon into
realigns of science information and exploration”12.
We now look at what
Smt Lakshmi says. Lakshmi is a benificiary of Bangalore Science Forum as is
depicted in her own words. She has about 12 years of association with Forum.
She associated herself with the Forum as a participant of 7th
standard summer school in 1998. Then onwards she participated in every activity
of the
Forum. She says “It was only due to the educating, enliving, informative and inspiring lectures that I had listened to, during these lectures that I decided to take up pure science as my career option”12. She further says “……it has reached out to common people to educate them science, as the superstition ruled the thoughts of people. Bangalore Science Forum is more accessible to people to clarify their doubts and share their thoughts”12.
Forum. She says “It was only due to the educating, enliving, informative and inspiring lectures that I had listened to, during these lectures that I decided to take up pure science as my career option”12. She further says “……it has reached out to common people to educate them science, as the superstition ruled the thoughts of people. Bangalore Science Forum is more accessible to people to clarify their doubts and share their thoughts”12.
In both Rao’s and
Lakshmi’s views, the common point of observation is, it is accessible to
specific knowledge through the eminent and practicing scientists, which is the
essence of Science Communication. As Lakshmi says it educates the people in a
society ruled by superstitious thoughts. It strongly stresses on the point the
Forum is spreading the much needed Scientific Literacy in society. Thus the
Forum in its institutional frame work and communicational activity offered us a
good model where Science Communication, Literacy and Institutional support have
come together.
Conclusions:
In this
paper we started with understanding definition, scope and necessity of Science
Communication and Scientific Literacy. Further in this science and technology
driven society we saw the dependence of Literacy on Communication. As Science
is objective knowledge and a public enterprise when transfer to society at
large, establishes Scientific Literacy and hence acquires a deeper
significance. As can be seen through the activities of the Forum, the Forum had
done its duty in achieving the above
described objective of Science Communication in transferring it to society and this
knowledge has truly acquired deeper significance by creating impart on people
associated with the Forum. This can be seen from two representative feedbacks.
The above
achievement of the Forum is possible because of the institutional dimension of
the organization. Without institutional dimension it would have not been
possible to achieve the same. Even though science can be communicated at
different levels in quite different ways to achieve Scientific Literacy in a
cumulative way, it has to be communicated in an institutional frame work. This
dimension of Science Communication is at best achieved in Bangalore Science
Forum creating Scientific Literacy among the people at large to whom the objective
knowledge belongs to.
References:
1. Burns T W et al: “Science Communication a
contemporary Definition”. The Public Understanding of Science, 2003:12:183.
2. Rudiger.C.Laugksch: “Scientific Literacy: A
conceptual over view” March 1999:79.
3. Burns T W et al as in Ref 1.
4. Popper, Karl Raimund, “The logic of Scientific
Discovery” Hutchinson
1959.
5. Dr. Narasimhaiah: “Horatada Haadi”, 1995, 226.
6. Bangalore
Science Forum: Silver Jubilee Sovenier, 1987, i
7. Ibid (iii)
8. Dr.Narasimhaiah’s speech in 25th Annual
Science Festival, 2003, July.
9. The Bangalore Science Forum
Ledgers
10. Raghotham Rao P: “Kudos to Bangalore Science Forum”, 2010
11. Ibid
12. Lakshmi Shashidhar: Letter to Bangalore Science Forum 2010
13. Ibid
Acknowledgements:
- We thank Dr.A.H.Rama Rao and Dr.Y.Thulajappa and all the office bearers of the Bangalore Science Forum for generously sharing information concerning emergence and evolution of Bangalore Science Forum.
- We also thank Dr.P.Raghotham Rao and Smt. Lakshmi Shashidhar for readily responding our request for a considered feed back regarding the impact of the Bangalore Science Forum.
- We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation extended by The Principal, H.O.D. of Physics and colleagues of The National College, Basavanagudi, and Bangalore.
- We express our special thanks to our colleague Mr.N.Srikantamurthy, Lecturer in Physics, for helping us in typing the manuscript.