Ateneo - UPO

Scientific communication and its limits, use of social networks, communicability problems, innovative solutions for the dissemination of mathematical ideas

Comunicare la scienza.Autori: Silvia Bencivelli, Francesco Paolo de Ceglia.Ed. CarocciISBN:  9788843069552

The purpose of this course is to develop the skills useful to argue and explain scientific ideas in different settings and through different communication channels. Therefore, the educational goal is to acquire the necessary knowledge in the education and communication sectors on the topic of scientific communication.

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Frontal lessons, class discussion, group work and project work

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Oral examination, during which a project work on communication of science is presented. The project is evaluated based on: (i) connections with previous results, choice of topic and communication channel (up to 12 points); (ii) analysis of examples of other similar communication projects (up to 10 points); (iii) final presentation (up to 10 points).

Outline of science communication, problems related to popularisation, both in presence and through media.The uncertainty on scientific results (both experimental and theoretical).Probability theory as the logic of the unknown. Uses and abuses of statistics. Modelling phenomena: virtues and shortcomings of models.Examples: models of growth, of epidemic, etc. Science as a public undertaking. Evaluating scientific papers. Consensus building. Open access: the example of arXiv. Some major scientific topics and their popularisation: energy, climate, etc.

- Knowledge and understanding: acquiring basic theoretical concepts regarding science communication, problems related to popularisation, both in person and through media. Awareness of the uncertainty attached to scientific results (both experimental and theoretical), of probability theory as the logic of the unknown, of uses and abuses of statistics. Knowledge about mathematical models of phenomena.- Applying knowledge and understanding: being able to produce popularisation and educational materials on contemporary topics of mathematics and science.- Communication skills: being able to present to a non specialised audience the basic aspects of the scientific method, of mathematics, of sciences with particular attention to physics.