From the AAAS Meeting: A Serious Session and a Comical One

Greetings again from the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). As noted, this year the meeting is in San Jose, California. People from more than 50 countries are attending.

Below are highlights of 2 sessions that I attended. One of these sessions addressed an especially serious topic: integrity (ethical behavior) in science. The other addressed a more lighthearted topic: communicating science by using cartoons.

The session “Integrity in Science” featured scholars who are preparing a report on this subject for the US National Academies. A major point regarded the changing views of why misconduct occurs in science.

Earlier, speakers said, misconduct in science generally was thought to occur because a few scientists were bad people. Now, they noted, we are recognizing that the environment in which research is done can pose incentives for researchers to behave unethically.

The report on integrity in science, we were told, is likely to become available this summer. Like other reports from the National Academies, it will be openly accessible. I hope to inform you when it comes out.

The session “Using Cartoons to Convey Science” featured presentations by a psychologist who does research on use of cartooning in education, a scientist who does cartooning for his presentations, and prominent cartoonist Larry Gonick.

At the session, we learned why receiving information in cartoon form—and preparing cartoons oneself—can aid in learning science. We also saw many examples of educational, amusing cartoons in the natural and social sciences. An enjoyable session!

Until the next post—

Barbara