How science-y are you? There’s a quiz for that.

If you’re sitting astatine nan pub pinch your trivia squad and a pint of beer, are you nan type of personification to conscionable gulp down your drink? Or are you much apt to study nan solid and effort to measurement its focal length?

If you’re successful nan second group, it’s apt you person a precocious subject superior – and you mightiness not moreover cognize it. 

So … what does that mean?

“I for illustration to deliberation of subject superior successful benignant of nan aforesaid measurement we deliberation you are what you eat,” says Shanii Phillips.

Shanii is Audience Research Manager astatine Scitech, a not-for-profit subject learning centre successful Perth. “You are nan sum of your subject capital,” she says.

Science superior is simply a comparatively caller measurement developed to understand people’s engagement pinch science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields. 

Caption: People engaging successful a Scitech subject theatre show.
Credit: Scitech

Shanii notes it was devised by a group of researchers successful nan UK astir a decade agone and helps supply a model for reasoning astir really ‘sciencey’ group are.

Science superior is not a measurement of intelligence aliases a judgement. Rather, it’s a measurement to understand really subject fits into your mundane life, whether that’s while doing pub trivia, stepping on nan formation aliases visiting a subject centre for illustration Scitech.

“It’s not conscionable really smart you are aliases really overmuch subject you know. It’s really you think, what you do and who you know. It’s linking nan taste and social,” says Shanii.

“I deliberation it conscionable beautifully encapsulates nan constituent of everything we do successful subject communication.”

In a caller report, Shanii and researchers astatine nan University of Western Australia utilized subject superior to measurement nan societal effect connected nan Western Australian organization of nan activity done astatine Scitech.

The study had 2 aims.

It was an effort to measure really Western Australians prosecute pinch Scitech and STEM done nan lens of subject capital. It besides functioned arsenic a pilot study to measure nan usefulness of subject superior arsenic a instrumentality for assessing nan societal impacts of subject centres. 

Caption: The WA Science Zone wrong Scitech.
Credit: Scitech

PREACH IT

Alongside her collaborators Dr Heather Bray and Tarryn Basden astatine UWA, Shanii surveyed much than 650 group aged 18–85, asking questions specified arsenic “How often do you talk astir subject pinch different people?” and “Do you cognize anyone who useful arsenic a intelligence aliases successful a occupation that uses science?”

Interviews were besides conducted pinch six respondents successful nan debased and mean subject superior categories and 5 who were deemed to person precocious subject capital. The interviews allowed for much in-depth questioning of really respondents viewed their sciencey-ness. 

By assessing nan subject superior of respondents and interviewees, Shanii and her colleagues were capable to make insights astir really they prosecute pinch subject and pinch Scitech. 

“Science capital, for me, is different measurement of amended knowing group and wherever they’re coming from,” she says.

For instance, 1 mightiness presume those who be a subject centre for illustration Scitech are each equipped pinch a high science superior and perpetually engaged pinch STEM topics. 

Caption: Scitech connected a caller travel to nan Kimberley to prosecute pinch young Aboriginal students.
Credit: Scitech

Shanii’s investigation shows that isn’t needfully nan lawsuit – for those respondents pinch debased subject capital, going to Scitech is besides valuable. They position it arsenic a safe space. 

“People who regularly prosecute pinch Scitech person a wide scope of levels of subject capital,” she says. “We’re not conscionable preaching to nan converted.”

This highlights nan worth of subject centres to prosecute nan community, sloppy of really sciencey they mightiness judge themselves to be. 

CAPITAL CITY

The study concludes that subject superior tin beryllium a useful model for knowing nan effect of subject centres connected nan community. 

Other research has utilized nan model of subject superior to effort and understand nan aspirations of young group and really subject superior mightiness power their profession paths and goals. 

Shanii sees subject superior arsenic a valuable instrumentality for subject communicators and educators – 1 that whitethorn besides thief subject centres tailor experiences for their audiences. 

Caption: Two group prosecute successful a Scitech grounds astatine an After Dark event.
Credit: Deprimo Photography

And knowing a person’s subject superior opens up possibilities to empower them to make informed decisions astir nan future.

“We cognize location are going to beryllium immoderate important socioscientific issues successful nan 21st period that we request to reside – and we request diverseness of thinking,” Shanii says. 

In practice, that intends we request group pinch different levels of subject superior arsenic good arsenic from different socioeconomic and migrant backgrounds and beyond. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re willing successful nan focal magnitude of your solid of brew aliases not – addressing those challenges is buoyed by those differences.

“From nan diverseness of thinking, we will travel up pinch nan champion solutions,” says Shanii.