Assistant Professor University of Florida, United States
Introduction:: Scientists and engineers often struggle to engage with the public. Common explanations for this phenomenon include difficulties in explaining STEM concepts, the perception of scientists as unrelatable, and issues of representation in STEM fields. SciArt, the combination of science and art, has emerged as a solution to the first problem by facilitating the visualization and communication of ideas without the intrusion of jargon. Social media platforms have also become ubiquitous and powerful tools for the dissemination of scientific information that lower the barriers of access to knowledge and scientists. With this in mind, I launched a bilingual social media initiative with two goals: (1) to teach about microbes around and within us through the use of crocheted art and (2) to profile Colombian scientists and engineers and increase their visibility in both the US and Colombia.
Materials and Methods:: In April of 2018, I launched #MicrobeMondays on my Instagram account (@AnaMaPorras). Every Monday, I share a new crocheted microbe and tell a short story about its biology, discovery, or a recent finding (Fig. 1A). A couple of months later, I started a sister account in Spanish (@anaerobias), where I do the same on #MicroMartes (Tuesdays). I also regularly profile Colombian scientists and engineers. These profiles usually consist of 3 types of posts and InstaStories: one introducing their organism or cell of study (using crochet), an interview or photo sharing their personal and professional stories, and data, images, or photos obtained directly from the scientists’ work. Analytics information on follower demographics, and reach and engagement were obtained using the Instagram Business Insights and Iconosquare tools, and plotted using R.
Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:: Over the last 5 years, I have crocheted and posted about 84 different microbes, cells, or animal microbiomes (57 original designs) in over 120 #MicrobeMondays and #MicroMartes posts. In that time, I have reached an audience of ~6,300 people across both accounts located all over the world, with higher concentrations in my intended targets: the US and Colombia (Fig. 1B). As expected, a greater proportion of the @anaerobias audience selected Spanish as their primary language on Instagram (Figure 1C). My audience spans all ages (13-65+ years old), mostly concentrated in the 25-34 age ranges. Additionally, 72% of my followers self-identify on the platform as female, which is noteworthy given the traditional gender inequities in STEM fields. This is perhaps due to the reclaiming of crafting - a form of art traditionally associated with women.
The community for #MicroMartes is larger than that for #MicrobeMondays. Thus, this bilingual approach has been more successful at reaching Spanish-speaking users (primarily Latines) around the world. This could be explained partially due to the content itself - culturally relevant and tailored to that community. Another explanation for increased engagement in the #MicroMartes initiative is the constant profiling of myself and other Colombian STEM professionals (closet to 30 profiles to date). Over the years, it has become evident that the engagement rate per post increases compared to weeks when no scientists are profile. Additionally, audience engagement is highest for any posts including crocheted pieces and/or scientists (including myself), and lowest for pictures of lab equipment, data, and landscapes.
The results over the last year demonstrate that crocheted art and social media are effective strategies to attract the general public and explain scientific concepts. Given that followers connected the most with visually appealing and interactive explanations, as well as with scientists themselves, science communication efforts need to evolve to include the experiences of the scientists themselves and in this way not just communicate but also engage with the public. The popularity of this approach with women and the Latinx community further highlight the need for a more diverse pool of role models in the communication of science.
Acknowledgements (Optional): : This work was supported by a Science Communication Grant by Two Photon Art, and Lyda Hill Philanthropies through the IF/THEN AAAS Ambassador Program.
