UT Science Communication Club: reaching young adults, faces of science and conspiracy theories SC Club on Wednesday 2 July from 12:30 - 13:30 hours

Nowadays as researchers we are increasingly expected to communicate our science to a wider audience, to engage in dialogue with citizens and other actors, or pitch our research for funding to a non-specialist audience. Science communication is an integral part of our responsibility to society. As with any skill, practice makes perfect—and progress is faster when we share our experiences. This is what we do at the Science Communication Club!

On Wednesday 2 July during lunch time dr. Clara Stegehuis will talk about her experiences with giving guest lectures on mathematics for kids of 13 to 15 years old. Clara Stegehuis is a mathematician who studies large networks. Next to this, she likes to communicate about her research, mathematics, or science in general with various audiences. She will talk about her experience in communicating about science with audiences that are typically not reached by standard science communication activities. Clara also wrote blogs for Faces of Science.

Dr. Ruud Jacobs will explain more about conspiracy theories. How can we as researchers deal with conspiracy? Social media spaces reward sensational content over nuanced communication. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Conspiracy Theory Content Ecosystem, where conspiracists and conspiracy debunkers engage in an endless-seeming battle on, for example, the shape of the Earth. Both parties are keeping the other relevant, with debunkers providing a steady stream of views on conspiracists, who in turn perform like they are in a debate with these debunkers. Ruud Jacobs, assistant professor in Communication Science, discusses the algorithm-pleasing cycle of conspiracy theory content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, and asks if this is fertile ground for science communication or if adding more fuel to this fire is counterproductive.

The meeting is in the Langezijdsbuilding room LA 2310, during lunch time from 12:30 - 13:30 hours. For PhD students: it it possible to earn a certificate of 0.5 EC by attending 5 meetings and presenting / discussing an own example

Note already the other dates in 2025:

• Thursday 2 October 12:30 – 13:30, venue will follow
• Thursday 11 December 12:30 – 13:30, venue will follow