PWR 91JSA: Communicating Science in Public Spaces

In this course, students will develop science museum-style exhibits about Stanford’s Arizona Garden, the historic garden — containing dozens of cactus and succulent species from around the world — that was planted before Stanford University even existed. Students will present their exhibits in a one-day pop up exhibition at the garden, and they will archive the materials in the Arizona Garden online exhibition, hosted by the Stanford Libraries. Student exhibits could focus on botanical features of individual plants in the garden, on the convergent evolution of cacti and other succulents, or on the physics and chemistry of water transport and storage. Students are encouraged to think about ways they can make their exhibits hands-on and interactive, such as exhibits teaching botanical illustration or demonstrating the properties of aloe vera gel.

To support students as they create their exhibits, we will have guest lectures from museum curators and designers, and we will take field trips to experience first hand how science can be communicated in public spaces. Through these experiences, along with other classroom activities and readings from Creating Exhibitions from Polly Mckenna-cress and Janet A. Kamien, students will learn how to create engaging, effective, and inclusive museum exhibits in both in-person and virtual spaces. Together, we will explore the potential of museums and other public spaces to provide rich science communication experiences for diverse audiences.

Annotated list of major assignments

Exhibit Pitch: For this assignment, students will work in groups to develop a written outline and oral pitch for their exhibit. These documents will outline the goals for the exhibit, describe how the group plans to distill complex information for a general audience within their exhibit, discuss potential challenges in creating the exhibit, and provide a preliminary list of exhibit materials. 

Exhibit Plan and Materials: For this assignment, students will work in groups to create both the in person and virtual components of their exhibit. You will develop an exhibit script, checklist, design files, and program plans for the pop-up exhibition in the Arizona Garden, working through several rounds of drafting and feedback sessions. You will then archive your materials in a Spotlight exhibit hosted by the Stanford Library. Accompanying the exhibit would be a short written memo where students individually reflect on the choices they made for the exhibit and how those choices incorporate principles for effective exhibit design.