Abstract

Rural communities are oftentimes neglected when it comes to science communication. This leaves individuals feeling excluded, negatively impacting their relationship with science. The aim of this project is to get more people, especially those in rural communities, to engage with science. For this project, I have created a podcast mini-series highlighting the ways that science impacts our daily lives. This podcast series discusses the scientific method with Dr. Bryan Phillips of the University of Iowa in the episode titled Why the Scientific Method Isn’t Just for Scientists. Water quality is also discussed in the podcast in the episode titled The Importance of Improving Water Quality with Dr. David Cwiertny of the University of Iowa.

In order to cater this podcast to rural communities, I have partnered with various public libraries across the state of Iowa to establish content areas of interest and ways to reach their patrons. The podcasts consist of interviews with professionals and faculty at the University of Iowa that have extensive experience in the areas of interest. These short episodes are intended to be easily digestible in order to get people excited about science and how it works without us even knowing. 

Keywords: scientific method, water quality, podcast, rural communities

How to Cite:

Johnson, P., (2023) “The Everyday Wonders of Science”, Synthesis: A Digital Journal of Student Science Communication 4(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/2643-8410.31857