New Science Center outreach brings scientists to your happy hour

By Kevin Smead | SDUN Reporter

When “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” first aired in 1980, it set out to accomplish a number of goals, the most important being to bring accessible yet very sound science to the masses in an entertaining, evocative format. In achieving this, the show was wildly successful, thanks in part to its host, the beloved Carl Sagan.

It is a testament to the work of Sagan and the “Cosmos” team that not only is a sequel to the original series currently airing, but scientific outreach is more popular and accessible than it ever has been. However, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is thinking differently about community outreach and taking a new, innovative approach — as scientists are wont to do.

“Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar” may be the start of a sure-to-be-awful joke, but its literal nature is quite apt. Much like the title itself, the setup is simple: take two scientists and send them to a bar, give them a sign that says “We Are Scientists, Ask us Anything,” and let the public loose. There’s no better forum to strike up an interesting science-related conversation over some tasty beers at a local watering hole.

So, what’s the punchline, then?

The inaugural event hosted 50 scientists at 25 local bars, restaurants and breweries, spanning the entire county. All the way from downtown’s The Field and The Knotty Barrel to Carlsbad’s Pizza Port, scientists spent their Thursday evening answering questions and engaging in some good, old-fashioned hanging out.

Since the event ran from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in most of Uptown’s bars, I planned my route so I could hit three different bars and meet as many awesome scientists as I could.

Starting at Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights, I encountered Michael Tift and Peter Jordan from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Dressed in lab coats, the pair enjoyed a pitcher of one of Automatic’s finest ales, brewed on location at Blind Lady, while waiting for patrons to approach them and ask questions.

“People have been kind of timid,” Tift said. “I don’t think we’re intimidating.”

At this, Jordan laughed. “Yeah, they asked us to come hang out, drink beer and talk about science. That just sounds like a normal night for me.”

Jordan continued saying, “I hope people don’t think they have to try and stump us. Outside of our research areas, there’s lots of stuff we don’t know. People have a lot of physics questions we can’t answer.”

As I was leaving for the next stop, they were moving their sign identifying them as scientists to a more prominent easel, in hopes of drumming up some more conversation.

Down the street at Polite Provisions, there was no shortage of people interested in speaking with the two scientists, San Diego State biology graduate student Brandon Kim and University of San Diego oceanographer Dr. Drew Talley. Both were excited to talk about their various scientific endeavors, though some had other interests.

“Oh, we’ve had a range of questions already,” Talley said. “Some were very curious about what we do and others just wanted to know if there were tables available in the back.” The two gathered quite a crowd in the small, but packed, bar.

Over at Hamilton’s in South Park, San Diego State biology graduate students Priya Shukla and Kate McDaniel had several people show up specifically to talk with them.

“These two guys actually showed up to talk with us scientists. That’s cool, I didn’t expect that,” McDaniel said, smiling. As someone who works in the graduate publishing world, I asked the pair the worst question of the night: How’s your thesis going?

“Oh no!” Shukla exclaimed, laughing. “That’s something you never ask any graduate student.”

“It’s coming along. There’s still time,” a nervously nodding McDaniel answered.

There was one question the scientists universally answered “yes” to, however: Would they do this again?

Good thing, too, since this event was only a kick-off for many more outreach-focused events to come, including more installments of “Two Scientists Walk into a Bar.” Upcoming events also include the more focused, but still beer-related, “Suds and Science,” in which a scientist gives a brief presentation on a popular topic and then leads a discussion about it afterwards. All of this taking place at a local bar, of course. Also, on May 12, White Labs CEO and President Chris White will be giving a presentation on yeast, microbiology and other science-based fundamentals of brewing at Callahan’s Pub and Brewery in Mira Mesa.

With all of this emphasis on beer-or-otherwise focused outreach, the best way to keep up with the R. H. Fleet Science Center is follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

So, would Carl Sagan have envisioned a time in which it was cool for scientists to hang out in bars and have the general public ask them questions over a pint or two? Maybe not. One of the main tenants of outreach is to go to people where they are, though, and if that place happens to be drinking at a local pub, then that’s just cream cheese icing on the chocolate Guinness cake.