by David K.
Member since:
April 29, 2007

“Here at the Secret Science Club, all scientists are rock stars”

March 04, 2009 02:45 PM UTC
views: 0 | comments: 40

So announces Margaret Mittelbach, as she introduces that evening's headliner: a microbiologist from Columbia University, who will talk about vertical farming within skyscrapers to create sustainable ecocities.

Ooh, aah...

This is the monthly meeting of the Secret Science Club.

According to a Christian Science Monitor article dated today, "neuroscientists, marine biologists, astrophysicists, paleontologists, and genomics experts have all taken a bow at the Secret Science Club since it started three years ago." Founded by Mittelbach, fellow natural history writer Michael Crewdson, and Dorian Devins, a radio producer, the Secret Science Club began as a publicity event to launch their first book, "Carnivorous Nights: On the Trail of the Tasmanian Tiger." The original event was "a wacky taxidermy contest," but it went so well that it grew into "a club where people could talk about science in an informal setting."

But the Club is not alone, as it belongs to a growing international community of "science cafes" (or "cafe scientifique" in Europe where they got their start 10 years ago) "where scientists and ordinary citizens can have a lively discussion in a social setting far from the lecture hall or laboratory."

On the whole, I think science clubs are a great idea. In fact, I might start one of my own.

Science for Everyone

Comments: 40

Larry M. Mar 4, 2009, 2:53pm UTC
In as much as I live in a college town and would love to attend such a club I hope the idea really takes off in my area.
Charles T. Mar 4, 2009, 2:53pm UTC
Its hard not to admire them. The amount of work to get the degree and all the dirty, low level work they do just to verify things. God Bless the eggheads!
Richard Frisbie Mar 4, 2009, 2:59pm UTC
Sounds like a great idea. I hope people would turn off (or TVO) American Idol and go to a cafe nearby, but I'm not confident it would have the draw. I'd go!
Ada D. Mar 4, 2009, 3:05pm UTC
Secret Science Club? We have lots of those around here, but we refer to them as "meth labs." They have a tendency to explode, probably because they are run by people who don't properly appreciate science.
Paul M. Mar 4, 2009, 3:06pm UTC
Maybe we can finally get a second Age of Reason going. That would be sweet.
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:17pm UTC
Richard - Apparently they are literally turning people away at the door, and it's hot among the 20- and 30-something old crowds. That has to be a good sign.
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:18pm UTC
Hmm, Ada. I'm pretty sure that's not what they were talking about.
Carrie C. Mar 4, 2009, 3:25pm UTC
Why secret?
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:27pm UTC
I suspect it's just a gimmick, Carrie. Obviously not too secret. :)
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:29pm UTC
I'm not sure the eggheads like to be called eggheads, Charles. But then, maybe they do. :)
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:39pm UTC
I can almost guarantee there is some sort of coffee shop/bar that scientist types like to hang out at in your town, Larry.
Nancy Paoletti Mar 4, 2009, 3:40pm UTC
hmmm hubby is a scientist I wonder if he belongs to this club. Actually I know he does not, but I think he would be interested in this.
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:42pm UTC
Sign him up, YT.
M O. Mar 4, 2009, 3:45pm UTC
I would LOVE to belong to one of these..not that I'm a scientist, but I would love to attend the meetings. Wonder if they have a secret decoder ring.
Janet "Jax" B. Mar 4, 2009, 3:51pm UTC
You start a science club, and I'll join....I am a proud science nerd.
tammie p. Mar 4, 2009, 3:53pm UTC
thank you for sharing this
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:54pm UTC
Funny you should ask, Janet, because there is a Science Club right here on Gather. Science for Everyone was started here on Gather by fellow scientist extraordinaire Sy Garte, who recently passed it on to me for temporary safekeeping. If you're not a member, you should be (hint, hint, hint).
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 3:57pm UTC
Don't know about the secret decoder ring, Sheryl (though I might still have one somewhere myself).
Peter Joseph Swanson Mar 4, 2009, 4:00pm UTC
My sister works for the government recruiting rocket scientists for NASA and other places that need them and she gets to go to science meetings. Lucky her.
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 4:03pm UTC
Oh man, it's going to be St. Patrick's day soon Peter. Thanks for reminding me. Maybe I'll go to Ireland. :)
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 4:04pm UTC
BTW, I wonder how many rocket scientists NASA is hiring these days, given the space program is kind of in transition at the moment.
Kimber L. Mar 4, 2009, 4:06pm UTC
LOL
Stephanie S. Mar 4, 2009, 4:38pm UTC
thanks
David K. Mar 4, 2009, 4:46pm UTC
Thank you
Austin Cushing Mar 4, 2009, 4:49pm UTC
This comment is to let you know that this content has reached at least ten comments, and as such has been removed from Comment Speedway! Congratulations, and check out this week's Help These Articles!
Wil B. Mar 4, 2009, 5:12pm UTC
Sounds great! Here in Australia we have "Science in the Pub" events that are pretty popular. And at the annual National Science Festival we have a "Meet and Greet a Geek" event that is based on speed-dating, where they put 25 scientists in a room and you get to spend a few minutes chatting with each one. But I don't know of anybody doing anything like the Secret Science Club on a monthly basis.
Chris Wiegard Mar 4, 2009, 9:55pm UTC
didn't scientists in the UK used to be called "Boffins"? You know, back when they helped win World War II?

There is a UK based online club operating now called the naked scientist forum. I used to visit it to learn a thing or two or spout about something that I understand. It got annoying after a while when some global warming deniers showed up. Still I have to admit that it was more fun and more respectful of science for the most part than such a forum would be here in the USA. Too many americans are actively hostile towards scientists, and believe that scientists are guilty of liberal bias. I got the impression that Brits did not feel that way, David.
By the way, how do Belgians feel about scientists?
Desiree T. Mar 4, 2009, 11:01pm UTC
Trying to catch up tonight. Sorry for the drive by...
David K. Mar 5, 2009, 12:00am UTC
I think I could get into the "science in the pub" idea, Wil. I'll have to see if they have anything like that both here and back home. I would certainly think that the hubs of Europe and of the US would have such a thing.
David K. Mar 5, 2009, 12:11am UTC
You pose an interesting question, Chris. In general I would say that most people that I have met have a healthy regard for scientists. I don't know many people outside of Gather who show obvious disdain for scientists. But I would say that there are lots of people who don't really understand science or feel frustrated that "scientists tell me to eat fish because it's healthy on Monday, then on Tuesday they tell me not to eat too much fish because it might have mercury in it." They don't understand that the apparent contradiction is due to media spin from two different studies, each of which they extrapolate beyond the conclusions of the study.

This is one of the reasons I've been looking at how scientists communicate and interact with policy. If we get too compartmentalized we can lose sight of how others misunderstand, mis-state, or mis-use scientific results (or worse, how some will make believe they are talking science when in fact they are merely opining - this is most common coming from politicians and people on Gather, etc.).
Terry White Mar 5, 2009, 5:22am UTC
What a great idea!
Connie Hersom Ethier Mar 5, 2009, 5:56am UTC
I think it's I great idea. I would go for something like that.
David K. Mar 5, 2009, 7:51am UTC
Sounds like a good idea to me too.
David K. Mar 5, 2009, 9:22am UTC
Thanks Connie
Steve B. Mar 5, 2009, 11:59am UTC
A science club is a great idea. I enjoy many of the programs on the Science Channel, especially re: deep space, parallel universes, etc. Science is fascinating.
David K. Mar 5, 2009, 1:47pm UTC
Well, then I hope everyone joins the Science for Everyone group at least.
David K. Mar 5, 2009, 5:17pm UTC
Thanks all
Mary Ann Slavcheff Mar 6, 2009, 10:17am UTC
Great article. I bookmarked it. I will share it with my intermediate classes.
We are always looking for ways to make study fun.
David K. Mar 6, 2009, 1:11pm UTC
I'm glad you liked it, Mary Ann.
David K. Mar 28, 2009, 5:33am UTC
I'm still looking for a secret science club here.

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