Exploring Science Island’s Science Public Outreach
CAS embraces its big scientific public outreach each May. They call it the CAS Science Week. It means at a certain weekend in May, every CAS institute launches its brand public outreach campaign in different ways to show and tell the public what is science and how science changes our lives. We have the volunteer team in HFIPS telling the story of science island. After interviewing ZHANG Suzhen last week, we invited WANG Hui from Division of Science Center & Research Infrastructure, HFIPS to tell us more...
This is the second of an every-two-day series in two weeks.
WANG Hui
Name: WANG Hui
Position: administration assistant at Division of Science Center & Research Infrastructure, HFIPS
"It is really important for a scientist to do something to increase public engagement.”
1. Could you please describe your job at HFIPS?
As an administration assistant at Division of Science Center & Research Infrastructure, my goal is to coordinate with Science Center Office in our local government on routines in National Science Center construction.
2.When did you join the scientific popularization? How did you make this decision?
It started from a community program that the Institute of Intelligent Machines worked with a local resident community to provide a science island lab tour to the residents in which I was responsible for displaying our wearable smart robots for the older people. From then, I have been being a volunteer to increase science public outreach.
3.Would you like to share your routine about science public outreach?
First, I am in the volunteer group for science public outreach. I take part in HFIPS’ school programs that bring scientific courses and experiments into schools, generally the primary and secondary schools. And I also lead a demonstration team for intelligent machines public outreach that built a demonstration platform to display advanced intelligent machines technology to the public. Our team also got fund from Anhui’s sci-tech association.
Additionally, I am also a member of the CAS alliance for intelligent machines scientific popularization. So, I participated some CAS scientific popularization programs, like scientific public outreach campaign in Yunnan (Southwest China) and another campaign to Xi’an. In these programs, I worked, along with my colleagues, on the course designing and displaying.
I also collaborate with television program to use their channel to reach the public with our science and technology.
4.What dose scientific popularization mean to you?
To me, I think it is really important. I was a researcher on brain-computer interface. As a scientist, we have the responsibility to increase the understanding of the public on brain-computer science, to tell and show them what we do and how science can make a difference. And I am so happy to see our effort in science public outreach inspired the kids and teenagers to arouse their interest in science.
And the kids also inspired me too. I really enjoyed the time we spent together on doing experiment during which they often raised questions, you know kids are always full of imagination. Those questions inspired me on my research work. Sometimes, their question got me think more and deeper so that I have to learn more.
Contact:
ZHAO Weiwei
Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (http://english.hf.cas.cn/)
Email: annyzhao@ipp.ac.cn